Exyte to build a state-of-the-art dry room for Volkswagen’s first ever battery factory

From 2025, the cells of the audio component unit will be produced there

Exyte, a global leader in the design, engineering, and supply of high-tech equipment, continues to support the global journey towards sustainability as the company plans to build a state-of-the-art dry room for Volkswagen in Salzgitter. , Germany. The dry room will be located within Volkswagen’s battery manufacturing plant, which is currently being built on site in Salzgitter. It will occupy the area of ​​five football fields.

The first Volkswagen Group-owned battery plant is being built in Salzgitter. From 2025, a fraction of the unit cells will be produced there, and the cell plant will have an annual capacity of 40 GWh – enough for around 500,000 electric cars.

“Receiving this contract is an achievement of strategic importance for Exyte and demonstrates the trust of top companies in our ability to deliver high-quality projects. We are eager to contribute to the transition of the European automotive industry to sustainable mobility,” he says. Exyte CEO Dr. Wolfgang Büchele.

Exyte sees great potential in the design and build approach for gigafactory projects of battery cells including dry rooms. According to expert estimates, up to 150 gigafactories will be built around the world in the coming years. In Europe alone, 30 gigafactories are currently being planned to enable increased electric mobility. “The design and construction of battery cell production facilities is a business area that will continue to grow well, positioning Exyte to create more opportunities for profitable growth in the future,” Büchele says.

A dry room is essential for the manufacture of battery cells

In Salzgitter, Exyte is responsible for the comprehensive design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the required dry room including smoke treatment and particle monitoring for increased operator safety. The production of battery cells requires a clean and dry environment that needs to be carefully monitored and controlled, and a dry room is essential for this. Factors such as moisture and particle contamination must be kept to a minimum as they can affect the quality and reliability of the battery cells produced. “Designing and building a large production area that can provide an environment of near zero percent humidity, among other parameters, is nothing short of an engineering feat and one that Exyte does well,” says Mark Garvey, Exyte’s President. International Business Unit High Technology Equipment.

With over half a century of experience in supplying semiconductor fabs around the world, and having already designed and built a gigafactory and what is currently Europe’s largest dry room, Exyte has a proven track record and deep expertise to successfully execute the project. . in Salzgitter. Garvey comments: “This is another important step not only for Exyte but also for our customer as both companies are committed to supporting the rapid growth of electrification for a sustainable automotive industry.”

Salzgitter is the blueprint for Volkswagen’s international expansion

The new plant in Salzgitter will act as a guide and precursor to Volkswagen’s plan to expand production capacity for electric vehicle batteries across Europe and North America. Until 2030, Volkswagen plans to invest more than 20 billion euros in the development of the battery business to generate more than 20 billion euros in annual sales and create up to 20,000 jobs in Europe alone. Valencia, Spain, and Ontario, Canada, have already been announced as locations for their next gigafactories.

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