Gapwaves opens pilot-line production facility
Swedish provider of mm-wave antenna systems Gapwaves has officially its new pilot-line production facility in Gothenburg, which serves as a production and industrialisation hub.
This investment is described as a key step in Gapwaves' journey to become a certified supplier of waveguide antennas to the automotive market, while expanding production capacity to meet the demands of customers in other market segments.
The pilot line includes the assembly and testing of Injection Molded Waveguide (IMW) and Multi-Layer Waveguide (MLW) antennas, developed by Gapwaves for its partners and customers.
Beyond its production capabilities, the facility functions as an industrialisation hub, where scalable production processes are developed and validated before being transferred to Gapwaves' qualified high-volume production partners worldwide.
The facility is designed to achieve an annual production capacity of up to 300,000 antennas. The new facility also enables Gapwaves to shorten the time between order and delivery while ensuring very high quality. Gapwaves now has the possibility to quickly scale up manufacturing for high-volume orders. The facility is also pivotal to obtaining the IATF certification, which is required for suppliers to customers in the automotive industry. The company's goal is to obtain this certification in 2025.
“We are very happy to officially open our new pilot-line production facility today and to complete our first antenna in the facility this very evening. This is a major achievement for the company and the beginning of a new chapter for Gapwaves. With this facility, we are equipped to fulfill both current and future contract commitments while establishing a strong foundation for continued growth. I want to thank every member of the team for their dedication and hard work. Together, we have reached a significant milestone that will enable Gapwaves’ growth further," says Gapwaves CEO Jonas Ehinger in a press release.
