a different kind of car factory

[tforth]

This factory has been around for a while now, but I've never seen a video that has gone this in-depth:

VW Factory - Germany - YouTube

p.s. I've been to a lot of North American car factories, and you wouldn't even think that they are on the same planet:ohmy:.

[marcefer]

Very interesting.
I'd like to combine the sliding floor and the electricity induction with my refrigerator and the armchair, so the beer is smothly delivered very cold to me :-P

[tforth]

You really need to visit a few North American car assembly plants in order to truly appreciate what this factory represents. It's a complete mind shift ;-).

[F250]

You can amortize a factory like this through the sales of expensive luxury cars (Pheatons). You cannot make Golfs like this without losing money.

The real question is whether this factory is actually a profit center for VW or merely a eco-feel-good public relations exercise? Who knows, maybe every Golf is $25 more expensive to pay for this.

[RC45]

You can amortize a factory like this through the sales of expensive luxury cars (Pheatons). You cannot make Golfs like this without losing money.

The real question is whether this factory is actually a profit center for VW or merely a eco-feel-good public relations exercise? Who knows, maybe every Golf is $25 more expensive to pay for this.

If the poor sales (see the very poor resale value) of the Pheaton in the USA is any measure I think the factory was just a "feel good" extravagance put in place when VW had so much cash they used it fo rtoilet paper in the bathrooms.

[F250]

If the poor sales (see the very poor resale value) of the Pheaton in the USA is any measure I think the factory was just a "feel good" extravagance put in place when VW had so much cash they used it fo rtoilet paper in the bathrooms.

You're right.

I find it mildly amusing that the Germans choose to never mention some of their most efficient "factories" from 60-70 years ago. Ever visit Dachau?

[5vz-fe]

Pick the best face and show it to ppl...that's what this factory is all about. Just some bling bling where Golfs factories looks exactly like any other NA car factories.

[tforth]

Pick the best face and show it to ppl...that's what this factory is all about. Just some bling bling where Golfs factories looks exactly like any other NA car factories.

Actually, unlike in N. A., it is not uncommon for a European factory to have natural lighting (via skylights, etc.) provide a decent portion of the overall lighting.

If you have had the misfortune of visiting many US car factories in contrast, you would understand why this can be an important factor ;-).

I clearly remember when Chrysler built the Chrysler Tech Centre in Auburn Hills. It had nothing in common with Ford's EEE building, let alone Chrysler's Jeep/Truck Eng., etc.

Yes, part of it was that it was new, but I feel the biggest difference is that a workplace (all other things being equal) is a way more enjoyable place to be with natural lighting :-).

[F250]

Actually, unlike in N. A., it is not uncommon for a European factory to have natural lighting (via skylights, etc.) provide a decent portion of the overall lighting.

If you have had the misfortune of visiting many US car factories in contrast, you would understand why this can be an important factor ;-).

I clearly remember when Chrysler built the Chrysler Tech Centre in Auburn Hills. It had nothing in common with Ford's EEE building, let alone Chrysler's Jeep/Truck Eng., etc.

Yes, part of it was that it was new, but I feel the biggest difference is that a workplace (all other things being equal) is a way more enjoyable place to be with natural lighting :-).

Oh, get off your socialist liberal union jackass. I've had VIP tours of eight North American and six European factories and can assure you the European workers are not happier. Oh dear! My productivity and happiness have been affected by flourescent lighting!

I especially like BMW and VW because German leave the dirty work to "guest workers" from Turkey, Slovenia, Poland, etc. Evidently, this has been a tradition in German factories since 1939. Of course back then, "slave wages" for guest workers had a somewhat different meaning.

The fact remains N.A. auto plant workers come home to 3 bedroom two bath homes with two car garages with new pickup trucks, ski boat, muscle cars and jet skis inside and European workers rent little dive apartments and drive 1.2 liter diesels.

I'm getting real tired of people who think everything and everybody in Europe is better.

