KÜNZELSAU, Germany, 23 November 2022: Ziehl-Abegg said it is investing in the construction of a new production plant in the United States. Making the announcement through a Press release, the company quoted Joachim Ley, COO, as saying, “We are investing 100 million euros in a completely new production plant in the USA.” The company said the plant is the largest single investment at one location in its 112-year history and is the result of the strong growth in quiet, robust and energy-saving fans in the markets in Mexico, Canada and the United States.

The company said growth in North America has enabled the Greensboro, North Carolina site to increasingly accelerate its rate of expansion since its inception in 2004. According to the company, the figures are impressive: In the first 10 years, the number of employees at Ziehl-Abegg in the USA only grew from 0 to 40; in the past eight years, it has already increased from 40 to 230. And by 2030, it is anticipated that there will be 800 people working for Ziehl-Abegg in the United States. The headquarters of Ziehl-Abegg USA is responsible for the whole of North America and has 11 sales offices serving the markets in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the company said.

Ziehl-Abegg makes products in the field of ventilation and in drive technology, in combination with the corresponding control technology. “In addition to data centres, areas of application for the products include heating and refrigeration systems, clean rooms and agricultural systems,” said Mirco Herrmann, Managing Director, Ziehl-Abegg USA.

According to the company, the new plant, with administration building attached, will be constructed in Winston-Salem, also in North Carolina. This is about 20 kilometres away from the existing site, the company said. The building, covering an area of 46,500 square metres, is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2024, the company said. The existing production plant will then be relocated to the new site in 2025, the company added.

According to Ziehl-Abegg, the production plant will have a high level of vertical integration. Ley said: “We will not only be expanding capacities but also increasing the level of vertical integration. Thanks to a fully system of self-contained system of production, starting with the motors, we will be able to offer our customers a high degree of flexibility and short delivery times.” The company said winding machines, welding robots and CNC machines haven been installed for this purpose. Due to the location’s central function, the site will include a high-bay warehouse. Herrmann said, “And in the medium term, we will also be setting up a development hub with a laboratory in Winston-Salem.” This, the company said, will require an extensive system of air measurement and motor test rigs.