Panattoni Europe, the leader of industrial property in Poland, is going to build a manufacturing site for IFA Rotorion of Germany, manufacturer of vehicle components for such car brands as Mercedes Benz, Ford, Volkswagen, GM, BMW, Porsche. The project, with the area of 34,000 sq.m, will be developed in Ujazd, Special Economic Zone of Katowice. The cornerstone for the new factory was laid on 21 July at the project site.
IFA Rotorion, one of the largest global manufacturers of longitudinal powertrain components, joints and other components for such recognized car brands as Mercedes Benz, Ford, Volkswagen, GM, BMW, Porsche and Ferrari, chooses Poland and Panattoni Europe. The real estate developer is going to execute a factory project for the client in Ujazd, Special Economic Zone of Katowice. The 34,000 sq.m plant will be manufacturing driveshafts for Mercedes class C, E and S vehicles. The new IFA Rotorion factory is going to launch its operations as early as January 2017, employing 90 people in the first phase, targeting 400 employees by 2020. The cornerstone for the project was laid on 21 July at the Ujazd site.
IFA Rotorion’s presence in Poland is determined by such factors as the expansion of its partnership with Daimler AG. Felix von Nathusius, CEO, IFA Rotorion comments: ‘During the recent years, we have expanded our activities worldwide and we were able to maintain our leading position in the field of longitudinal powertrain components in Europe and North America. Development and manufacturing of driveshafts in Ujazd will not only ensure our presence on the automotive market of Eastern Europe but also access to the rapidly growing market of electrical vehicles. We want our company to get to the Top 100 largest manufacturers in the automotive industry by 2025.’
The project for IFA Rotorion is being developed on a 12.6-hectare land plot. The complete project, with the area of 34,000 sq.m, was divided into a manufacturing section (ca. 32,000 sq.m) and an office/social section (2000 sq.m). The technologies used include epoxy flooring, 12,5 % natural light through skylights across the entire area of the roof, increased power rating at 6 MWe. Considering the anticipated level of employment, the building has a parking lot for 300 cars and is adapted for future expansion by almost 30,000 sq.m. According to Marek Foryński, Managing Director of BTS Group, Panattoni Europe: ‘Assurance for IFA Rotorion as to future expansion options for the project was among the key factors that not only determined the flexible building design but also the choice of location by the investor. Other determining factors included the proximity of a motorway, and availability of qualified workforce. With Panattoni Europe’s experience on similar projects, the preparation phase proceeded very efficiently, and execution of the entire project is going to take 6 months.’
Panattoni Europe specializes in development of manufacturing sites dedicated to the automotive industry, located in special economic zones. The best examples are such projects of the real estate developer as: the recently completed 6,300 sq.m site for Kongsberg Automotive in Koluszki (Special Economic Zone of Łódź); remodelling of the 30,000 sq.m site for Lear Corporation (Special Economic Zone of Legnica); development of car interior parts factory (parts for Volkswagen Amarok, Golf A7 and Mercedes W222) for Faurecia in Gorzów (Special Economic Zone of Kostrzyn/Słubice); development of the first factory in Poland for Polaris Industries, the U.S.-based manufacturer of quads and other products, with the area of 33,000 sq.m in Opole (Invest-Park Special Economic Zone of Wałbrzych).
About IFA Rotorion:
IFA ROTORION is one of the largest global manufacturers or longitudinal powertrain components, generating almost 0.5bn€ sales. This result positions the company in the group of 50 leading vendors for the automotive industry in Germany. IFA ROTORION is the largest company from this sector in central Germany. The company employs a total of over 2500 people at its manufacturing sites in Handelsleben, Germany; Charleston, USA; and Shanghai, China. It produces driveshafts, joints and other components for such reputable car manufacturers as Mercedes Benz, Ford, Volkswagen, GM, BMW, Porsche and Ferrari. The company further pursues growth of services in the field of drive technology and lightweight designs in the sector. Its pioneering research and sustainable growth are the key success factors for the company. IFA was privatized in 1992 by Mr. Heinrich von Nathusius, a private entrepreneur.
