Kempower announces a second factory in Finland
Finnish company Kempower is set to expand its operations with a new factory in Lahti, Finland. The facility will double Kempower’s production capacity in Europe and will be flanked by a research centre at LUT University in Lahti.
Kempower has signed a letter of intent for the lease of premises spanning approximately 10,000 square meters, with an option for future expansion. The plant, set to open gradually throughout 2024, will also accommodate research, development, and office space alongside production.
Kempower says the new factory and R&D centre were the first part of its European capacity expansions during 2024-2025. However, depending on demand, the company considers additional production capacity on the continent.
Kempower’s new premises will be located in the Isku Center in Lahti. The former furniture factory houses Isku, LAB University of Applied Sciences, LUT University, and other companies. The choice of premises was based, among other factors, on the possibility of future expansion, so Kempower but also forms an example of sustainability and integration.
Kempower will work closely with LUT University, and the company expects the collaboration with local universities to deepen its access to cutting-edge research.
“By locating our product development and research close to production, we can continue our growth efficiently and build the top expertise in e-mobility in Finland,” said Kempower’s CEO, Tomi Ristimäki.
The decision to choose Lahti was further influenced by the city’s commitment to climate goals and the suitability of the premises for future expansion, added Ristimäki.
Roope Vikström, Isku’s General Counsel, also said this was “an excellent example” of reusing an old factory property. He considers Kempower’s arrival a natural continuation of the work that started when the property was renovated for university use. The renovations included building a geothermal system, and the facility also connects to the local solar power plant.
The R&D centre will open by the end of 2023 on the same property as the new production facility. The latter will be fully operational in 2024.
The expansion of Kempower’s operations in Lahti is part of the company’s growth strategy to become one of the leading players in Europe and North America by 2030. Alongside the new facility in Finland, the company’s second there, Kempower is also set to open a US production facility in North Carolina later this year, as reported.
Kempower is known for its fast charging system and, in 2022, saw orders coming in from northern and eastern Europe, for example, serving e-buses in Denmark or providing fast charging stations in Estonia for the petrol station network from Terminal Group. Further contracts came from Noway, Sweden, Romania and Australia.
In the Summer of 2022, the company launched a liquid-cooled fast-charging system with 400 kW continuous power for heavy-duty vehicles.
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