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- Chancellor's visit marks 40th anniversary of the 'John Andrews Technical Centre' in Cologne
Cologne, April 1, 2008 – German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, visited the Ford of Europe technical centre in Cologne today.
During her visit to the centre in Cologne Merkenich, the Chancellor was taken on a tour of the design studios and briefed on the work done within the complex.
Ford of Europe president and CEO, John Fleming, told the Chancellor: "It is an honour to welcome you here today as we celebrate 40 proud years of the John Andrews Technical Centre. This centre of excellence and the outstanding staff who work here play a pivotal role in the success of Ford of Europe."
Mr. Fleming and other members of the Ford management team spoke at length with the Chancellor about the substantial presence and investments Ford has in Germany, at Cologne, Saarlouis and Aachen.
In total Ford employs almost 24,000 people in Germany and the plants in Saarlouis and Cologne produced over 800,000 vehicles last year.
The advanced research and engineering centre at Aachen is the only Ford facility of its type outside of Detroit. Opened in 1994, it employs around 250 people from over 25 countries.
At the end of her tour Chancellor Merkel, who was accompanied by Dr. Juergen Ruettgers, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia and Cologne Mayor Fritz Schramma, spoke to a gathering of about 250 Ford Cologne-based employees and thanked Ford and the automotive industry for its engagement to develop vehicles with reduced impact on the environment. In a reference to the launch of the new Ford Fiesta later this year, she commented: "Each of the vehicles developed here is also a calling card for our country far beyond the borders of Germany".
Named after the first chairman of Ford of Europe, John Andrews, the Cologne Merkenich technical centre was officially opened on June 20, 1968.
Today almost 4,000 designers, engineers and support staff work at the centre. The cars developed at Merkenich are sold all over the world and have won many awards from media and other groups for their outstanding design and performance.