Siemens is expanding and modernizing its coupling plant in Mussum and turning it into a lead factory for couplings. The project includes building new production and office buildings, as well as introducing a new production system and modernizing warehouse logistics. Siemens is optimizing its processes to make production more flexible and reduce delivery times. In future, the engineering, production and test bay will be located closer together to boost the innovative strength of the facility. Siemens will move the Vreden coupling plant to Mussum to concentrate its coupling technology on one site.
Two production buildings are currently under construction in Mussum, including staff facilities with a total footprint of 9,200 m². A new 2,300 m² office building is also being erected. The high-bay warehouse, built in 1990, is being completely gutted, and the existing warehouse logistics modernized. The new production system will be more process-oriented, which will help to cut throughput times. One special highlight of the expansion of the plant is the construction of an additional 350 m² test bay, which will give the development department wide-ranging opportunities for stepping up product maintenance and innovation even more.
At the topping-out ceremony in Mussum on October 22, Nicola Warning, head of the Siemens coupling business, said "The expansion of the site marks another major milestone in our more than one hundred years of experience in the coupling business. It will enable us not only to safeguard but also to increase our competitiveness and future viability."
Planning activities paid particular attention to bringing all the current 480 employees at the two sites under one roof. The new buildings are therefore being built alongside the existing buildings. The physical proximity of the departments involved in the process will help to pool skills and simplify communication between the employees. Construction work is scheduled to be finished by March 2015, and production should be completely transferred from Vreden to Mussum by September 2015.
