Hyundai Motor America 10550 Talbert Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 MEDIA WEBSITE: HyundaiNews.com CORPORATE WEBSITE: HyundaiUSA.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR HYUNDAI'S NEW EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS
Miles Johnson Senior Manager, Quality, Service and Technology (714) 3661048 [email protected]
ID: 28909
Korean car manufacturer aims to achieve leading position
March, 8, 2002 With the groundbreaking for the new building in the “Blauer See ”industrial area in Russelsheim, Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH has given the goahead for the expansion of its European research &development and design activities. Some 300 employees will be working there in the medium term. Besides a research & development and design centre, the new premises will also house the European Sales and Marketing Operations. A total of some 50 million euro is being invested in the new complex, whose completion is scheduled for June 2003.Hyundai decided to build this new headquarters because the premises in Eschborn, it moved into only last year, offer no scope for further expansion.
In his address to some 250 invited guests from the worlds of politics, trade and industry, Stefan Gieltowski, mayor of the town of Russelsheim, emphasized the significant momentum for the development of the region to a centre of industry ensuing from Hyundai ’s decision.
MongKoo Chung, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, speaking on its behalf, emphasized in his welcoming address how important the European market is to the Korean car manufacturer, 30 per cent of whose sales come from exports. Last year the Hyundai Group sold no less than 2.5 million vehicles worldwide, putting it at seventh place in the ranks of car manufacturers. Chairman Chung went on to say that in the coming years Hyundai aims to achieve a leading position in Europe. Hyundai Motor Europe plans to sell over 300 000 vehicles a year in Europe in the near future.
All this made it necessary to expand the capacities of the European operations, established only last year. The Chairman said that the new construction planned on a 32 000 square metre site offered optimal conditions to realize this goal.
In order to achieve a leading position in Europe, it is important, according to Yong Hwan Kim, President of Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH, that the specific requirements of the various markets be taken into account right from the initial development stage of the new models. A connection in the new buildings in Russelsheim between research &development, design and marketing would create the best possible platform for precisely fulfilling the wishes of European customers. There, engineers, designers and marketing experts should work together in one place, a rather unique concept in the automotive world. Engineers in the various regional development centres in the world provide are supporting for their colleagues in Namyang, Korea, in attuning new models to the individual markets, but they also carry out important basic research. Hyundai had already demonstrated that this was the right strategy with the 2001 launch of the Matrix compact van, in whose design Europeans played a leading part.
Another example of Hyundai ’s focus on Europe is the new super mini, the Hyundai Getz, which was exhibited in Russelsheim two days after its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show. This new model is the manufacturer ’s trump card in the popular super mini car market.
Johan Cruyff, the legendary football player and successful trainer, presented the Getz.
Hyundai is official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Korea and Japan in June and succeeded in contracting him as its ambassador for the make.
In the past few years Hyundai has invested substantial sums in developing new vehicles. In the last two years alone, no less than five new models have been launched the Santa Fe sports utility vehicle, the Matrix compact van, the Terracan offroader, the Coupe sports car, and now the Getz. Takenaka, the company, which is responsible for the development and the construction works as well, has developed similar complicated industrial buildings in the automotive field.
However, the design of the Hyundai Motor Company ’s new European headquarters represented a particular challenge for the architects. Not only were they asked to meet the specific functional requirements, but also to reflect the character of the brand itself.
The theme “Hyundai Motor Europe, where Precision meets Passion ”, which stands for the combination of firstclass engineering (precision)and design (passion)activities under one roof, was to find expression in the new premises. Takenaka found the solution in a design that guarantees the independence of the disciplines of marketing, research &development and design in separate buildings, but at the same time ensuring maximum communication between the disciplines by connecting them.
The curved line combining the contrasting elements of ying and yang in the Korean national flag is the blueprint for the ground plan of the buildings. The ensuing curved glass facade links the three individual building units of marketing, research &development and design. Interfaces have been created to improve communication between the various disciplines. During the groundbreaking ceremony, taking place in a pavilion on the construction site, a computeranimated film offered the audience a glimpse of how the completed buildings would look like.
