“We are investing 100 million euros in a completely new production plant in the USA”, says Joachim Ley, Chief Operating Officer of the fan manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg. This is the largest single investment at one location in the company's 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 USA.
Growth in North America has enabled the Greensboro (North Carolina) site to increasingly accelerate its rate of expansion since its inception in 2004. 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 8 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 USA. The headquarters of Ziehl-Abegg USA is responsible for the whole of North America and has eleven sales offices serving the markets in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Ziehl-Abegg is a world leader in the field of ventilation and 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,” says Mirco Herrmann, the US Managing Director of Ziehl-Abegg.
The new plant, with administration building attached, will be constructed in Winston-Salem (North Carolina). This is about 20 kilometres away from the existing site. The building, covering an area of 46,500 square metres, is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2024. The existing production plant will then be relocated to the new site in 2025.
The production plant will have a high level of vertical integration. Chief Operating Officer Ley: “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.” 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.“ And in the medium term, we will also be setting up a development hub with a laboratory in Winston-Salem,” says Mirco Herrmann. This will require an extensive system of air measurement and motor test rigs.