First Mayor Kaminsky hands over building permit for energy storage project to ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH in Hanau-Wolfgang
The sustainable transformation of the Wolfgang production site is progressing rapidly: First Mayor Claus Kaminsky handed over the building permit for an innovative energy storage project to Michael Hohmann, CEO of ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH.
“Today we are handing over the building permit for a project that is an outstanding example of the innovative strength of Hanau-based companies and can help to reduce energy costs for manufacturing companies in Germany. In this way, it contributes in particular to our strategy of working together to achieve a sustainable circular transformation of our production site,” said Claus Kaminsky, First Mayor of Hanau.
The planned energy storage system, which has a capacity of 2,000 kWh, will cover up to 50 percent of ALD’s energy requirements in future, relying on renewable energy generated by regenerative photovoltaic modules with a capacity of around 2,000 kWp. This will not only significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint. ‘In future, the energy storage system will make it possible to smooth out electricity load peaks, which will lead to a more stable electricity price, which in turn will strengthen competitiveness in the long term,’ explained CEO Michael Hohmann. ALD is also creating a reference plant for its customers and other companies in the region. ‘This project shows how technological innovation, securing the location and sustainability can go hand in hand,’ emphasised First Mayor Kaminsky.
As part of the handover, Mr Kaminsky and Mr Hohmann visited the future construction site of the energy storage facility. “The heart of ALD beats in Wolfgang. The know-how accumulated over several decades is bundled here, and this expertise flows into the engineering, assembly and testing of the systems before they are delivered to our customers. We feel very much at home here and are pleased to further strengthen the location with this investment,” explained Hohmann.
ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH is a subsidiary of AMG Critical Materials N.V. in the Netherlands and operates worldwide in the field of vacuum technology. The systems enable the production and refinement of high-performance materials under high-purity atmospheres, which are used in the aircraft industry, energy generation and mobility. The company also offers systems for the heat treatment of components, for example for gearboxes in the automotive industry. In spring 2016, ALD relocated from the Heraeus site in the city centre to the Fraunhofer Science Park in the district of Wolfgang and has since gradually expanded the new site. Today, it offers 580 employees future-proof jobs at the site and develops pioneering technologies for metallurgy, heat treatment and Industry 4.0 in the direct neighbourhood of the Fraunhofer Science Park.
The energy storage project is being realised in collaboration with LIVA Power Management System GmbH, a subsidiary of AMG Critical Materials N.V., and the engineering company IB-Hock from Hanau. The investment amounts to several million euros and completion is planned by the end of 2025.
“ALD is an integral part of the materials technology expertise in Hanau. I am very pleased about this new investment, which has innovative appeal with its sustainable approach. It shows that Hanau is an attractive location for highly specialised companies,” said Claus Kaminsky, First Mayor of Hanau.
