Saft (France), a multi-technology battery specialist for industrial, military, defense, aviation and space applications, announced plans to invest in a new manufacturing facility in South China. Saft will begin preparing the new plant this month in an existing building in Zhuhai, in the Guandong province. Saft will be the 100% shareholder of this new Chinese subsidiary.
The Zhuhai plant will house manufacturing and assembly departments for two of Saft's key battery technologies: primary lithium batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries. Currently, there are many ongoing subway and high-speed train projects in several cities within China. Saft expects to see sustained demand from local rail manufacturers as they modernize rolling stock and increase added-value components.
"Opening this new manufacturing plant in China is a logical step for Saft," explained Saft CEO John Searle. "We have shipped more than 20 million cells to China over the last three years and demand is growing for high added-value products such as ours. It is our strategy to manufacture as close to our customers as possible, in order to offer them the best possible service."
