Varta expands lithium ion battery production for wearables in Nördlingen.
The battery manufacturer Varta officially put a production hall for lithium-ion cells for fitness watches and similar products into operation in Nördlingen. At the site in the Donau-Ries district, Varta already manufactures batteries.
In Nördlingen, the battery manufacturer Varta opened a new production hall for small, high-performance lithium-ion cells in the afternoon. The guest was Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger (Freie Wähler).
Varta is benefiting from the global boom in so-called “wearables”. This means garments and devices equipped with technology that are worn directly on the body. Examples include fitness watches, glasses with displays or wireless headphones.
Varta speaks of state-of-the-art factory for lithium-ion batteries
The company, headquartered in Ellwangen, Baden-Württemberg, describes Nördlingen as the most modern lithium-ion battery cell factory. Varta already has a production there, which is now being expanded. With the new hall, the number of employees in Nördlingen has doubled to 1,000 within a year.
The production area increases by 15,000 square meters to 60,000 square meters. According to Varta, the new building will be expanded into a CO2-neutral production facility within the next two years. Varta wants to build the next building in Nördlingen as early as autumn.
Federal government and free state support Varta with 300 million euros
Varta will receive a total of 300 million euros from the federal government’s billion-euro programme to promote battery cell production by the end of 2024. Of this, 100 million euros will go to the Nördlingen site. One third of this is paid for by the Free State.
Growth course at Varta
The company had announced that it would create about 600 additional jobs in the new plant. For the current year, Varta is targeting sales growth of eight percent. In the previous year, the battery manufacturer had increased its sales by 140 percent – also through acquisitions.
Varta expands battery production in Nördlingen, June 28, 2021