Largest European production centre for lithium-ion batteries

JT Energy Systems acquires the former Solarworld plant in Freiberg near Dresden. JT Energy Systems GmbH, which was established in early 2019 by Jungheinrich AG and Triathlon Holding GmbH, is massively expanding its capacity. The largest European production centre for batteries and charging systems in intralogistics is being created through the early expansion of production capacity. The goal is to ensure early on that there is adequate production capacity for the rapidly-growing demand for lithium-ion battery technology and charging systems as well as for other industrial applications in intralogistics. The current production expansion in Freiberg solidifies Jungheinrich’s technological leadership in electric mobility, and particularly lithium-ion technology.  

Highly automated module production will take place in Glauchau, Saxony, while battery systems and chargers will be assembled at the new Freiberg plant. The operational launch of the production plant in Freiberg, with an area of over 42,000 square metres, is planned for the first quarter of 2020. Approximately 200 jobs will be created in the near term. 

Reinhild Kühne and Martin Hartmann, Managing Directors of JT Energy Systems GmbH: “The demand for electric material handling equipment as well as other industrial applications for lithium-ion batteries and charging systems is growing enormously worldwide. Following the first step – the establishment of JT Energy Systems – we will fully commit to meeting market demand with successful, innovative solutions that are also sustainable. With the acquisition of the Freiberg plant, we are gaining both the production capacity necessary and an excellent site which equips us for further expansion of our lithium-ion battery and charger production.” 

Lithium-ion technology

Lithium-ion battery systems provide considerable advantages over traditional lead acid batteries. They are intelligent and can communicate with the truck and the charging station. The result is maximum energy and operational efficiency. Due to the high performance of lithium-ion batteries, it will increasingly be possible to deploy electric trucks for jobs still using IC engine power today. In addition to high performance, the advantages of lithium-ion technology include fast charging times, no maintenance and a particularly long service life. Fast and short intermediate charging times mean the fleet can be used virtually around the clock without a battery change. Time-consuming battery changes will be unnecessary with the new battery technology. Maintaining spare batteries and changing facilities is a thing of the past. Furthermore, JT lithium-ion battery systems are sealed against gas emissions and guarantee the user maximum operating safety. This means special charging rooms with extraction equipment are not needed.