Tognum is to erect a new plant in Poland to expand its European production and development capacity of MTU-branded engines.
The German firm is to invest over €90 million (US$119 million) in the new site close to the city of Stargard Szczecinski in northwest Poland. The plant is to start producing the first components for MTU engines as of 2013. In addition to production, facilities will be set up for the development of mechanical and electronic engine components in Poland. Tognum is also to make investments of a similar magnitude in its plant in Friedrichshafen.
From the middle of 2013, production output from the plant in Stargard Szczecinski will primarily include crankcases, cylinder heads and large-volume parts for Tognum’s MTU brand Series 2000 and 4000 engines. They will be delivered to the assembly lines of the lead plant in Friedrichshafen (Germany) and to the plants in Aiken (USA) and Suzhou (China), where engines, drive and propulsion systems and energy systems are manufactured for the Tognum Group.
In addition, Tognum is expanding its development capacity to Poland, where engineers and designers will develop and test engine components and electronic modules manufactured in the new plant that will be earmarked for engine control and automation systems. The first employees from Poland will be involved in preparing the site and erecting the plant. By the time the plant becomes fully operational in 2015 as scheduled, Tognum will have increased its workforce to over 200 employees.
The prerequisite for meeting the schedule is that all approvals from the relevant authorities are granted within the required timeframe. MTU Polska, the Tognum subsidiary that has since been formed, has already purchased a 20 hectare site for the erection of the plant near Stargard Szczecinski. The proximity to logistics hubs, such as seaports, is a major factor for the switch to Stargard.
“Friedrichshafen will remain our lead plant for the key areas of research, development and production,” said Dr. Ulrich Dohle, CTO of Tognum AG, most emphatically. “Relocating part of our production to Stargard will create space on Lake Constance that will enable us to expand the remaining production and assembly lines.”
