Ziehl-Abegg’s €16m production boost

Ziehl-Abegg is to boost fan and motor production with a €16m investment in the expansion of its production buildings at the Kupferzell site.

“The global markets will continue to need high-quality electric motors and fans in the future,” says CEO Peter Fenkl.

Ziehl-Abegg has also been affected worldwide by the corona crisis: sales are close to the previous year. However, a higher than average 8.6 percent increase in sales across the industry in 2019 provides a solid foundation, said CEO Fenkl. In the new building, an additional approx. 8,400 square metres of production area will be created for the manufacture of the state-of-the-art generation of energy-efficient electric motors. “The durable and efficient electric motor has been our core area of expertise for more than 100 years,” emphasises Fenkl.

Ziehl-Abegg is also one of the leaders in the technology of biomimetic fan design. However, since many geometries with ideal aerodynamic characteristics cannot be realised in steel or aluminium, the company is expanding its composite materials area. “It is essential for us to create extra space for additional composite material injection moulding machines,” says Fenkl. Overall, Ziehl-Abegg is expanding its production facilities or optimising existing plants worldwide: both in Schöntal-Bieringen where the aluminium casting operation is based, as well as at its locations in America and Asia. “Corona has demonstrated in particular that we and our customers must take a close look at the use of long delivery routes,” says the CEO.

“During the 2008 global economic crisis, our sales fell 17 percent and then increased by more than 20 percent in the following year – that was only because we have very good products as well as motivated and qualified employees,” says company CEO Fenkl. “Against this background, ZiehlAbegg is now purposely investing on a countercyclical basis. When the corona and resulting economic crisis is over, we will be able to ‘hit the ground running’ once again!”