- Investment of up to EUR 30 million creates around 250 new jobs in the Magdeburg-Barleben region, underscoring the importance of Saxony-Anhalt for electric mobility
- Completion of the new building planned for 2021
Magdeburg-Barleben, November 26, 2019. HORIBA FuelCon, a wholly owned subsidiary of HORIBA Europe and part of HORIBA Automotive Test Systems (ATS), continues its growth after having joined the HORIBA Group one year ago. During a press conference – also attended by Takashi Nagano, Director of HORIBA, Board Leader of Global ATS Board from Japan –, Managing Director Dr. Ingo Benecke today provided information on a new company building in the Technologiepark Ostfalen. In doing so, he was able to present concrete plans only half a year after the initial announcement of the site expansion. The new company building is to be inaugurated at the end of 2021 and will create around 250 new jobs.
Under the project name “Factory 2021”, a new company building with 3,000 m² of office space as well as 7,000 m² of production and commissioning space is arising, offering workplaces for up to 360 employees as from the end of 2021. For this purpose, 29,000 m² of land near the current site were acquired and the construction planning was initiated at the beginning of 2019 already. The declared goal is to receive the construction permit by the end of this year in order to be able to start the works at the beginning of 2020.
Plant manufacturer HORIBA FuelCon massively benefits from the global change of the automotive industry towards electric mobility. For 20 years, the company located in Magdeburg Barleben has been specializing in test solutions for batteries and fuel cells, being a pioneer in the field of electric mobility. The increased global demand as well as the role as “global competence center for fuel cells and batteries” within the HORIBA Group have led to a substantial, months-long growth of the HORIBA subsidiary. It is now responding to the increased requirements with a new company building.
“Not only do we invest EUR 30 million in a new building at the Magdeburg-Barleben site. In the years to come, we will be providing up to 250 new jobs in order to continue to drive electric mobility forward. With these investments, HORIBA underscores the economic significance of its Magdeburg-Barleben location. In doing so, we are not only future-proof in terms of technology—we are also a strong employer in the region,” Dr. Ingo Benecke summarized the importance of the new building.
The new company building of HORIBA FuelCon GmbH also involves the further site development in the Technologiepark Ostfalen, on which Dr. Jürgen Ude—State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy, Science and Digitalisation of Saxony-Anhalt—provided information during the press conference together with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Strackeljan, President of the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. In addition to the current sites of the Innovation and Founders Centre (Innovations- und Gründerzentrum, IGZ) and the branch offices of the Institute of Automotive Expertise (Institut für Kompetenz in AutoMobilität, IKAM GmbH), a new “Center for Method Development” (CMD) of the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg is currently being planned.
The federal state of Saxony-Anhalt will provide the corresponding financial means and thus facilitates a strong concentration of innovation power and automotive competence at the Magdeburg-Barleben site. Together, the sites of IKAM GmbH, IGZ, HORIBA FuelCon GmbH and of the future CMD form the “E-Mobility-Campus” that is equally attractive for companies and the region’s skilled workforce.
The State Secretary of Saxony-Anhalt Dr. Ude emphasized that: “The automotive industry is in the midst of structural changes. The development towards electromobility, lightweight construction and climate-friendly fuels also poses major challenges for suppliers in Saxony-Anhalt. In order to strengthen our companies, we will further develop the Magdeburg-Barleben region into an 'e-mobility campus'. The strong commitment of HORIBA FuelCon in this future-oriented industry gives this project a powerful boost.”
President Prof. Dr.-Ing. Strackeljan was impressed as well and emphasized: “For the University of Magdeburg, excellent links for joint research and development projects arise. First of all, however, new attractive job opportunities in the region open up for our graduates—especially for the international ones.”
