New Dürr Engineering Center inaugurated

05/15/2001

• 300 guests from politics, industry and society
• Strong growth thanks to new strategy
• Glass atrium represents an architectural highlight in Stuttgart's north

In the presence of the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Erwin Teufel and the Mayor of Stuttgart, Wolfgang Schuster, and more than 300 guests from politics, industry and the staff, Dürr AG inaugurated the new Engineering Center at its headquarters in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen on Tuesday afternoon. The festivities, accompanied by modern action art, have been placed under the motto "Progress Through Change". The speakers highlighted the success factors, prospects and origin of the Dürr Group, one of the leading global suppliers of production systems to the automotive industry.

Heinz Dürr, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Dürr AG, in his speech emphasized the responsibility for future generations as a model for responsible corporate management. Sustained development can best be achieved when change is understood to be an opportunity, and all interest groups of an enterprise are considered in corporate decision-making.

Prime Minister Teufel paid tribute to Dürr's development from a small workshop into an international technological group and the capabilities that are required for pursuing new entrepreneurial routes: "The way in which this company has moved forward is - in my view - exemplary" Teufel said.

The Mayor, Wolfgang Schuster, focused his speech on the success factors of a big city. Mr. Schuster stated that the implementation of innovative concepts, above all with respect to traffic infrastructure, research and education, and also the quality of life to be of major importance for Stuttgart. He views this against the backdrop of increasing globalization in the competition between cities, for example in the fight for investors.

With the words "We must promote and harness the creativity of our staff more intensely as a productive force. Curiosity and the thirst for knowledge are the basis for the work we have to do tomorrow" said Hans Dieter Pötsch, Chairman of the Management Board of Dürr AG, to emphasize the central role that the Dürr staff play in the company's success.

The Dürr Engineering Center, built according to plans designed by the Düsseldorf-based architect Christoph Ingenhoven (Stuttgart 21) for a sum of Euro 20 m, provides 7,500 square meters of office space and a modern working environment for about 300 people. Against the backdrop of the dynamic growth of the Dürr Group in the past years, the new building is an important aspect in the extension of capacities at Dürr's headquarters in Stuttgart, Otto-Dürr-Straße. As a result of its strategic reorientation as systems partner and service provider for nearly all stages of the value chain in automobile manufacturing, Dürr increased sales since 1998 from Euro 1,014 m to Euro 2,042 m (1999: Euro 1,224 m). The workforce grew in the same period from 4,072 to 11,558 (1999: 7,255).

The architectural highlight of the new building is the spacious Dürr atrium - a hall with glass walls, in which all cultural events will take place in future. A concert given by the orchestra of the "Ludwigsburger Festspiele" (Ludwigsburg music festival) conducted by Wolfgang Gönnenwein marks the beginning on May 16 for the Dürr staff and their friends and relatives.

NoteIf you would like to have pictures of the new Dürr engineering center and of the inauguration ceremony please contact the Dürr Corporate Communications department.