Battery manufacturer Clarios has made public its plan to invest around 200 million euros at its European plants between 2022 and 2026. The main goal is to expand its production capacity of absorbent glass mat batteries for vehicles by around 50% from 2026 onwards. It thereby aims to strengthen its leading position and that of its aftermarket brand Varta Automotive.

The redevelopment of the plant in Hanover (Germany) and the introduction of new models will shift a large part of its production to other plants. These include the battery plant in Burgos and the battery box plant in Ibi (Alicante), which will take over the manufacture of conventional and EFB (enhance flooded battery) batteries for original equipment manufacturers.

Reinforcement of Spanish plants
This increase in production capacity at both plants will be accompanied by the transfer of machinery from Hanover and the consequent investment, which is estimated at several million euros, in addition to the investment already received by the Ibi factory in the last three years.

The Guardamar del Segura (Alicante) plant will be equipped with a new production line to increase the production of PowerFrame® grids for EFB batteries by 50%. The company's patented grids provide greater durability and corrosion resistance, and can be manufactured in a more environmentally friendly manner than conventional designs.

Lead recycling
Finally, the recycling plant in Medina del Campo (Valladolid), a key part of Clarios' internal supply chain from 2022, will recycle lead from old batteries locally. The total investment will be spread over the Clarios plants in Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic and France and will create around 150 jobs.

Clarios EMEA President Werner Benade says that all these investments "ensure that our OEM and aftermarket customers receive the best and most efficient batteries," and added, "This way, we will continue to support all electrical and safety-relevant functions of all vehicle types for a long time to come. We continue to drive our solutions to transform the automotive industry by implementing trends in electrification, digitalisation and circular economy."

^{Photo: Clarios}