BMZ to build battery factory in North Macedonia
The German battery manufacturer BMZ Group wants to open a production site in northern Macedonia. The corresponding agreement with the government there has already been signed. More than 60 production lines are to be built there by 2028.
According to its own information, BMZ wants to start battery production initially in a rented building in the metropolitan region of Skopje. At the same time, three units “comparable to those at the German headquarters” are to be built in the technological-industrial development zone ‘Skopje 2’. These can probably accommodate up to 60 production lines as well as their own logistics and administration.
The battery manufacturer says it decided on a location in North Macedonia for various reasons – on the one hand, North Macedonia is known for its “investor-friendly policies” and the company sees the “enormous growth opportunities of BMZ”. On the other hand, the company suffers from a shortage of skilled workers in Germany as well as in Poland. For this reason, “production lines with different levels of automation” will be moved from Germany and Poland to the new location.
BMZ wants to create up to 600 new jobs in northern Macedonia. The manufacturer emphasises that no jobs will be cut at the plants in Germany and Poland. Despite the relocation of the production lines, “further growth” is expected there as well.
The new location will be managed by Jelica Ivanovska. The name of the new managing director was announced during the signing event at BMZ headquarters in Karlstein. North Macedonia is the fifth international location of the German company.
It is not known how much the company is investing in the North Macedonia site or what kind of batteries are produced there. In July, BMZ Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with CALB (China Lithium Battery Technology) for the development and production of batteries for electric commercial vehicles.
BMZ Group, headquartered in Karlstein am Main, develops and manufactures lithium-ion system solutions in the areas of home and industrial storage/green energy as well as e-mobility and drive systems, among others. As reported, BMZ sells its battery cells under the TerraE label.
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