AVL breaks ground for Tech Center near Stuttgart

The groundbreaking ceremony for the AVL Tech Center Stuttgart was held in Bietigheim-Bissingen on in end-October. Covering an area of 20,000 square metres and scheduled to start operations in early 2016, the new test and engineering centre will serve the entire automotive industry and set new standards for innovative technologies, plant availability and confidentiality. Initiator and driver of the new Tech Center was Affalterbach-based Mercedes- AMG GmbH, which, through an extensive request for proposals process, was in search of a development partnership close to its headquarters.

According to CEO Helmut List: "The new test and engineering center also takes account of Stuttgart being a leading location for the automotive industry, and the Tech Center is linked to the expertise from Graz. It is our aim to implement the project successfully and sustainably, in order to be an innovative, professional and reliable development partner to our customers."

Mercedes-AMG Chairman of the Managing Board Tobias Moers commented: "Mercedes-AMG has found a professional strategic partner in AVL for the coming years. In future, AVL will be taking care of parts of our external development activities, in close coordination with AMG."

The new AVL Tech Center, the erection of which is proceeding well on schedule, will feature two all-wheel drive chassis dynamometers for emission testing, one all-wheel-drive chassis dynamometer for NVH testing, one NVH engine test bed, two powertrain test beds and eight engine test beds. In addition to vehicle and engine assembly facilities, workshops, labs and warehouses, there will also be generously laid out offices available to AVL employees and customers. The building will be designed to allow the fast construction of further modular powertrain test beds, chassis dynamometers and engine test beds. At full operation in early 2016, the centre will provide jobs for 100 highly- qualified personnel.

AVL is the world's largest independent company for the development, simulation and testing of drive systems (hybrid, combustion engines, transmission, electric motors, batteries and software) for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. AVL has more than 6,650 employees all over the world. In 2013, sales revenues totaled euros 1.05 billion (Rs 8,048 crore).