GM Europe’s cutting-edge facility in Gliwice, Poland, will be mostly manufacturing Opel Astras in future and is thus expanding its press capacities. In the course of this expansion program, GM Europe plans to relocate a Compact Crossbar press from Antwerpen, Belgium, where it is no longer needed, to Poland. The company will be relying on the Schuler Group’s expertise during the relocation process.

The line to be used for the production of Opel Astra panel parts is currently being dismantled and is due to be launched in Gliwice in May 2009. The relocation of the Compact Crossbar press is one part of preparations for the production of GM Europe’s next generation of compact vehicles.

GM Europe launched production on the five-stage Compact Crossbar press with a total force of 6,450 metric tons at its Antwerpen plant in 2003. The company has since produced more than five million car parts on the line.

Logistic challenge

The relocation of the line represents a particular logistic challenge. With a total length of almost 60 meters and a weight of over 3,500 metric tons, expert planning is absolutely essential. Around 120 trucks will be needed to transport the peripheral equipment and accessories alone. For the relocation of the major parts of the machine, however, the company will have to pull out all the stops: experts will need to plan special routes for the 15 heavy-load transports and examine the load capacities of streets and bridges, as well as their respective clearance heights.

But this logistic know-how is not only required for street transport. The machine will also spend a large part of its journey on inland water vessels. A total of three months has been planned for the transportation process and around six months for reassembly and production launch. The first parts will roll off the line in May 2009.

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Press release - 01/10/2008