Great fun at the site anniversary – And the cyber-Team were there in full power!

“The Merkenich development centre will help ensure that the Ford factory always keeps one step ahead.” – With these words, Henry Ford II, the grandson of our company’s founder Henry Ford, opened the development centre at Merkenich on 20 June 1968. Across a total area of around 500,000 square metres, the site in Merkenich features three modern office complexes, a design centre, two test tracks, three climatic wind tunnels, an aeroacoustic wind tunnel and a so-called ‘cave’ – a virtual room for evaluating vehicles. The development centre also houses a crash lab, acoustic centre, exhaust air lab plus numerous test stands, with whose help engines, drive chains and gearboxes, as well as entire vehicles, are tested.

It was under the very best weather conditions that in June 2018, cyber-Wear’s event team, comprising Michael Bienert, Alexandra Szóo, Christoph Luthe and Olaf Peter, was once again able to assist with the popular Ford family day held there. As mentioned above, the site in Cologne has now been in existence for 50 years, which of course is enough reason in itself to celebrate! Once a year, all Ford employees in Germany, plus their families, are invited to enjoy this day together here in Merkenich – all in all, nearly 5000 people in total!

And indeed, on this particular Saturday, there were more things to do than you could possibly fit in on just one day! True to the event’s motto, the programme was full to bursting with entertainment for the whole family. The particular highlights of the factory tour were without doubt the air channel and the crash tests carried out especially for the visitors. In the open air, Ford then chronicled its history on the basis of milestones from its inventory of old timers. Not to neglect the latest high performance of racing cars such as the Ford GT and the Ford Fiesta racing car. Surrounded by stalls selling delicious treats and all manner of entertainment to delight children’s hearts, younger visitors in particular were able to decorate specially prepared vehicles with finger paint – a unique opportunity to express their creativity! And mum and dad were just happy it wasn’t theirs…!

And as well as the Ford Lifestyle Collection (FLC) popup shop, this year also saw a special highlight: The cyber-Team constructed a large-scale obstacle course, around which Ford employees’ children were able to dash around in branded Bobby Cars from the FLC range. An idea that was immensely well received the entire day! This gave parents the time necessary to browse unhurried through Ford’s merchandise collection, well looked after and advised by the cyber-Wear team. Kitted out in the latest Ford Performance shirts and with an enormous rush of visitors, our team had great fun, and was delighted at the success of this event hosted together with our partner, the brand Ford.