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Tesla announces new gigafactory in European expansion
Tesla announces new gigafactory in European expansion
The acquisition of German engineering business Grohmann is part of a plan to cut costs, speed up production and increase quality
Tesla is making a “significant investment” in expanding its European operations, its CEO, Elon Musk, told investors on Tuesday, announcing a new “gigafactory” battery production plant and an automated manufacturing research centre.
The expansion follows the purchase of German firm Grohmann Engineering, which will be renamed Tesla Grohmann Automation. The company specialises in automated assembly systems serving the automotive, telecommunications, consumer electronics and biotechnology industries.
The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, is expected to add more than 1,000 engineering and skilled technician jobs in Germany over the next two years, subject to purchase approval by Germany, Tesla said in a blogpost. Grohmann employs about 700 people and had revenues of €123m (£109m) in 2015.
Tesla’s main base of operations and factory are situated in California, with a battery production plant called the Gigafactory being built near Reno in Nevada.
The company also has various showrooms around the world, with its European headquarters in Amsterdam and a distribution centre in Tilburg in the Netherlands, and Grohmann will serve as Tesla’s initial headquarters for the company’s new, Advanced Automation Germany arm.
Tesla has not yet confirmed the timescale for building Gigafactory 2 in Europe, with Musk adding that Tesla would do so after production of the Model 3 was under way. Tesla could eventually have as many as three vehicle and battery factory locations in Europe, he said.
To continue reading please click link https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/08/tesla-adds-german-firm-grohmann-to-european-operations