Spanish motor manufacturer Seat S.A. today officially opened its new Prototype Development Centre (PDC) within the perimeter of its Martorell production plant, providing work for a total number of 300 engineers from the technological centre and the process engineering area.

The official opening ceremony was attended by Josep Huguet, Catalan government minister for Innovation, Universities and Corporations, accompanied by mayoress María Soler, mayors Salvador Esteve and Enric Carbonell representing the three municipalities (Abrera, Martorell, and Sant Esteve de Sesrovires respectively) the Martorell factory sits astride, in addition to Seat Vice-presidents Frank Bekemeier (R&D), Ramón Paredes (Human Resources) and Wolfram Thomas Production), amongst others.  

Regarded as one of Spanish industry’s most innovative, and one of the Volkswagen Group’s most emblematic centres, the DPC is the true ‘technological heart’ of Seat since for the first time ever it brings together under a single roof activities related to prototype development in both virtual and physical stages, thus providing substantial savings and shorter ramp-up times to launch for new models. To this end, 10 million euros have been invested in building and equipping the facility over the past few financial years.  SEAT’s 17,000-square-metre PDC brings together in one unit all processes of virtual vehicles, data control models, pre-standard vehicles, as well as geometry and standard car assembly capability, productivity analysis and improvement, digitisation of manufacturing processes and virtual ergonomy, amongst others. 

Echoing Ramón Paredes, Vice-President for Human Resources
“Today’s ceremony aims to show SEAT’s clear determination and commitment to innovation and development as a driving force in providing highly qualified jobs in Spain and Catalonia, as well as the importance of excellence in innovation for the development of future models with high technological added value for international markets”.