GS Yuasa starts construction of Hungarian factory

The lithium-ion battery manufacturer builds its first plant on the European market in Miskolc, Hungary. The Japanese company will invest EUR 29 million and create 51 new jobs in this new venture, reports HIPA – The Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency. GS Yuasa develops, produces and distributes lead acid batteries primarily for the automobile and motorcycle industries. And recently the company began the switch-over from lead acid to lithium-ion batteries, making major investments in the area. Miskolc was chosen as the location for its new European plant mainly because of the existence of the workforce, its developed infrastructure, accessibility to the capital city, and availability of renewable energy sources (mainly geothermal heating), the report continues. Production of 12V lithium-ion batteries is expected to begin in 2020 and, depending on demand, technology developments and capacity expansions might be up for discussions in the near future.