Minister President Lieberknecht and CEO Neumann special guests1.2 billion euros invested since begin of vehicle production in 1990
Eisenach/Rüsselsheim. Three million cars from Eisenach – this milestone was celebrated today at the Adam Opel AG plant in Thuringia. Many prominent guests including Minister President Christine Lieberknecht attended the event.
The star of the day was a white Opel ADAM with an Arden Blue roof that rolled off the assembly line at 11:30 a.m. to a huge round of applause. Behind the wheel was a woman who knows how to handle the ADAM, as she drives it in the Opel Rallye Cup: TV host Lina Van de Mars.
The first car off the assembly line in Opel Eisenach was an Opel Vectra presented right after German reunification in 1990. A total of 1.2 billion euros have been invested in Eisenach since the start of production – most recently nearly 200 million euros for the ADAM.
Already more than 80,000 units of the lifestyle mini have been ordered across Europe since its launch last year – a sure-fire success for the plant that, together with the Corsa, ensures high capacity utilization and good future prospects. According to Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, the decision to produce the ADAM in the Eisenach plant was exactly right: “It is a tour de force to build a car like the ADAM in absolute top quality. With all its possibilities for individualization, it poses great challenges in terms of planning, logistics and production. Opel is the only automaker to develop and build a small car in Germany.”
Minister President Christine Lieberknecht underlined the important role Opel plays in the region as an employer and driving force for the establishment of other industries: “Opel Eisenach is an integral part of Thuringia! We want the Eisenach plant’s success story to continue! For generations now, reliability and quality have defined Opel products, and have even made them real cult objects. And the ADAM also has what it takes to become a cult car.”
From the very beginning, Eisenach was a plant that made waves in the industry. A new production system that ensured highest quality with short throughput times was implemented here. The plant set standards – for example with employee involvement, continuous improvements and a sophisticated logistics system. Already in 1993, GM selected the Opel Eisenach plant to serve as a training center for the Group. More than 16,500 employees from around the world have been to Thuringia to familiarize themselves with state-of-the-art production processes. Eisenach has also attracted prominent guests, from Chancellor Helmut Kohl (1990 and 1992) to US President Bill Clinton (1998).
Eisenach will continue to play an important role for Opel and GM. Plant Director Elvira Tölkes says, “We will further develop our quality, efficiency and competitiveness as we position the Eisenach plant for continued success in the future.”
