Webasto opens new charger factory in Mexico
Automotive supplier Webasto has opened a new production facility for charging solutions in Mexico to meet the growing demand in North America. At the new plant in Guanajuato, 10,000 chargers a week are currently coming off the production lines. By the end of the year, this number is expected to double.
Webasto’s current production capacity is held up by 140 employees on three lines that have been put into operation. By the end of the year, the Munich-based company wants to increase that to eight production lines, as well as increase the workforce to reach a production capacity of 20,000 chargers per week. In addition, an expansion of a further 10,000 square metres is planned by 2025.
Until now, Webasto has produced its charging solutions for the North American market together with roof systems at the Irapuato site, a few kilometres from Guanajuato. However, space became too tight there in view of increasing production volumes and higher customer demand. Webasto, therefore, decided to relocate the entire production of wall box charging stations and mobile chargers to the new site in Guanajuato, which can be further expanded.
“As we continue to accelerate our e-mobility product offerings worldwide, North America presents Webasto [with] big potential,” expresses Marcel Bartling, Member of the Executive Board and Chief Technology Officer of Webasto SE. “The opening of a Charging plant in the region is another step in executing on our strategy and reinforces our investment in the future.” He added that the company had successfully established itself in the charging market in North America in a relatively short period of time and that with the new plant, it would be in a position to fully support local customers in the future.
With the new factory, Webasto is expanding its business field with solutions for electric mobility. In addition to wall box chargers and mobile chargers, the supplier also produces battery systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles as well as high-voltage heaters for hybrid and electric vehicles. In 2022, Webasto more than doubled the volume of its incoming orders in the electromobility business field compared to the previous year. Specifically, customers ordered battery systems, electric heaters and charging solutions for around 2.8 billion euros from the Munich-based supplier.
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