Akasol forges ahead with battery production
Despite the current corona crisis, the battery system manufacturer Akasol wants to maintain its series production as well as prototype and sample construction for the time being – under tightened hygiene and health protection precautions for the employees.
Although Akasol admits in the announcement that some of its customers have currently suspended production and are not manufacturing vehicles, the Board of Management expects “considerable catch-up effects after the crisis”. Currently, the company’s planning assumes that the production break will last until the end of April. At present, however, not all customer plants have been closed – the plant of a large series customer in Poland is still open and is also still being supplied with battery systems by Akasol.
“Despite the interruptions in production at our customers’ plants, the quantities announced for 2020 have not yet been revised so far but have for the most part been confirmed”, says Akasol CEO Sven Schulz. “Against this background, we have decided for the time being to maintain serial production as well as prototype and sample construction and to pre-produce our battery systems and necessary accessories in the coming weeks in order to be able to deliver these products quickly after customer plants have restarted.”
The current availability of components from the company’s own supply chain would be sufficient to ensure production “for the coming months”. The company did not provide any more precise information. According to CFO Carsten Bovenschen, the continuation of production under tightened hygiene regulations should also secure jobs in production.
The employees from the development department are now working in the home office. Shortly before the break in production, customers had placed further development orders with the company. “For us it is a clear and positive sign that our customers are sticking to their electrification strategy even in the current extremely challenging environment and are investing in the further development of the business relationship with Akasol,” says Schulz. “Our development teams are currently able to work from home without major restrictions and in the laboratories of our sites with appropriate hygiene standards.”
Just a few days ago, the battery system manufacturer commissioned its second production line for lithium-ion batteries at its production site in Langen, Hesse – six months earlier than originally planned. With the implementation of the second series production line, the company says it has more than doubled its annual maximum production capacity in Langen to up to 800 MWh compared to 2019.
With reporting by Sebastian Schaal, Germany.
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