Germany’s Scholz to visit car manufacturer Opel on anniversary

German carmaker Opel plans to celebrate the 125th anniversary of its factory in Rüsselsheim, western Germany, on Saturday.

The occasion will be celebrated with an open day, attended by some notable guests, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Visitors will be able to get an idea of ​​how the manufacturer is helping shape the transition to electromobility, the company said.

In 1899, the then sewing machine and bicycle manufacturer built its first car, the Patentmotorwagen System Lutzmann. Opel had already taken over the work of the pioneer Friedrich Lutzmann and transferred him from Dessau to Rüsselsheim.

After almost 90 years as part of the US group General Motors, Opel was acquired by Peugeot’s parent company PSA in 2017, which has since merged with Fiat-Chrysler to form Stellantis.

The only German brand in the European-American group returned to profitability several years ago, following thousands of job cuts and a staff reduction program at its facilities elsewhere in Germany.