!NEW! Opel Engine Offensive: Topping-out Ceremony for new Powertrain Center

• Seven-storey testing and engineering building for the powertrains of the future
• 210 million euro investment in Rüsselsheim running according to plan
• GM’s leading powertrain developer Dan Nicholson emphasizes global responsibility

Topping-out ceremony of the new powertrain center in Rüsselsheim: Foreman Sascha Göbel, Opel Group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, GM Vice President Global Powertrain Dan Nicholson, Head of the Works Council Dr. Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug, Vice President GM Powertrain Engineering Europe Christian Müller and the Lord Mayor of Rüsselsheim Patrick Burghardt (from left to right)

Opel is investing in the powertrains of the future. 210 million euro have been allocated to the new, ultra-modern powertrain center currently being built in Rüsselsheim where efficient drive systems will be developed and tested. Construction is going exactly to plan: The topping-out ceremony took place today, the center will be inaugurated in 2017.

Opel Group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann and Head of Works Council Dr. Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug were joined at the topping out ceremony by GM’s highest powertrain developer Dan Nicholson, Vice President Global Powertrain. Rüsselsheims lord mayor Patrick Burghardt was also among the guests when Sascha Göbel, the representative of the responsible construction company read out the traditional topping-out address.

The topping-out wreath was pulled to the top of the new Opel powertrain center in Rüsselsheim. Foreman Sascha Göbel (right) read out the topping-out address assisted by his colleague Florian Kunz.

Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann emphasized the importance of this investment for the future of the brand. “We take our responsibility for the climate and environment seriously and are on track to meeting the CO2 target set for 2020. The new powertrain center will make our work even more efficient. It will not only strengthen Rüsselsheim but also the entire GM development network and it ensures that Opel will remain at the forefront of clean propulsion.”

“The powertrain center is an extremely important strategic company investment. GM decided on building this center in Rüsselsheim for a very good reason – this is where responsibility for small and medium-sized gasoline engines lies. It recognizes the performance and the know-how of our highly qualified Opel engineers,” added Dan Nicholson.

Head of Work Council Dr. Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug added: “The negotiations on the Opel collective agreement were the basis for the decision to invest in the new powertrain center here in Rüsselsheim. It secures and extends employment in the development center. I am therefore particularly happy to be at the topping-out ceremony of the building today.”

“The new powertrain center will further strengthen the outstanding importance of the International Technical Development Center for the Rüsselsheim site and Opel’s considerable research and development competence. But also beyond this, Rüsselsheim is synonymous for innovative technologies and forward-looking concepts,” said Patrick Burghardt, lord mayor of Rüsselsheim.

Apart from the workshop and office building, the new building complex will have three wings with test benches and a technical center. The total building surface area is around 36,000 square meters. Amongst others, the new center will also house 43 newest-generation performance test benches.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place last summer and since then the construction has grown in 180,000 accident-free working hours.

The new complex is part of the investments of 230 million euro investments in new testing and engineering facilities at the International Technical Development Center and at the test center in Rodgau-Dudenhofen. The lion’s share of that, 210 million euro, is being invested in the Rüsselsheim site. The complex will cover an area of around 13,000 square meters south of the railroad tracks and west of Portal 45 in Rüsselsheim, parallel to the Rugbyring. This is the largest building investment in Rüsselsheim since the opening of the new production plant in 2002.

The site is embedded in the global engineering network of the GM Powertrain Organization. Due to internationally synchronized test methods and software, findings can be optimally analyzed and implemented.