AISIN Europe Manufacturing Czech, part of the global AISIN group, has announced its historically largest investment in its plant in Písek. At the new facility in South Bohemia, the company will manufacture new eAxle electric drive units intended exclusively for BMW electric vehicles. The investment in excess of CZK 4.5 billion is an important milestone not only for AISIN, but also for the Czech automotive industry, as the investment will place it among the key European players in the area of clean mobility.
Písek is one of four locations in Europe where the Japanese company AISIN operates its factories. By expanding production with the addition of electric motors, the plant in Písek will become a key pillar of AISIN’s European strategy for the development and implementation of new products. “Our investment is a response to emerging trends in the automotive industry and will help us to flexibly respond to changes in demand. After many years during which we supported the European market with the development of automatic transmissions from Japan, we are now taking an important step forward and, for the first time in Europe, we are commencing production of complete drive units for BMW’s new generation of battery-powered electric vehicles. This moment is symbolic of our determination to be the driving force of the transition to electromobility and the future of sustainable mobility,” said Shojiro Sahara, executive director of AISIN for Europe
Development of drive systems is one of the company’s strengths. However, production has until now been conducted mostly outside of Europe. Another motivation for AISIN to further invest in Písek was customers’ demand for sustainable electromobility, which should reduce emissions and thus contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality, while also giving consumers a choice. “Together with emphasis on electromobility and its variability, the expansion of the product portfolio is a basic prerequisite for the company’s growth on the Czech, European and global automobile markets. The Písek plant will become a key location for the expansion of AISIN’s activities in Europe and will help Czechia to advance to a leading position in the area of sustainable mobility in Central and Eastern Europe,” said Stewart Napier, president of AISIN Europe.
Forty guests attended the ceremonial opening of the new production facility. The symbolic ribbon cutting was carried out by Nagaoka Kansuke, Japanese ambassador to the Czech Republic; Shojiro Sahara, executive director of AISIN for Europe; Stewart Napier, president of AISIN Europe; Zdeněk Rataj, president of AISIN Europe Manufacturing Czech; Axel Sander, vice-president of BMW for purchasing and supply chain; CzechInvest CEO Jan Michal and Michal Čapek, mayor of Písek.
The total value of the investment is EUR 183 million (more than CZK 4.5 billion). Once production has been expanded and all shifts are in operation, the company’s turnover will gradually increase from its current EUR 100 million to as much as CZK 600 million, while production of electric motors will account for up to three-fourths of turnover. “For more than two decades, AISIN has ranked among the leading foreign investors in the Czech automotive industry. The company is now implementing an investment with high value added, which represents a significant shift in the technological know-how of Czech industry and reinforces the country’s position as a Central European centre of clean mobility,” said Jan Michal, CEO of CzechInvest.
A unique electric motor for a new generation of BMW electric vehicle
Electric motor units will comprise a key part of a new generation of BMW vehicles, the so-called Neue Klasse, including the all-new iX3 model, which was on display at the opening of the new plant in the Písek industrial zone.
The prepared eAxle drive units contain Electrically Excited Synchronous Motor (EESM) technology, which does not require the use of permanent magnets. This will lead to significantly reduced dependence on the supply of such magnets and the raw materials needed for their production, which are imported from other countries. BMW developed the electric motor, while AISIN designed and prepared the technology for its own production.
“Some journalists have described our vehicle as a miracle of engineering, and I simply have to agree with them. I am proud that its heart – its motor – will be manufactured by our long-time, reliable partner AISIN. The opening of the new production facility today is a testament to the innovation, sustainability and top standards that AISIN demonstrates around the world. I would like to thank the institutions, suppliers and all others with whom we are starting to write this new story,” added Axel Sander, vice-president of BMW for purchasing and supply chain.
The first test units will come off the assembly line in October this year, with series production beginning in spring 2027. Production is expected to be at full capacity from 2029. “Motors comprise one of the most important elements in vehicle manufacturing and every brand considers them to be part of their key know-how. We thus all the more appreciate our partner BMW’s decision to entrust us with this most valuable aspect – the production of motors. With just a bit of exaggeration, it can be said that this step will take us from the position of a component supplier almost to the level of a small vehicle manufacturer,” explained Zdeněk Rataj, president of AISIN Europe Manufacturing Czech.
At the same time, AISIN will maintain its existing production of components for conventional internal-combustion engines and hybrid motors in Písek. Such components include, for example, oil pumps, intake manifolds, crankcases and gearbox covers, which the company will continue to manufacture for the biggest brands in Europe, though primarily for Toyota.
In addition, preparations for the production of thermal-management systems for electric vehicles, specifically electric water pumps and cooling modules, are being finalised in the original part of the newly expanded Plant 2. The company has invested more than CZK 700 million in this project over the past two years. Series production is scheduled to start at the beginning of next year.
The modern plant will offer new job
A new hall with an area of 19,132 m2, including production and administrative facilities, as well facilities for employees, has been built in the Písek industrial zone. In comparison with the existing processes, there will be a significant technological shift in the production of electric motors. The company places emphasis on the maximum efficiency of machines and space with the use of as few workers as possible. Even though operations will be highly automated and roboticised, AISIN plans to create up to 350 new jobs. The company will hire a total of 180 people in the course of this year and the following year. People with all levels of educational attainment will find employment at the plant, from engineers, specialists and technicians to operators and other production managers. Opportunities will also be made available to recent graduates.
“Písek could become the new home of a number of future employees. I believe that the connection between the city and AISIN will endure for a long time to come and will be beneficial for both parties. AISIN is one of the few companies in our industrial zone that collaborate closely with the city and make it known that they are part of our community. I greatly appreciate this approach and I think that it could be inspirational for other companies,” said Michal Čapek, mayor of Písek.
About AISI
AISIN EUROPE MANUFACTURING CZECH s.r.o. is a subsidiary of the Belgian company AISIN EUROPE S.A., part of the global group AISIN SEIKI Co., Ltd., which is focused particularly on the production of components and systems for the automotive industry and on technological solutions in the energy sector.
AISIN can boast a number of successes, such as the development of advanced eight- and ten-speed transmissions that rank among the most advanced in the world. The company has long been investing in research and development in the area of electromobility and autonomous driving, by means of which it is securing a crucial role for itself in the future of the automotive industry. AISIN is regularly recognised for the quality and reliability of its products, which is confirmation of its position as one of the most important players in the global supply chain.
AISIN began production in Czechia in 2003. Two years later, the company opened a new foundry for high-pressure casting of aluminium and, in 2014, it launched production of plastic vehicle components. AISIN is one of the five biggest Japanese investors in Czechia. To date, the company has invested more than CZK 7 billion in the country and it currently employs 800 people here.
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