Dürr receives 42 million euro plus contract package from VW

04/04/2002

• Main items - body shop, paint shop and final assembly systems
• Equipment to be supplied to a number of locations all over the world

Dürr AG, Stuttgart, has received a contract package from the Volkswagen Group valued at over 42.5 million euros. It includes contracts placed with several of Dürr's business units for production equipment in the areas of body shell construction, surface finishing and engine manufacturing at VW locations in Germany, Great Britain, Mexico and China. The major part of the pack-age relates to projects associated with the manufacture of the new VW A-MPV minivan - to be produced by the VW Group company, VW 5000 GmbH - and to final assembly of the new Bentley range.

Dürr is to supply one of the body conveying systems for the A-MPV body construction line at Wolfsburg. The system will be capable of transporting up to 800 bodies daily through all body shop stages and then on into the paintshop. The Paint Systems business unit has been entrusted with the modernisation of the top coat line. This new plant will be characterised by the excellence of the paint finish, ergonomic work stations and environmentally-friendly processes. Further paint robots are to be added at later stages to increase the level of automation. In 2001 Dürr supplied an innovative RoDip dip painting line for the A-MPV, which is currently being commissioned.

Dürr companies, based in Britain and Germany, are to supply different transport systems, including end-of-line filling systems for air conditioners, steering and radiators, for the assembly of the newest generation of Bentley models at Crewe (GB).

Other smaller contracts, covering material handling systems to link manufacturing stages, concern the engine factory at Salzgitter and the VW factory in Mexico, where engine test stands are being delivered new or modernised by Schenck companies based in America.

The Dürr Technology Group is one of the world's leading suppliers of manufacturing systems and manufacturing support services for the automobile industry and its suppliers. Within the context of its "Life Cycle Strategy", Dürr offers comprehensive systems solutions for major stages of the value chain in automobile production: from planning production processes and automobile factories, installing turnkey systems, through to providing services during full production plant operation. Five operative business units organized under the strategic management of Dürr AG are active with approx. 12,500 employees in over 25 countries.