Škoda Auto has started construction of a high-tech paint shop with a capacity of up to 1,600 bodies per day
Škoda Auto has laid the foundations for a modern paint shop in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic. The facility is scheduled to open in 2029.
Here's What We Know
The state-of-the-art facility will use automation, robotics and advanced technology to improve the quality of the applied protective coating. Both vehicles with internal combustion engines and models on electric platforms will be painted there. It will also allow the application of two-colour paint and matt coatings.
The new paint shop is in line with Škoda Auto's goal of achieving carbon-neutral production at its Czech plants by 2030. Along with the reduction of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, CO₂ emissions from the painting process will be reduced by 28%.
The new building will measure 301 metres long, 131 metres wide and 32.5 metres high, comparable to a seven-storey structure. The total floor area will be 118,000 square metres, equivalent to more than 16 football pitches, and the conveyor system will stretch for 15 kilometres. The facility will be built on the site of the current car park for finished cars, next to the recently opened Laurin Klement Bridge.
A rendering of Škoda Auto's future paint shop. Illustration: Škoda Auto
The Mladá Boleslav plant currently has two paint shops, with the original one having been in operation since 1996. This old shop will be completely replaced by a new one, offering additional options such as contrasting roof colours and matt finishes. The second paint shop began operations in 2019.
Painting is one of the most important steps in the production of a vehicle, as it ensures long-term aesthetic quality and comprehensive protection against external factors. The coating process involves several stages: cataphoresis anticorrosion coating, application of PVC on vulnerable areas, followed by a pre-coat and a base coat of paint applied using the wet-on-wet method.
In the new workshop, Škoda will launch for the first time a process in which the decorative base coat is applied directly onto the cataphoresis layer without baking the primer coat, which reduces costs without compromising quality. At the end, a clear lacquer and wax coating are applied, resulting in a total protective coating thickness of around 100 micrometres (0.1 mm).
Source: Škoda
