A growing demand for electrification within several industries like steel, solar and semiconductors makes Kanthal to expand its production site in Walldorf, Germany. The aim of the investment is to capture the growth within electric industrial heating and drive operational improvements through increased automation.
Fibrothal® heating modules are being produced in Kanthal’s site in Walldorf. Image Credit: Kanthal
At the Walldorf site, Kanthal manufactures products such as Fibrothal® heating modules, flow heaters, metallic heating elements, and diffusion cassettes. All these products enable industries to make the green technology shift.
The investment includes expanding the current premises with ~2500 m² manufacturing area through a lease agreement of a nearby facility, as well as new equipment and automation improvements. The number of employees is expected to increase with approximately 10 people.
“The investment ensures that we can capture the growth in electrification of industrial heating, which will require a ramp-up of our operations globally. We expect a rapidly growing demand for our traditional heating solutions, but also for our newly developed high temperature process gas heaters that are currently being tested in a number of pilot projects,” says Aaron Roy, President of Business Unit Heating Systems at Kanthal.
“This will benefit customers with better availability and faster delivery of products that will be key in achieving their sustainability goals. In addition, the expansion shows the local community that we are investing in Walldorf and offering new and attractive jobs.”
The initiative started in May and is expected to be fully implemented in Q1 2024.