Work on the EUR11.6m expansion of Ford’s design centre in Cologne-Merkenich officially started today (5 April) with the laying of a foundation stone.
“This is an important expansion of the design centre as Cologne-Merkenich has the global lead on the design and development of Ford’s small and compact vehicles,” Ford of Germany chairman Bernhard Mattes said.
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“The expansion… shows Ford is committed to maintaining Cologne as one of [our] key global design and engineering locations,” he said.
The expansion, to be completed by year end, includes a new 3,000 sq m facility with two floors with room for 100 new work stations. The new building will be equipped with a new “powerwall” capable of projecting vehicle and concept designs in a three-dimensional and virtual environment.
The project also includes a redesign of the existing design studios, plus the installation of new milling machines that use computer-aided design to create precise clay models of new vehicle designs.
The building project is the largest single expansion of the centre since since it was first constructed in 1968. Today, it covers 13,000 sq m and includes an aerodynamic wind tunnel built in 1984. The centre provides space for 250 employees from 14 nations. In addition, a team of about 70 designers, responsible for commercial vehicle design, is located at Dunton Technical Centre in Essex, UK.
