GM-Opel Rüsselsheim, Germany Plant

The GM-Opel Rüsselsheim facility is located in the city of Rüsselsheim, Groß-Gerau district in the Rhein-Main region of Germany. Considered Opel’s primary facility, the complex is home to vehicle assembly, research and development, and main office/headquarters operations. It currently produces the Opel Zafira Tourer and the Opel Insignia/Vauxhall Insignia, along with its variants — the Buick Regal and Holden Commodore.

Address:
Adam Opel AG
Bahnhofsplatz
D-65423 Rüsselsheim am Main
Telephone: +49 (0) 61 42 7-70
Fax: +49 (0) 61 42 7-88 00

Overview

The main plant in Rüsselsheim combines a modern production facility with a great deal of history. Opel founder Adam Opel produced the first sewing machine in Rüsselsheim in 1862, with the first cars following in 1899. Opel’s signature cars, including the Doktorwagen, Laubfrosch, Kapitän, Rekord, Senator, Monza and Admiral are just some of the highlights associated with nearly 120 years of vehicle production in Rüsselsheim. Today, the plant produces the Opel Insignia and the Zafira utilizing the Global Manufacturing System, a standardized production system with high quality and outstanding efficiency.

The main plant in Rüsselsheim combines a modern production facility with a great deal of history. Opel founder Adam Opel produced the first sewing machine in Rüsselsheim in 1862, with the first cars following in 1899. Several Opel Patent Motor Cars, including the Doktorwagen, Laubfrosch, Kapitän, Rekord, Senator, Monza and Admiral are just some of the plant’s highlights associated with nearly 120 years of vehicle production in Rüsselsheim. Today, the plant produces the Opel Insignia and the Zafira utilizing the Global Manufacturing System, a standardized production system with high quality and outstanding efficiency.

Historic highlights of the plant include:

1862: after years of employment as a journeyman metalworker, Adam Opel goes into business in his hometown of Rüsselsheim: he builds his first sewing machine, laying the foundation for the Opel company.
1863: the company expands, and Adam Opel hires his first employee, taking on his first apprentice two years later.
1886: Opel converts to bicycle production.
1899: “Opel Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann” is the name given to the first Opel automobile. It marks the beginning of automobile production in Rüsselsheim, and forms the basis for building the first utility vehicles. Within the year, the company makes its international motor sport début.
1902: the first Darracq chassis are outfitted with Opel bodies in Rüsselsheim. The vehicles are marketed under the brand name Opel Darracq. The first model built entirely by Opel, with a newly developed 10/12 hp, two-cylinder engine, is completed in fall of the same year.
1909: Opel introduces an affordable compact car. The 4/8 hp two-seater, designed for customers who place great importance on dependability, becomes known as the “Doktorwagen” (Doctor’s Car).
1924: investing one million gold marks, Opel completely modernizes its automobile production. The Rüsselsheim plant is the first German manufacturer to introduce the high-volume production methods of the future, including assembly-line processes. The first car to roll out of the updated plant: the legendary 4/12 hp model, best known as the “Laubfrosch” (Tree Frog), in reference to its green body paint and protruding headlamps.
1935: Opel unveils the Olympia, Germany’s first mass-produced car with an all-steel integral body and frame. Advantages: low weight, greater passive safety and improved aerodynamics. At the same time, a new manufacturing process developed and patented by the engineers in Rüsselsheim is introduced: The so-called “wedding” that unites the prefabricated body shell with the chassis and mechanical assemblies.
1937: the company focuses on automobile manufacture, selling its bicycle production after building 2.6 million bicycles.
1940: the one-millionth automobile, a Kapitän
In October, a directive from the Nazi regime brings passenger-car production to a standstill. In addition to truck models, military equipment such as landing gear for aircraft etc. are produced.
1950: car production begins again in full force.
1956: a newly constructed Press and Body Plant (K40) is opened, making it the largest industrial building in Germany at the time.
1971: the ten-millionth Opel, a Rekord C Caravan, rolls off the assembly line.
1981: a new paint shop is opened, in which Opel becomes the first automobile company to use environmentally friendly water-based paint. Robots, modular techniques and the introduction of team work points the way to the future.
1989: the 25th-million Opel, an Omega A, rolls off the production line.
1999: Opel celebrates 100 years of automobile production. The 50th million Opel, an Omega, is built.
2002: in a newly constructed plant, which is considered one of the most modern plants in the world, the Opel Vectra and Signum models are assembled.
2008: production begins for the new hatchback and sedan models of the Insignia, which was developed at the International Technical Development Center in Rüsselsheim.
2009: the Insignia Sports Tourer and the Insignia OPC models complete the portfolio.
2010: the 16 millionth vehicle rolls off the assembly line.
2010: production of the Buick Regal, based on the Insignia, built for the North American 2011 market.
August 2011: production of Astra 5-Door begins in addition to the Insignia.
2011: Opel Insignia receives the DEKRA-Award.
2012: the 500,000th Insignia roll off the production line.
2012: Opel Insignia is awarded by the GTÜ Gebrauchtwagen-Report
2013: start of production of new generation Insignia
2017: start of production of all-new, second-generation Insignia

Products

Currently, the Rüsselsheim plant builds the Opel Zafira Tourer and the Opel Insignia/Vauxhall Insignia, along with its variants. Specifically:

Opel Zafira Tourer
Opel Insignia range:
- Opel Insignia Grand Sport and Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport
- Opel Insignia Sport Tourer and Vauxhall Insignia Sport Tourer
- Opel Insignia Country Tourer and Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer
Buick Regal range:
- Buick Regal Sportback
- Buick Regal TourX
Holden Commodore range:
- Holden Commodore sedan
- Holden Commodore Sportwagon
- Holden Commodore Tourer