As part of the newly formulated strategy for NKT, nkt cables has decided to move its Cologne production activities to a new site at the premises of Bayer AG in Cologne. The new site will open opportunities for nkt cables that could not be realised at the present site in Cologne.
Background
An agreement regarding the sale of nkt cables’ present Cologne property has now been signed. The site covers an area of 126.000m2 situated close to the city center of Cologne.
This opens up for the realisation of the company’s plans to establish new production facilities for the future production of high voltage and medium voltage power cables, fiber-based monitoring cables, OPGW, superconducting cables and metal-based products.
The nkt cables facilities in Cologne includes (part of) the company’s competence center as well as production plant facilities for power cables ranging from 10 kV to 500 kV.
Facing the fact that the demand for high voltage cables is expected to increase in the years to come, nkt cables has been working on plans to upgrade and expand their production facilities in Cologne in order to meet tomorrows challenges such as:
- development and manufacture of cables solutions related to sustainable energy
- cables solutions that increase the energy efficiency in transportation and distribution
New Cologne site close to the river Rhine
The sale of the Schanzenstrasse Cologne facilities which includes a lease agreement that gives nkt cables the right to use the present production- and office facilities a number of years ahead, means that nkt cables can now begin to realise their plans of moving their production and administrative functions and 500 employees to new facilities in the Cologne area at an industrial site which is part of the Bayer AG premises situated close to the river Rhine.
A plant for the future will be built on more than 100 years of experience
Between 2008 – 2010 nkt cables plans to build a new factory on a 84.000 m2 site managed by Bayer Industry Services. Moving only few kilometers away from the present domicile means that it will be possible to maintain both people know-how and the special trained labour force of nkt cables. Being close to the water front of the river Rhine opens up for easier product transportation as well as possibilities to take up new cables business segments – i.e. the production of offshore cables based on new cables technologies.
The new production capacities will bring capabilities to nkt cables to master the challenges of tomorrow in the best possible way, thus creating new growth opportunities in the high voltage, and extra high voltage markets around the world as well as offshore applications.
The total investment associated with the construction of the new factory is expected to be around 750 – 850 mDKK in the period 2008 – 2010. The factory is expected to start production in the 2nd quarter of 2009.
Further information
For further information on the above please contact the undersigned on telephone +49 221 676 3395.
Yours faithfully,
Dion Metzemaekers
CEO of the nkt cables group