The Chinese high-tech company SVolt Energy Technology will cease its operations in Europe at the end of January 2025. The company in Saarbrücken announced that the company had informed the Saarland Ministry of Economic Affairs of this in writing. It is not possible to say at this point what exactly the consequences will be for the Heusweiler and Überherrn locations in Saarland. SVolt has asked the ministry for early discussions to clarify everything further.
This is further bad news for the Saar industrial location. Just a few days ago, the chip manufacturer Wolfspeed announced that that the construction of a factory in Ensdorf would be postponed indefinitely.
The Chinese battery manufacturer originally planned to have three locations in Germany, two of them in Saarland and one in Brandenburg. However, SVolt had already said goodbye to its plans in Brandenburg in May. The company wanted to locate battery production in Lauchhammer in Lusatia. At the time, SVolt cited uncertainties in the automotive market, some drastic strategy adjustments among car manufacturers and a customer project that was canceled as reasons.
In SVolt’s announcement, the step is described as a “strategic decision” and is justified, among other things, by the weak market for electric vehicles in Europe, said the ministry spokeswoman. SVolt had plans for a module and packaging factory in Heusweiler.
At Überherrn, the company wanted to build battery production for electric cars. On Wednesday, the company wanted to announce to its employees that it would be ceasing business, the spokeswoman said based on the email from SVolt. Saarland media had previously reported on it.