DRÄXLMAIER opens battery plant in Leipzig
The heart of an electric vehicle is the battery; it determines the range and performance. A battery system based on 800-volt technology will be built in the DRÄXLMAIER Group's new production plant in Leipzig. With the opening, the company is expanding its production network in Germany to a total of three highly automated battery plants, thereby underlining the country's importance as a strategically important technology location.
Together with Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, Leipzig's Mayor Burkhard Jung, VDA Managing Director Dr. Marcus Bollig and other guests of honor, DRÄXLMAIER celebrated the official opening of the plant last Thursday.
“An important pillar in our production network”
In his speech, Vice Chairman and CEO Stefan Brandl emphasized: “The DRÄXLMAIER Group relies on innovative technological solutions for the mobility of tomorrow. In addition to numerous other innovations related to the electrification of the drive train, we manufacture battery systems for sophisticated premium vehicles - a key component of electromobility. The Leipzig location is therefore an important pillar in our production network.”
Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer said on the occasion of the factory opening: “The Saxon automobile industry is a pioneer in electromobility. The DRÄXLMAIER battery plant in Leipzig is a benefit for the car region of Saxony and for the entire region. Thanks to the closed value chain in the Free State, the company has the best conditions to equip vehicles with the latest battery technology. The investment supported by Saxony and the federal government strengthens the competitiveness of the industry and creates numerous new jobs with a top employer.”
Industry 4.0 consistently implemented
The automotive supplier, headquartered in Vilsbiburg, Bavaria, launched the battery systems business area in 2009. The company now produces high-voltage battery systems in series - now also in Leipzig. “In our new factory we are consistently implementing the principle of Industry 4.0. Thanks to highly automated production, a powerful 800-volt battery system is being created here in Leipzig with the highest quality requirements,” emphasized CEO Jan Reblin at the opening.
Site manager Karsten Wilhelm emphasized that the establishment of another plant was also a commitment to the Leipzig location. “With our second plant in Leipzig, we are creating attractive and future-proof jobs for qualified specialists,” says Wilhelm.
Mayor Burkhard Jung pointed out: “In diesel and gasoline vehicles, the engine determines the success of a car, now in electric cars it is the battery. Whoever has mastered the know-how of battery technology will prevail on the market. The establishment of the DRÄXLMAIER plant gives the Leipzig region an extremely important economic impulse: Leipzig is home to one of the most modern battery plants in the world, and important steps are being taken here for the future of electric mobility.”
Dr. Marcus Bollig, Managing Director of Product and Value Creation of the VDA Automobile Association, emphasized: “The DRÄXLMAIER Group’s new battery plant is an important building block for the transformation of the automotive industry and good news for Germany as a location. It not only underlines our commitment to sustainable mobility, but also our trust in the technological expertise and innovative strength of the German supplier industry. Production in Leipzig is a step towards more independent supply and also secures employment and prosperity in times of technological change.”
General information
About
DRÄXLMAIER Group
The DRÄXLMAIER Group supplies premium automobile manufacturers worldwide with complex wiring harness systems, central electrical and electronic components, exclusive interiors, and battery systems for electromobility. The combination of core competencies in the interior, electrical, electronic and battery systems areas makes DRÄXLMAIER unique in the industry. The company thereby covers the entire process chain, from the initial idea, through the development and production process, and up to precisely in-sequence delivery of the products to the assembly lines of premium automobile manufacturers. The inventor of the customer-specific wiring harness, the DRÄXLMAIER Group develops pioneering wiring harness technology as well as electrical and electronic components, all directly in-house. These include multi-voltage and high-voltage wiring harness systems, battery management systems and intelligent power distributors. DRÄXLMAIER is working on the future of emission-free mobility with its solution for low-voltage and high-voltage battery systems. As a market leader for interior systems in premium automobiles, the DRÄXLMAIER Group also supplies premium automobile manufacturers with ambient lighting, center consoles, door panels and instrument panels, as well as complete door and cockpit modules.
The DRÄXLMAIER Group is an international automotive supplier with about 65 sites in over 20 countries. Founded in Germany in 1958, the company employs about 74,000 employees throughout the world. For the DRÄXLMAIER Group as an owner-managed business, responsible and long-range thinking has always been the basis for economic success. It is therefore a core element of its strategy to design its business and production processes, as well as its products, in a more sustainable manner and in that way to increase the competitiveness of the company on a long-term basis.
In 2022, the DRÄXLMAIER Group generated sales of 5.1 billion euro. Customers of this member of the Top 100 Automotive Suppliers include Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Porsche and Volkswagen, as well as Californian automotive manufacturers.