The Dürr Group has signed a €28 million contract with Volkswagen (VW) to remodel large parts of VW’s paint shop at the Brazilian passenger car plant in Anchieta near São Paulo. The objective of remodeling the plant is to boost capacity, productivity and quality in the paint shop. To achieve this, Dürr will be installing a total of 21 paint and sealing robots. Four EcoRPL paint robots will go into operation in a new primer spray booth which Dürr will be installing. The company will also be remodeling an existing primer spray line into a top coat line. This line is to be automated by adding seven EcoRPL robots. In the sealing segment, Dürr is to supply a further complete line as well as modernize the existing line. In total, VW has ordered ten sealing robots. The scope of the order also includes a new dryer system with a cooling zone for the primer spray line as well as the installation of extensive conveyor technology. All new components are set to be productive by the end of October 2010.

The Dürr Group is benefiting from reviving demand from the automotive industry in the Chinese market. In the third quarter, the mechanical and plant engineering firm received three major painting system orders worth a total of approximately €140 million.

“The Chinese market is regaining momentum,” said Ralf Dieter, CEO, Dürr AG. “The pipeline for large projects from the automotive industry is filling at an appreciable pace.” Continuing strong car sales is driving the increase of project volume. From January to September 2009, car sales in China rose by 36% compared with the same period last year. The plus in September amounted to 77%.

The largest of the orders received by Dürr, worth approximately €85 million, came from FAW-VW, a joint venture between Chinese automaker First Automotive Works and Volkswagen. At FAW-VW’s site in Chengdu, Dürr is building a paint shop for VW models in the compact and midsize segments. Among other things, Dürr is installing there the first fully automated interior painting facility in China with 24 EcoRPL robots. Altogether, 91 Dürr robots will be used in the paint shop for painting, sealing, handling, quality measurement and other applications. Other highlights of the order include the RoDip dip coating system and the Dürr EcoDryScrubber, an innovative paint booth system that collects paint overspray in dry filters and makes it possible to reduce energy needed per booth by up to 60%.

Dürr has received another order, worth approximately €30 million, for work at FAW-VW’s main plant in Changchun. Production of various Audi models is to begin there in June 2011. Dürr is installing a complete line for car body pretreatment and dip coating with the RoDip rotary painting process. Dürr is also supplying a drying oven, conveyor technology and ventilation equipment for the building. Primer and top coats are applied in Changchun in an existing Dürr facility.

Dürr’s third order from China comes from the FAW-FCC joint venture in Changchun. Dürr is installing systems for pretreatment, dip coating, drying, conveying and ventilation as well as a complete control room with Dürr EcoEMOS supervisory control technology.