Valmet’s plant expansion to create 200 jobs

Valmet Automotive is extending its battery plant in Salo after less than 12 months of operation to meet the needs for increased production volumes of battery packs, said a press release.

The extension will increase the production capacity of battery packs and double the number of employees in the next few years. The construction work has already started and will be completed in the summer of 2021.

The extension project of the Salo battery plant allows constructing new larger facilities for logistics and simultaneously building a completely new production line to increase the plant volumes and the range of products to be manufactured.

The EV Systems business line offers also battery engineering and testing services.

The Salo battery plant employs currently about 200 people. With the increased production in the plant, the number of employees is expected to increase to more than 400 in 2021 and 2022.

“Battery systems are the most significant growth area for Valmet Automotive, and we intend to become a key player both as a battery contract manufacturer and as a Tier 1 system supplier. The Salo battery plant plays an important role in our growth plans,” said Valmet Automotive CEO Olaf Bongwald.

Valmet Automotive estimates that its sales from battery systems and EV solutions will reach or even exceed the sales of vehicle manufacturing in the coming years.