UK – With the launch of the new van, Voith Industrial Services will manage all incoming material for the engine dress process. Engineers will prepare engine kits as well as assembling the gearbox and ancillary parts, including starter motors, alternators, power take-off, pulleys, fan belts and the full wiring harness.
Voith was contracted by Vauxhall last year to handle some of the manufacturing processes for the Vivaro, which is a joint venture with Renault. A team of engineers spent six weeks at the latter’s Sandouville plant in preparation for setting up a build process at Luton. Production was ramped up in the first half of this year.
Voith has carried out a wide range of services at Luton since the late 1990s, and two years ago helped to design and develop a new layout for part of the engine assembly line which it now operates on behalf of Vauxhall.
“We started with a cleaning contract, and 13 years ago installed a £1m wax booth to provide underbody protection for vehicles being exported to overseas markets,” explained Phil Spencer, sales and business development director for Voith.
“Since then our business with Vauxhall has grown from carrying out small sub-assembly works to assembling safety-critical modules including axles, struts, front corners and sub-frames. The latest work uses our specialist expertise in more advanced technical areas.”