ThyssenKrupp Umformtechnik supplies body parts for Mercedes-Benz Vaneo Close neighbors

Although only 4.2 meters long, the Mercedes-Benz Vaneo can comfortably seat five adults and two children or provide around 3,000 liters of baggage space. This, along with its much-praised variability, recently won the Vaneo the “German Commercial Vehicle Prize 2002/2003” in the passenger car category. Mercedes-Benz’s first-ever compact van is being built at its Ludwigsfelde plant to the south of Berlin. Almost all the body panels for the Vaneo are supplied by close neighbors ThyssenKrupp Umformtechnik.

ThyssenKrupp Umformtechnik’s dedicated car body component and assembly facility in Ludwigsfelde manufactures 162 different stampings and more than 60 assemblies for the Vaneo. A further 26 small parts, including toolmaking, are outsourced to sub-suppliers. In addition to the Vaneo, other major projects handled in Ludwigsfelde include the production of all the aluminum stampings for the BMW Roadster Z8. The plant is firmly established as a reliable supplier of components and assemblies in aluminum and steel.

Being part of ThyssenKrupp Steel – and indeed the global ThyssenKrupp Group – is an advantage when it comes to handling projects big and small. Alongside the plant’s state-of-the-art production equipment, it is the highly motivated and skilled workforce which is the key to the company’s close and successful cooperation with its customers.

Despite the sheer magnitude of the investments required – including the construction of a fully-automated 1,600 ton press line (bed size 3.2 m x 2.2 m) in its own shop, as well as the installation of additional assembly lines – and the extremely tight timescale, the company got everything completed on time. And with new projects come new processes: ThyssenKrupp Umformtechnik delivers just in sequence to the Vaneo production line. The biggest single components for the roof and floor measure up to 1,300 x 2,850 millimeters. To ensure the Vaneo satisfies the requirements of “EuroNCAP”, currently the world’s most demanding crash strength standard, without losing its weight class, crash-relevant parts such as pillars, side members, cross members and floor panels are made from high-strength steel.