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March 22: In addition to the six Centers of Competence (CoC) already announced in November, the PSA Group now wants to establish nine further CoCs at the Rüsselsheim development center – including one for seat development. This is good news for Stefan Koob, head of the center, and a logical decision.
“We started discussing in August of 2017 and considered how we could integrate our expertise in the field of seat development into the group as a whole”, says the graduate in engineering. In line with PSA policy, the idea behind bundling all competencies in this area is to increase efficiency and cut costs.
“The team was overjoyed”
As the Senior Manager explains, “What do you think?” advantage with our global know-how in the discussions. When we were given the go ahead for our CoC, the team naturally overjoyed. “
The engineers in Rüsselsheim had solutions for every challenge, and were able to convince the Group’s top-level management of their competencies in the integration of modules in vehicles of other brands, compliance with safety criteria in the various markets, and fulfillment of the design and comfort standards of the different brands.
Almost four years in South Korea
The entire seats team can draw on many years of international experience, which thus applies to Koob, who has been with Opel for the past twelve years. After graduation, the mechanical engineer from Mainz, who majored in vehicle technology, began his career as an acceptance engineer in the chassis division before moving to South Korea for almost four years in 2011. In Seoul, he worked as Global Vehicle System Engineer on numerous Opel / Vauxhall and GM models and learned how to develop complex vehicle development for different countries – in the US-American and Asian markets. Following his return, Koob was promoted to the position of Engineering Group Manager in the Thermal Division and later on the management of Seat Development.
Fully equipped: The performance sports seat of the Opel Insignia GSi.
Seating competence at Opel
Good seats are just as much part of Opel as the legendary “Lightning”, the lightning bolt on the radiator grille. Beginning with the Opel Crossland X, Opel offers AGR-certified (Healthy Back Action / Campaign for Healthier Backs) ergonomic seats for all models. A new development from Rüsselsheim celebrates its debut in the sporty flagship model, the Opel Insignia GSi: The AGR-certified Opel Performance Sport Seat. It combines lateral support with long-distance comfort and offers all the comfort features of the Insignia series. In most cases, automobile manufacturers buy-in extra-sporty integral seats from specialized suppliers. In the case of the GSi seat, the Opel engineers developed the entire seat module, up to and including the seat construction. The basic structure of the Opel sports seat is made in Kaiserslautern.
In-house competence: Opel engineers and designers developed the performance sport seat of the Insignia GSi.
An even dozen: In his two years at Opel, mechanical engineer Stefan Koob has held various positions and, after a four-year stint in South Korea, returned to the company’s headquarters in Rüsselsheim in 2015.
But are not chassis and seats two totally different métiers? “Technically, the two areas are actually not all that different. After all, when we develop seats, I do so, “explains Koob. “If drivers wants a sporty ride, like in the Insignia GSi, they have a good seating position with good lateral support. That’s why we developed a GSi seat especially for the sporty flagship model. “
Constant Exchange With France
For Koob, collaboration with colleagues in France must be as good as the seats. Defining responsibilities, working over projects, transplanting expertise into new working environments – setting up the CoC is an extremely strenuous task for co-op and his colleagues. “We have to be flexible and work as a crew – after all, we must keep our ship on course.”
Fits perfectly: Stefan Koob (l.) And colleague Jonas Eisenbraun, Project Manager Insignia Seats, test the headrests.
Koob maintains constant contact with colleagues in France. “We have a daily flow of information about the momentary status of Peugeot, Citroen, and DS cars. I drive to France about twice a month. “To be precise, to the PSA Group Technical Center in Velizy-Villacoublay, on the outskirts of Paris. “I quite enjoy the six-hour drive – and it gives me the chance to try our seats on an even journey.”
Customer Satisfaction Has The Highest Priority
According to Koob, the biggest challenge currently reads in the specific features of Peugeot, Citroën and DS cars. “It’s clear that we want to preserve the DNA of all the PSA Group brands. After all, customers must always have a look at their seats. Customer satisfaction comes first in everything we do. “
Koob sees both a special challenge and an enormous obligation in the development of the CoC. “The decision underlines our value within the PSA Group as a whole. Ultimately, we now concentrate all seating competencies in Ruesselsheim – and that’s fantastic. “
Between cutaway models and headrests: The prototypes are always at hand for the colleagues in the seating department.
May 2018
Text: Maximilian Köhling, Photos: Alex Heimann