The new plant in northwest Morocco is intended to be a model for energy optimization
Stellantis is expected to double overall capacity at its Kenitra site with a new turnkey paint shop from Dürr. The advanced production technology allows for environmentally friendly and energy-saving high-quality electric car coating. Additionally, paint robots from other plants in the group are being repurposed to conserve resources, too.
The new plant in northwest Morocco is intended to be a model for energy optimization, while simultaneously significantly increasing Stellantis’ production capacity for battery-powered vehicles and hybrid models across the Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat brands. The newly designed paint shop can handle 30 bodies per hour, a rate identical to the first Kenitra plant, which Dürr built in 2019.
Stellantis opted for Dürr’s patented RoDip rotational dip process for pretreatment and cathodic electrocoating. This innovative method rotates the bodies around their axis, providing exceptional corrosion protection since the dip curves can be individually adapted to different body types, optimizing the immersion, flooding, and draining process.
RoDip consumes much less water, fewer chemicals, and less heating energy than other technical solutions since the conveyor system eliminates the need for inclined tank entrances and exits. This shortens the immersion tank length by up to six meters and reduces tank volume. Lower energy and material consumption also reduces operating and unit costs.
In addition to electrocoating, the Stellantis Group will debut the EcoInCure electric oven featuring innovative air flow conduction that heats and cools car bodies evenly from the inside out. This unique design reduces thermal-structural stresses and lowers car body heating time by up to 30 percent.
The latest generation of the EcoInCure in the Kenitra plant makes fossil-fuel independence possible by operating with green electricity for an environmentally-friendly approach. Compared with its gas-powered counterpart, the electric EcoInCure reduces paint shop emissions by 40 percent, significantly reducing the carbon footprint.
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