Germany’s BMZ group is teaming up with trucks manufacturer Kion to launch a lithium-ion batteries joint venture.
BMZ said the 50-50 partnership— called Kion Battery Systems— will build a new production facility at BMZ’s existing Karlstein headquarters in Germany and manufacture lithium-ion batteries for industrial trucks in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
The joint venture aims to “broaden the lithium-ion product offering and increase production capacity to best serve the rapidly growing demand for lithium-ion battery systems in the intralogistics market”, the partners said in a statement.
Initially, the new company will focus on the production of 48V and 80V batteries for counterbalance trucks. Soon, the offering will be expanded to 24V batteries for smaller warehouse trucks.
By 2023, the workforce of the new business is expected to have some 80 employees working mainly in research, development and production.
CEO of Germany-based Kion, Gordon Riske, said the deal “will enable us to effectively meet the steadily growing demand for advanced lithium-ion batteries and to ensure highest reliability of supply for our customers’ companies.”
The partnership is subject to the approval of competition authorities. However, BMZ’s Christian Hasenstab and Kion’s Carsten Harnish have already been named as managing directors of the new business.
In 2018, BMZ took control of fellow German lithium-ion developer and producer, TerraE, as part of an effort to launch battery cells production in Germany by 2020.
Earlier this year, BMZ opened the new headquarters of its US subsidiary in Virginia.
