Valmet Automotive has started the production of EV battery packs in its new plant in Salo, Finland. The battery plant project has progressed on schedule, and with the ramp up of production volumes, Valmet Automotive will continue recruiting more employees to the Salo plant.

Valmet Automotive has completed the first battery packs destined for customer deliveries from the Salo plant, after exhaustive testing of the production system and product quality. After the production start, the volumes will be gradually increased until the planned production level is reached early next year.

In Salo, Valmet Automotive converted a former cell-phone-manufacturing plant completely to meet the requirements of high-volume automotive battery pack production. The work has included building new facilities for logistics and the construction of production lines. The project has progressed with speed, as the construction work started in May 2019.

In 2017, Valmet and Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), a leading global provider of battery and energy storage solutions, entered into strategic partnership in electric automotive solutions. Simultaneously CATL subscribed to new shares issued by Valmet Automotive for a 22% ownership in the company.

The strategic partnership of Valmet Automotive and CATL is focused in particular on project management, engineering and battery pack supply for electric and hybrid vehicles.