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HOPPECKE signs a Europe-wide partner agreement with CATL

14.07.2020
HOPPECKE signs a Europe-wide partner agreement with CATL - Tuesday, 14.07.2020

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

Brilon, 14.07.2020 - Electric mobility on European roads is coming a step closer - HOPPECKE signs a Europe-wide partner agreement with CATL, the world market leader in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage system, for servicing CATL battery systems.

 

Despite the corona crisis and declining sales, car manufacturers and suppliers are sticking to their e-mobility strategies.  Not without reason: the increased purchase premium for electrically powered vehicles, which will be introduced by the German government in July, will reduce the purchase costs for e-cars. If the savings from the reduction in value-added tax are included, the next few months could mark a decisive turnaround for electric mobility on German roads. In addition, from 2021, a CO2 cap prescribed by the EU will apply to car manufacturers' fleets. If carmakers exceed this upper limit, fines in the billions could be imposed.  Many reasons to implement e-projects at full speed.

 

CATL is partner and supplier of worldwide large and well-known car manufacturers. The world market leader is on course for growth and expansion in European business for plants, R&D centre, logistics systems and the development of supply chain.

 

From the achievement of climate protection targets to the development of a charging infrastructure and the range of vehicles, the discussion about electric mobility is complex and diverse. Regarding the battery, the focus here is on capacity and service life. After all, a substantial part of the added value of the electric car is determined by the lithium-ion storage system. But after-sales service is essential to user’s experience.  The safe handling of defective lithium batteries and work on high-voltage systems is sensitive and requires a lot of experience. What next? Who has the necessary know-how to support the workshops here, make reliable diagnoses and carry out repairs so that the vehicle can be back on the road quickly and safely? The answer is obvious: a battery expert.

 

On behalf of CATL, the German medium-sized company HOPPECKE is responsible for testing, repairing and replacing the lithium-ion batteries installed in the electrically powered vehicles, initially with a focus on vans and buses.

 

With 23 subsidiaries worldwide and more than 300 service engineers in Europe, HOPPECKE is ideally positioned for CATL in terms of its European presence and experience in battery service. The battery manufacturer with its headquarters in the Sauerland region of Germany is renowned for its decades of expertise in the servicing of industrial lead and nickel-fibre-structure batteries for industrial trucks, stationary energy storage systems and railway applications. Already 15 years ago, the family-owned company expanded its product and service portfolio to include high-voltage lithium applications and complex storage systems for industrial trucks, rail and bus systems and large-scale storage systems. For this rapidly growing and dynamic market segment, HOPPECKE also founded the company INTILION in 2019, thus combining its worldwide lithium battery activities in a powerful and agile company. 

 
"We are starting out in the six European countries Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland and Hungary.  The contract with CATL is confirmation of our strategy of positioning ourselves as manufacturer-independent energy storage experts for all battery technologies and a wide range of applications.  At the same time, the partnership is an incentive to consistently develop the HOPPECKE service. When other market players abandoned the service business in recent years, we have continuously expanded our service network in Europe. We will continue our expansion strategy and significantly expand our lithium service location at INTILION in Zwickau. CATL is looking for partners who can keep up with the rapid growth and who share the same customer-oriented philosophy. With HOPPECKE, CATL has access to 90 years of experience and a worldwide network. With this cooperation, we are proud that as a medium-sized company we are making a further contribution to the turnaround in mobility", explains Kai Köllermann, HOPPECKE Service Director. 

 

A win-win situation for both groups

 

With this partnership, HOPPECKE is able to have better and more chances to expand the business of lithium-ion battery supply by having CATL as a potential strategic partner for the procurement of reliable battery solutions. Within the HOPPECKE Group, INTILION is the specialist for the construction and sale of lithium-ion battery systems for railway and metro applications, commercial and large-scale storage systems and industrial trucks. The HOPPECKE sister company purchases lithium-ion cells and assembles them into battery systems with intelligent battery management systems.

 

 

About the HOPPECKE Group 

 

In this world where everything becomes electric, HOPPECKE is the partner and expert for energy storage. From the comprehensive product range of batteries and cells, through complete energy systems with state-of-the-art charging technologies, monitoring units and engineering, to pay-per-use energy billing - the portfolio always includes the right product for the user. In 2007 the company concentrated its service activities under the umbrella of HOPPECKE Service GmbH & Co. KG. HOPPECKE Service is positioned worldwide with a strong focus on the European market. With more than 300 service engineers, HOPPECKE Service is one of the largest providers of service solutions for lead acid, FNC and lithium-ion energy storage systems. The service portfolio includes classic maintenance and repair services, analysis and consultancy, training and rental models, and extends to remote service, operator models and pay-per-use business models (usage-based energy billing). 

 

HOPPECKE has been a competent partner and system supplier of lithium-ion based systems for almost 15 years. The HOPPECKE R&D facility in Zwickau, founded at that time, has since evolved into a centre of competence and value creation in all aspects of new lithium-ion technology, employing around 100 people. INTILION GmbH, which was created from this at the beginning of 2019 and is 100% owned by the HOPPECKE Group, has further locations in Paderborn and China. Today, INTILION is the partner for high-voltage lithium applications and complex storage systems for industrial trucks, railway systems and big energy storage systems. In addition, the battery systems developed and built by INTILION are assembled, commissioned and serviced in the field by the HOPPECKE Service. By monitoring all systems in the field and a 24/7 hotline, HOPPECKE / INTILION customers are guaranteed the shortest possible response times.

 

With the development of marketable, future-oriented energy storage solutions, HOPPECKE and INTILION make an important contribution to solving the social challenges arising from the implementation of global climate protection targets, the energy turnaround and increasing digitalisation. With its headquarters in Brilon and 23 subsidiaries, the family-owned company employs more than 2,000 employees and generates a turnover of over 400 million euros. Today HOPPECKE is the largest privately-owned European manufacturer of industrial batteries.