SVOLT PRESIDENT MAKES FIRST VISIT TO FUTURE BATTERY CELL PLANT IN LAUCHHAMMER

Visit to the SVOLT battery cell factory in Lauchhammer, Brandenburg

SVOLT President Hongxin Yang visited the future SVOLT battery cell plant in Lauchhammer for the first time on Thursday. After the inaugural visits in Saarland the previous week, this is the continuation of his tour of Germany.

“The location convinced me,” says Yang. “The state of Brandenburg as well as the city of Lauchhammer with all its representatives at state and municipal level have actively supported SVOLT from the very beginning.  I would like to thank all those responsible and all our partners for the broad approval of our project and the warm welcome on site,” says Yang, “I am sure that, together, we will create a benchmark plant for the production of battery cells.”

Hongxin Yang also personally welcomed the first employees to the Lauchhammer plant together with Kai-Uwe Wollenhaupt, President of SVOLT Europe, and Andreas Weiglein, Vice President Operations Europe. Since the beginning of the year, former VESTAS employees have also found their new jobs here. All previous employees at the site are Lusatians. They work in the project team responsible for the construction and conversion of the Lauchhammer plant. 

There are currently several vacancies in Lauchhammer, such as electrical maintenance engineers, mechanical maintenance engineers, HSE specialists, logistics managers and technical building equipment engineers. Further information can be found via https://svolt.jobs.personio.de/

The Lauchhammer battery cell plant will be the first SVOLT plant to start producing battery cells in Europe after the completion of the module and pack factory in Heusweiler (Saarland).  At this point in time, customer sample validation is planned for the beginning of 2025. The battery cells produced in Lauchhammer will then be further processed in Heusweiler into battery modules and battery packs for use in electric vehicles.

The Lauchhammer site is a so-called brownfield project. SVOLT acquired the plant, including buildings and infrastructure, from VESTAS, a manufacturer of wind turbines, at the end of August 2022. VESTAS had discontinued the production of rotor blades there last year.

During the factory visit in Lauchhammer, Hongxin Yang also met Siegurd Heinze, District Administrator of Oberspreewald-Lausitz, and Mirko Buhr, Mayor of Lauchhammer.

Mirko Buhr was pleased to welcome Hongxin Yang personally to Lauchhammer. “After intensive and very constructive talks, the necessary contractual agreements between SVOLT and the city of Lauchhammer are currently being set in motion,” said Buhr after the meeting and assured: “The city of Lauchhammer will continue being a reliable partner for SVOLT in creating optimal conditions for the production site. I am firmly convinced that SVOLT’s investment will not only maintain Lauchhammer’s status as a traditional energy location, but will further expand it.

After the visit to Lauchhammer, Hongxin Yang visited the BASF Schwarzheide plant. The discussion with Jürgen Fuchs, Chairman of the Board of BASF Schwarzheide GmbH, focused on the possibilities for cooperation. Both agreed that they wanted to make use of the short distances in the region. Afterwards, they visited BASF’s cathode materials factory in Schwarzheide.

SVOLT had deliberately chosen Brandenburg as the innovation location for its next settlement project in Germany. In recent years, an innovative centre for electromobility has emerged in the region around Lauchhammer and throughout Brandenburg. Many companies along the supply chain and the battery life cycle are located in the region.

Quotes

Hongxin Yang, CEO & President SVOLT Energy Technology:

“The state of Brandenburg as well as the city of Lauchhammer with all its representatives at state and municipal level have actively supported SVOLT from the very beginning. I would like to thank all those responsible and all our partners for the broad approval of our project and the warm welcome on site. I am sure that, together, we will create a benchmark plant for the production of battery cells.”

Siegurd Heinze, District Administrator, District of Oberspreewald-Lausitz:

“Germany wants to become the centre of European battery production and thus secure the growing demand of domestic car manufacturers. Especially in our region, which is undergoing structural change, we appreciate the commitment of companies that are involved in the manufacture of promising components, such as battery cell production in this case, and thus help to advance the current technological change. Qualified jobs are created along the value chain, from which the local people benefit, as they do here in Lauchhammer.”

Mirko Buhr, Mayor City of Lauchhammer:

“I am pleased to welcome Mr Yang personally to our city. After intensive and very constructive talks, the necessary contractual agreements between SVOLT and the city of Lauchhammer are currently being set in motion. The town of Lauchhammer will continue being a reliable partner for SVOLT in creating optimal conditions for the production site. I am firmly convinced that SVOLT’s investment will not only maintain Lauchhammer’s status as a traditional energy location, but will also further expand it.