For the Finland-based company, battery systems engineering and manufacturing services are part of its strategic importance with regard to e-mobility related businesses.
Valmet Automotive is expecting its sales from the electric vehicles batteries business to reach the level or even surpass that of vehicle contract manufacturing within the next few years. The growth will focus on the EV Systems business line with its battery system engineering and manufacturing services, but the company strategy emphasizes the importance of e-mobility in all business lines.
For the Finland-based company, battery systems are the essential growth business, and the company has set a target of becoming a key player both as a contract battery manufacturer and as a Tier 1 system supplier, like Valmet Automotive is a key Tier 1 system supplier for roofs and kinematic systems. The target is based on the continuous growth in demand for batteries and company’s expertise in engineering and manufacturing of 48 V and high-voltage batteries for Plug-in and for All-electric vehicles.
The EV Systems business line, founded in 2018 and led by Senior Vice President Jyrki Nurmi, has been constantly expanding and employs today about 300 people in Finland and 50 people in Germany. The business line is responsible for Valmet Automotive’s entire battery system value chain, including engineering, manufacturing, testing services and customer relations.
Valmet Automotive has responded fast to the growing demand for batteries. Series production of the first battery system developed by Valmet Automotive began in 2018 at the Uusikaupunki battery plant, and the high-volume Salo battery plant, currently ramping up production to new record levels, was started in 2019. In February 2020, a battery test center was opened in Bad Friedrichshall, Germany.
“Since 2018 Valmet Automotive has taken vital steps in establishing the company as a key player in electric mobility. This is perceived very positively by our customers and the automotive industry. We now aim at winning a contract as a Tier 1 battery system supplier, and we are currently in promising negotiations for several projects with leading European car manufacturers”
Olaf Bongwald, CEO, Valmet Automotive.
The EV Systems business line also includes engineering of batteries. The engineering team has locations in Finland and Germany. The entire former battery R&D team in Finland is now part of the EV Systems team. In addition, the German battery engineering and testing team has now joined EV Systems.
