Innoplate starts serial production of bipolar plates

Fuel cell Innoplate starts serial production of bipolar plates

2024-07-16 From | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

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Innoplate has officially started the serial production of bipolar plates for fuel cells. A new factory has been built for this purpose in Haguenau.

Innoplate has begun production of bipolar plates.(Image: Schaeffler) — Innoplate has begun production of bipolar plates.
(Image: Schaeffler)

Innoplate has inaugurated a factory for bipolar plates in Haguenau, France. The joint venture, equally supported by Schaeffler and Symbio, plans to produce four million metallic bipolar plates annually here. By 2030, the capacity is expected to increase to 50 million bipolar plates per year.

For context: In a passenger car fuel cell, up to 400 membrane electrode units are installed. Each unit contains two bipolar plates. So, the initial production volume is sufficient for at least around 5,000 vehicles.

Heavy trucks often have two fuel cells installed. Accordingly, four million bipolar plates are sufficient for up to about 2,500 commercial vehicles with fuel cell drive.

By 2030, Schaeffler and Symbio aim to create 120 jobs at the site. The project is supported by the investment program "France 2030". Production of the bipolar plates for Symbio's fuel cells has already started. According to Innoplate, the production site is designed for net-zero emissions.

From founding to production in 18 months

In their joint address, the managing directors of Innoplate, Alain Haag and Cédric Handwerk, described the construction of the factory in a short period of time: "Innoplate was only founded 18 months ago. As soon as the concrete was dry, machinery, tools, a laboratory, and the corresponding IT infrastructure were installed," said Alain Haag at the inauguration. "And we did it: from zero to four million units in such a short time—and above all without accidents or delays."

Cédric Handwerk thanked the Innoplate team on site for their extraordinary efforts and the parent companies Symbio and Schaeffler for their support.

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