Škoda Auto lays foundation of state-of-the-art paint shop

The Mladá Boleslav site currently has two paint shops, with the original facility operating since 1996. This older facility will be fully replaced by the new paint shop, which offers additional capabilities such as contrasting roof colours and matte finishes. The second paint shop began operations in 2019. Together with the new facility, Škoda Auto’s main plant will provide optimal conditions for advanced body surface treatments.

Highlighting the scale of the project, the new building will measure 301 metres in length, 131 metres in width, and 32.5 metres in height, comparable to a seven-storey structure. The total floor area will span 118,000 square metres – equivalent to over 16 football fields – and the conveyor system will extend to 15 kilometres. The facility will be built on the current site of a finished-vehicle car park, adjacent to the recently opened Laurin & Klement bridge.

Painting is among the most important stages of vehicle production, as it provides long-term aesthetic quality and all-round protection against external factors. The body surface protection process includes multiple layers: a cataphoretic anti-corrosion coating, PVC application in vulnerable areas, followed by precoat and base coat paints applied using a wet-on-wet process. For the first time, Škoda will employ a process that applies the decorative basecoat directly onto the cataphoretic layer without baking the primer coat, optimising cost efficiency without compromising quality. The final clear coat and cavity waxing complete the process, resulting in a total coating thickness of approximately 100 micrometres (0.1 mm).

The new paint shop at Škoda Auto’s Mladá Boleslav plant will greatly increase operational flexibility by accommodating both ICE and electric models on the same production line. It will feature a new curing oven, optimised for precise curing of coatings throughout the painting process. A combined energy source, using biogas and electricity will boost flexibility, reduce emissions, and lower costs.

Moreover, the new paint shop will set benchmarks for environmental compatibility: VOC emissions will decrease by over 14 grams per square metre, and overall CO₂ emissions will be reduced by 28%, contributing substantially to Škoda Auto’s carbon-neutral production goal by 2030.