Miba invests €15 million to expand production facility to meet e-mobility growth
July 25, 2023
Miba AG, headquartered in Laakirchen, Austria, has announced an investment of €15 million to expand its manufacturing site in Kirchbach, southern Styria. On completion, the production facility will increase from around 3,000 m2 to 6,300 m2, with Miba adding a further 40 employees to the 300 strong workforce.
The plant produces power and high-voltage resistors under the brand name EBG Resistors, and has seen sales double in the past two years, increasing from €18 million to almost €37 million.
In 2021, Miba invested over €2 million in establishing its first production line for e-mobility products at its Kirchbach site. With the current expansion of the plant, a large-scale production infrastructure is being created that is equipped to meet the rapidly increasing volume requirements of customers.
“We are expanding the factory site that has existed since 1977 with an additional two-storey building,” says Louis Klein, EBG Managing Director and Plant Manager. “Around 3,000 m2 on the ground floor are reserved for e-mobility – for production, but also for research and development as well as for sales and administration.”
The new building will create production and office capacities for growth in other customer markets, creating approximately forty new jobs. Additionally, the existing production processes can be optimised with the new building.
Klein explained, “Due to the significantly increased space available, we can integrate our previous external production in St Stefan im Rosental into the Kirchbach plant. This not only saves time and organisational effort, it also reduces transport and thus helps the environment.”
The Miba technology group has had production sites in Styria since 2010. At that time, the Upper Austrian family company acquired the power electronics specialist EBG, along with its location in Kirchbach.
“The plant has developed tremendously since then. Sales have tripled, from €13 million in 2010 to almost €37 million in the previous year. In addition, we have created more than 130 new jobs – the number of employees has grown from forty-eight to 180,” shared F Peter Mitterbauer, CEO of Miba AG.
According to reports, the second Styrian power electronics specialist DAU, which was acquired by Miba in 2010, has also experienced successful development. The cooling technology manufacturer, which employs approximately 100 people at its Ligist plant in the Voitsberg district, has a turnover of around €25 million. Miba CEO Mitterbauer stated, “One can rightly say that the history of Miba in Styria is a success story in green and white. The great know-how, the commitment, the many new ideas and the pioneering spirit of our almost 300 Styrian employees are an essential basis for this success.”
The investment in the factory site is also an important stimulus for the market town of Kirchbach-Zerlach, as Mayor Anton Prödl stated, “High tech for the energy transition and for the mobility of tomorrow creates growth and secure, future-oriented jobs. This also applies to rural regions, the Miba location in Kirchbach is the best example of this.”
“We are therefore pleased that Miba made a conscious decision to locate in our community, and we look forward to continuing our good cooperation in the interests of the region and the people who live here,” Prödl concluded.
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