Key 'Dream Factory' facility completed

World's first autonomous guided vehicles deployed in paint shop

The new paint factory Bentley Motors built at its headquarters in Crewe, England. [Bentley Motors]
The new paint factory Bentley Motors built at its headquarters in Crewe, England. [Bentley Motors]

Bentley Motors announced Monday that it has begun operating a new state-of-the-art paint factory at its Crewe headquarters in England, stepping up preparations for full electrification.

The facility opened June 11 and serves as a cornerstone of Bentley's "Dream Factory" production strategy. It will handle the paint process for all future Bentley models, including the brand's first fully electric vehicle, set to be unveiled later this year.

The new factory spans 12,500 square meters — the tallest building on the Bentley site — and supports around 100 exterior colors as well as bespoke custom paint finishes. It will be used in the production of the Continental GT, Continental GTC and Flying Spur, as well as upcoming electric vehicle models.

Bentley also unveiled a new paint finish technology called "Spectraflare" alongside the factory's launch. The company showcased a one-of-a-kind Continental GT S finished in "Spectral Verdant," a color that renders different hues under natural light, highlighting Bentley's bespoke capabilities.

The factory also advances Bentley's environmental goals. Solvent-based primers have been replaced with water-based alternatives, and heat recovery systems and filtration monitoring technology have cut waste generation by up to 45 percent. A regenerative thermal oxidizer is designed to reduce volatile organic compound emissions from the paint process by up to 98 percent.

In addition, Bentley has introduced autonomous guided vehicles — a first for any automotive paint facility. Ten AGVs automatically transport car bodies between process stations, improving production efficiency and workplace safety. The company said the system will allow it to respond more flexibly to bespoke customer orders.

The factory's exterior features 45 display panels selected from Bentley's bespoke customer color palette, each produced using the same paint processes and techniques applied to the vehicles themselves.

Andreas Lehe, Bentley Motors' board member for production, said the new paint factory marks "an important milestone" in realizing the Dream Factory strategy. "It will serve as the foundation for delivering world-class paint quality and differentiated bespoke finish options," he said.


eyre@heraldcorp.com