KEBA acquires EnerCharge
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- 26.9.2024
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The focus is on DC charging stations
The Austrian charging infrastructure manufacturer EnerCharge, founded in 2018 and based in Kötschach-Mauthen, had surprisingly filed for insolvency in early July 2024 after strong growth in 2023. The main reason for this was that orders at the beginning of the year could not be processed quickly enough, which meant that the cost structure could not be sustainably covered.
EnerCharge employs around 60 people at its sites in Kötschach-Mauthen in Carinthia and Oberlienz in East Tyrol. The focus is on DC charging stations with an output of between 40 and 480 kW. These are used for both e-cars and in the rapidly growing segment of fast-charging infrastructure for e-trucks. The main current markets are in Europe and the Middle East.
‘Together with the whole team of KEBA Energy Automation, I am very pleased to welcome our new colleagues from Carinthia and East Tyrol to our company. With the technologically outstanding products, we see significant synergy effects for our customers, to whom we can now offer a one-stop-shop solution.’
KEBA completes eMobility portfolio
The integration of EnerCharge's products and solutions makes KEBA a full-range supplier in the charging infrastructure market for electric vehicles. The combined portfolio, which will be brought together under the KEBA brand, will in future include charging solutions for both AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current). Since entering the e-mobility market, KEBA has sold over 500,000 wallboxes, which are mostly used where an electric car is parked for long periods (at home, in underground car parks, at work). These are now joined by DC fast chargers, which are designed to enable the shortest possible charging stop on longer journeys, such as on motorways. KEBA now has an answer for all e-car and e-truck charging requirements.
Both manufacturers have been producing in Austria from the beginning and thus stand for sustainability in an economic as well as an ecological way. In addition to this commitment to ‘Made in Austria’, both KEBA and EnerCharge stand for quality, reliability and continuous innovation. It should also be noted that EnerCharge has already relied on KEBA charging solutions in the last few years and fully integrated them into its own portfolio.
‘As KEBA, we fully support the shift towards emission-free mobility. With this acquisition, we are not only completing our KEBA eMobility portfolio, but also gaining around 60 dedicated employees for our company group, with whom we will develop and produce sustainable technology in Austria and export it all over the world.’
Organisational integration
Organisationally, EnerCharge GmbH will become a subsidiary of KEBA Energy Automation GmbH as the newly founded company KEBA eMobility DC GmbH. This is subject to antitrust and competition law approvals. The parties have agreed that the details of the purchase price will not be disclosed.
‘In an intensive and highly professional process, we have determined that this acquisition is a perfect strategic move for KEBA's path to growth. I am very pleased to welcome EnerCharge, an up-and-coming technology company, to KEBA and look forward to our joint success in the market in the future.’
’We couldn't have wished for a better buyer’, says Jens Winkler, former managing director of EnerCharge GmbH, expressing his delight.
’We have been integrating KEBA wallboxes into our solutions for five years and value both the technology and the quality. With support from Linz, we will now be able to bring our fast-charging technology to international markets even faster under the KEBA brand and continue to develop it consistently in line with technological advances.’
© Foto: EnerCharge
© Foto: EnerCharge
'I am extremely pleased that after very challenging and work-intensive weeks, we have managed, in the interest of all parties involved (customers, suppliers and, above all, EnerCharge employees), to set the course for a sustainable continuation with great prospects for the future, and above all to maintain the locations and the jobs of the employees, which has been one of my stated goals from the outset,', said insolvency administrator Klaus Haslinglehner who was also satisfied with the outcome.
’The previous shareholders of EnerCharge also support the achieved solution, so that EnerCharge can move forward into the future strengthened and collaborations can also develop from this.’
© Foto: KEBA
© Foto: KEBA
