At point 10, the barrier rises on the portal 60. Hundreds of visitors – some already secured the “pole position” a good hour ago – flock to the Rüsselsheim factory premises. First in the running step: André Müller. Just ten minutes later, the family man made the long-awaited purchase contract fixed-for an astra plug-in hybrid. “I tried it all week – everything was gone online immediately.” Now he has made it. Collection: early June. The former Opel employee shines. There is a 45 percent discount at the Spring Event event WoW Woche. The sprint was worth it.
The large factory festival on Saturday transforms the Rüsselsheim factory premises into a stage for innovation, technology, diversity and community. And it awakens memories. Based on his walking stick, Egon Bornwasser looks around. The brick facades, the gateway to the body work – “It’s nice to be here again,” he says. He has been with Opel for over four decades, learned toolmaker. Together with the most famous Opel trainee: Norbert Blüm. The later Minister of Labor started his training in 1949, Bornwasser a year later. “We always shared a job – because we both were not the biggest.”
“Norbert Blüm and I shared a job – because we both were not the biggest.”
– Egon Bornwasser, former employee –
The starting shot is given at 10 a.m.: Visitors flock to the factory premises at hundreds.
“Nice to be here again”: Egon Bornwasser started his Opel training 75 years ago.
Helping hands: The trainees Mohamed, Sophie and Finn are available for information with position plans.
Immediately surrounded: The family -friendly and particularly affordable Frontera hits the taste of customers.
Well advised: Özgecan Özdemir is Brand Marketing Manager for the new SUV – and informs you as competently as it is charming.
Children paint a mocca, climb the pirate slide, circle go-kart around the curve. Fun for small – and big. The Rüsselsheim plant manager Pieter Ruts grabs the hammer, hits the “Lukas”. Full power is also proving its work team today: the gates to manufacturing areas are open. To give fascinating insights into production in one of the most modern automotive works.
Robots are programmed in the body’s body. Nils Karst observes how they make the body from individual press parts. Welding points, gluing, bördeln – 31 robot types are in use, 646 are overall. “Today I can show my family what else I just tell,” says the colleague of process quality. His wife and children are amazed.
“Today I can show my family what else I only tell.”
-Opel employee Nils Karst-
The first customer of the day: André Müller made the purchase for an Astra plug-in hybrid ten minutes after the start.
Last chance: At the end of the spring WoW week of “selling to employees”, the crowd is tall.
The Opel boss mingles with the guests: Florian Huettl in conversation with an employee.
In a new guise: With the Opel Rocks, you can now go on tour even more stylish from the age of 15.
The dual students Markus Brähler and Anton Ellenberger advertise for training at Opel.
The final of the spring wow week has started: in the event hall K48, the snake on the counter grows from the “sale to employees”. New car buyers get blue ribbons, leasing-interested green. All bargain hunters, the André Müller, the sprint -strong, first buyer of the day. Not only OPEL models are on the large area next door, and other Stellantis brands also present themselves. There are lectures on e-mobility and information.
At first the colleague in the Opel shirt approaches the Fiat 600. When she takes a seat behind the steering wheel, she shines: “Our group colleagues can also build beautiful cars,” she says. Immediately surrounded by minute one: the new Frontera. Smartphone bags in the backrests, intelli seats, lush charging capacity-no feature remains unexplored. “With the Frontera, we obviously hit a nerve with customers,” says Özgecan Özdemir. She is Brand Marketing Manager for the new SUV model, knows every detail, advises charmingly.
“Love it! The Grandland is the most beautiful car on the street.”
-IQBAL Barakzai, Great Grandland fan-
Full of success: The colleagues from the “sale to employees” are happy about the huge interest.
Break with industrial charm: In stylish ambience there is a lot of treats from sausage to ice.
Large stage for Florian Huettl: The factory festival is the end of the Connect Week.
Colorful Stellstis world: A Fiat also makes the Opel colleague shine.
Lived variety: Stellantis brands present themselves with experience areas, vehicles and information.
A father-daughter moment in the photo box: Sandrino Hardt grabs sunglasses, his daughter Freyja wears a red feather boa. “I assemble door modules. My daughter has wanted to see my workplace for so long – the festival is the perfect opportunity.” Freyja is only nine years old, but her father has a look at the Opel training booth-it is certain. How do you like the cooperative training – business administration and industrial clerk? “Very good!”, Katharina Frey and Katharina answer everything in unison. They rave about the good atmosphere, the great team, the trainers.
Large crowds outside: In the parking lot, the curious people are pushing themselves to test drive with models of different stellatis brands. IQBAL Barakzai steps from one foot to the other. “I’m looking forward to it for days,” he says. A cousin at Opel gave him the tip. Finally he holds the key in his hand, heads towards the Opel Grandland, circles it. And shines. “Love it! The most beautiful car on the street at the moment,” he says – and gets in. 650 times, the employees from “Sales to employees” hand over a key for test drives on this day.
“The week is a lively outlook on the future of Opel within the large Stellantis family.”
-Opel boss Florian Huettl-
Beautiful father-daughter moment: The manufacturing colleague Sandrino Hardt poses with Freyja for a souvenir photo.
A deciduous frog on the band drain: For classic car fans, there are jewelry from the classic collection.
Early practice: the little ones have fun driving.
Action for the big ones: works manager Pieter Ruts swings the hammer.
Test drive with Grandland: IQBAL Barakzai looked forward to it all week.
Small but Tatütata: The factory fire brigade presents its fleet, including the Rocks Electric.
It was nice! Hundreds of helpers made the large factory festival possible.
At the end of the day there are more than 8,000 visitors who experience the fascination of manufacturing and brand variety. And music: The band “Roof Rabbits” with Opel colleagues on the instruments rocks the stage. Ralph Wangemann, Opel Human Resources Chief, sums it up: “Innovation and team spirit-both are noticeable today.”
Opel boss and Managing Director Stellantis Germany Florian Huettl are also mixed with the guests. The factory festival is more than just a weekend highlight. “The whole week is a lively view of the sustainable, innovative and electrical future of Opel within the large Stellantis family,” says Huettl. Because: The festival forms the end of a week under the motto “Connect- The Power of Stellantis”, to which thousands of investors, trading and business partners were also guests in addition to employees of all brands and areas. For an exciting look ahead – into an electrical future with diversity and passion.
May 2025
Photos: Alex Heimann, Andreas Liebschner/Opel, Rudolf Mehlhaff/Opel