Adam Opel AG Werk Kaiserslautern: Passion for innovation – We live cars

Founded in 1966, the Opel plant in Kai­­­­serslautern can look back on over forty years of history in the Western Palat­­i­­nate. In the early days, the plant con­cen­­trated on the production of vehicle com­­ponents. Further components were added to the range with the commissioning of what was then Europe’s larg­­est transfer press in 1976. Since 1980, also engines are being manufactured in Kai­­serslautern. The new diesel engine pro­­duction began in 2005, the one millionth diesel engine was produced in february 2013.

The opening of a new welding plant, the introduction of the flexible welding cell concept and the modernisation of the press shop in recent years have made the plant state of the art and developed it into a competence centre for press shops, chassis components (front struts, front and rear axles), engine produc­­tion and body components (aluminium hoods, cross car beams and structural parts). The Kaiserslautern plant is now the centre for component production in the Euro­­pean Opel/Vauxhall production network. Components and en­­gines from Kaiserslautern are sent to Opel/Vauxhall vehicle plants all over Europe. The 2.0 litre diesel engine series is currently being built in engine production. The highlight is the 2.0 BiTurbo CDTI. In the Opel Insignia, this engine develops 143 kW/195 hp and 400 Newton metres of torque; at fuel consumption of just 4.9 litres per 100 kilometres (129 g/km CO2). With this, the Insignia is one of the lowest-consump­­tion mid-range cars on the market.

Opel plant Kaiserslautern

Alongside body and chassis components for the Astra, Corsa, Meriva, Zafira and Insignia, the plant began production of body parts and the front axle for the new Opel small car ADAM in the second half of 2012. The three-door, four-seat car was intro­­duced to the market in early 2013.

It is not only with its pro­­d­­ucts that the Opel plant in Kaisers­­lautern offers im­­pres­­­­­sive top quality. The plant is also a leader in employee training, health&safety and con­­­­stant pro­­cess opti­­­­mi­­­­sa­­tion. This also in­­­­cludes qualified ap­­pren­­tice­­ships for young people. 149 apprentices re­­ceive training in six technical and two commer­­cial profes­­sions. And one true highlight about Opel’s Kaiserslautern plant: all appren­­tices who complete their ap­­pren­­ticeship success­­­­fully are then employed by the company.