[nthfinity]

Oh, get off your socialist liberal union jackass. I've had VIP tours of eight North American and six European factories and can assure you the European workers are not happier. Oh dear! My productivity and happiness have been affected by flourescent lighting!.
I've been in numerous US factories, and a couple of German auto factories. White collar IMO is 100% equal between the two. Blue Collar, well... it all depends. Facilities? It all is in when the factory was built. Factories here built in the last 20 years are far nicer environments then those built in the 1st half of the century both here and there.

[tforth]

A good example of what I'm referring to is illustrated by comparing a few different Chrysler Engineering buildings; namely Jeep Truck Engineering (JTE) on Plymouth Rd., Highland Park (HP) and the Chrysler Tech Center (CTC) in Auburn Hills.

If you've spent any amount of time in these buildings, you would quickly understand my point. Yes, you can argue that JTE and HP were much older than CTC. If you want to argue that angle, then I would point to the building that they were using to develop the then new RAM (Hemi) engine in Rochester Hills under none other then Robert (Bob) E. Lee. This building was a basic industrial unit with next to no windows in it. It was more recently constructed than CTC.

It wouldn't have taken you very long to notice how the employees differed in their general disposition, between these facilities, within the same company. It was night and day!

Earlier this year, I visited a pulley spinning factory near Frankfurt. It was probably built 60+ years ago, and even in their tool room, there was natural light pouring in. Whether people are conscious of it, or that it had effected their subconscious, natural light helps the working environment. Unfortunately, many industrial buildings in N.A. don't seem to value this fact.

I think that is all VW was trying to do with this 'The Glass Factory'. What some of you may not be aware of is that German car manufacturers are required to have union reps on their board of directors. This was no doubt a factor in how this factory got built.

[nthfinity]

So, I was doing some reading about the Automotive factories in Detroit... one of the revolutionary designers of the era was Albert Khan. One of his goals was to get more natural light inside the factories; which he had great success in achieving. Nobody in the world at that time was able to do it before him... Just an FYI :)

Packard plant
Ford plant @ Piquette
Detroit Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant
Willow Run Assembly Plant

[tforth]

Well, I didn't state that Germany was the first place to do this. All that I was trying to say, is that they seem to get it over there - the natural light thing that is. I guess that it is an indusrial engineerin thing in general. Have you ever seen the kitchen tools that are available over there, for example. You just have to hold one in your hand to appreciate the difference.

Don't get me wrong, the latest batch of hypo US cars can perform pretty much with the best of them now, even on their own turf (i.e. NS). However, imagine what they could do, if they had a nicer place to work. Have you ever eaten at Porsche's 'cafeteria' in Weissach? It's like a nice restaurant, with a cathederal wooden ceiling and windows all around the side facing the rest of the compound (towards Flacht). It's the building with the green roof, toward the left side of the complex in this link - note the white semi circle on the left side of the building, adjacent the forrest - that's the patio for the cafe, with landscaped pond, etc.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Weissach,+Germany&sll=49.267805,-28.652344&sspn=74.976694,191.162109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Weissach,+B%C3%B6blingen,+Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg,+Germany&ll=48.849891,8.899773&spn=0.009206,0.027423&t=h&z=17

I've been in quite a few American OE & supplier plants over the years, and it is a rare sight (in general) to see much light getting past the front offices. Never mind the plants though, when I used to visit Jeep/Truck (on Plymouth Rd.), it was hard to find a restaurant that had any windows :ohmy:.

[nthfinity]

when I used to visit Jeep/Truck (on Plymouth Rd.), it was hard to find a restaurant that had any windows :ohmy:.
IMO, a direct result of prohibition, and the crime families that formed as such. There were many speak easies that are still in operation today as legitimate restaurant/bar/taverns.

Right by the Jeep plant there were several tunnels between Canada and the US that they operated...

[nthfinity]

I should also point out, many of these factories windows were blacked out after 1941 due to running 24-7 pumping out machinery for the war effort, and needing to appear at night as nothing. The still functioning plants never had the windows replaced/scraped afterward.