# # # Hyundai Motor America 10550 Talbert Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 MEDIA WEBSITE: HyundaiNews.com CORPORATE WEBSITE: HyundaiUSA.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR HYUNDAI'S NEW EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS
Miles Johnson Senior Manager, Quality, Service and Technology (714) 3661048 [email protected]
ID: 28909
Korean car manufacturer aims to achieve leading position
March, 8, 2002 With the groundbreaking for the new building in the “Blauer See ”industrial area in Russelsheim, Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH has given the goahead for the expansion of its European research &development and design activities. Some 300 employees will be working there in the medium term. Besides a research & development and design centre, the new premises will also house the European Sales and Marketing Operations. A total of some 50 million euro is being invested in the new complex, whose completion is scheduled for June 2003.Hyundai decided to build this new headquarters because the premises in Eschborn, it moved into only last year, offer no scope for further expansion.
In his address to some 250 invited guests from the worlds of politics, trade and industry, Stefan Gieltowski, mayor of the town of Russelsheim, emphasized the significant momentum for the development of the region to a centre of industry ensuing from Hyundai ’s decision.
MongKoo Chung, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, speaking on its behalf, emphasized in his welcoming address how important the European market is to the Korean car manufacturer, 30 per cent of whose sales come from exports. Last year the Hyundai Group sold no less than 2.5 million vehicles worldwide, putting it at seventh place in the ranks of car manufacturers. Chairman Chung went on to say that in the coming years Hyundai aims to achieve a leading position in Europe. Hyundai Motor Europe plans to sell over 300 000 vehicles a year in Europe in the near future.
All this made it necessary to expand the capacities of the European operations, established only last year. The Chairman said that the new construction planned on a 32 000 square metre site offered optimal conditions to realize this goal.
In order to achieve a leading position in Europe, it is important, according to Yong Hwan Kim, President of Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH, that the specific requirements of the various markets be taken into account right from the initial development stage of the new models. A connection in the new buildings in Russelsheim between research &development, design and marketing would create the best possible platform for precisely fulfilling the wishes of European customers. There, engineers, designers and marketing experts should work together in one place, a rather unique concept in the automotive world. Engineers in the various regional development centres in the world provide are supporting for their colleagues in Namyang, Korea, in attuning new models to the individual markets, but they also carry out important basic research. Hyundai had already demonstrated that this was the right strategy with the 2001 launch of the Matrix compact van, in whose design Europeans played a leading part.
Another example of Hyundai ’s focus on Europe is the new super mini, the Hyundai Getz, which was exhibited in Russelsheim two days after its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show. This new model is the manufacturer ’s trump card in the popular super mini car market.
Johan Cruyff, the legendary football player and successful trainer, presented the Getz.
Hyundai is official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Korea and Japan in June and succeeded in contracting him as its ambassador for the make.
In the past few years Hyundai has invested substantial sums in developing new vehicles. In the last two years alone, no less than five new models have been launched the Santa Fe sports utility vehicle, the Matrix compact van, the Terracan offroader, the Coupe sports car, and now the Getz. Takenaka, the company, which is responsible for the development and the construction works as well, has developed similar complicated industrial buildings in the automotive field.
However, the design of the Hyundai Motor Company ’s new European headquarters represented a particular challenge for the architects. Not only were they asked to meet the specific functional requirements, but also to reflect the character of the brand itself.
The theme “Hyundai Motor Europe, where Precision meets Passion ”, which stands for the combination of firstclass engineering (precision)and design (passion)activities under one roof, was to find expression in the new premises. Takenaka found the solution in a design that guarantees the independence of the disciplines of marketing, research &development and design in separate buildings, but at the same time ensuring maximum communication between the disciplines by connecting them.
The curved line combining the contrasting elements of ying and yang in the Korean national flag is the blueprint for the ground plan of the buildings. The ensuing curved glass facade links the three individual building units of marketing, research &development and design. Interfaces have been created to improve communication between the various disciplines. During the groundbreaking ceremony, taking place in a pavilion on the construction site, a computeranimated film offered the audience a glimpse of how the completed buildings would look like.
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