Johnson Controls expands AGM battery plant in Germany

Johnson Controls Power Solutions, manufacturer of VARTA batteries, has expanded its Zwickau, Germany, AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery plant with a €100 million investment, making it the world’s largest production facility for AGM batteries. This technology is used mainly for start-stop vehicles.

“The demand for start-stop batteries will increase significantly in the next years,” said Holger Jetses, vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls Power Solutions EMEA.

Projections show that by 2018, roughly 80 percent of all new cars produced in Europe will be equipped with start-stop technology.

“AGM batteries from Zwickau play an important role. With the expansion of our plant, we are prepared for the upcoming requirements,” Jetses said.

The plant’s increased production capacity is now 6.6 million batteries a year — four times the plant’s output prior to the expansion.

The expansion project included the addition of a new production hall, a new logistics building and four new assembly lines, which feature the latest technological standards. The expansion has allowed Johnson Controls to double its employment at the site, from roughly 200 employees prior to the renovation to 400 employees currently.