Opel Grandland Production at Eisenach Adopts Resource-Saving Monocoat Paint Process
Opel's Eisenach plant introduces a monocoat paint process for the Grandland SUV, reducing water, energy, and time consumption while maintaining quality.
- 80,000 litres
- 580 tonnes
- 550+ kg
What Happened
Opel's Eisenach plant has introduced a monocoat paint process for the two-tone roof of the Grandland SUV, which combines base coat and clear coat application into a single step. This reduces water consumption by 80,000 litres per month, cuts thermal energy demand by 150 kW and electricity by over 500 kW per production hour, and lowers CO2 emissions by 580 tonnes annually. The process also reduces solvent concentration and paint waste.
“We try to save energy and thus conserve resources wherever possible.”
80,000litres
from eliminating the base coat booth
- Intelli-Seats with fabrics from recycled PET bottles
- More than 550 kg of recycled and renewable materials in total
- Over 40 polymer elements with up to 80% green materials
Why this matters
This innovation shows how automakers can cut resource use and emissions in manufacturing, not just in vehicle emissions, making production more sustainable.
Terms in This Story
- Monocoat
- A paint application process that combines base coat and clear coat in a single operation, saving time and resources.
- Base coat
- The first layer of paint that provides color; in the monocoat process it is combined with clear coat.
- Two-tone paint
- A paint scheme where the roof is a different color from the body, often black, adding style.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.