Cheese factory becomes wire factory for e-mobility: HPW builds plant in Garsten

Since the end of March of the previous year, no cheese has been produced in the Berglandmilch dairy in Garsten. Since then, the 30,000 square meter site, on which dairy products have been produced for 60 years, has been for sale. A group of Garstner entrepreneurs led by CCE Managing Director Martin Dürnberger, architect Michael Obermair and entrepreneur Ernest Schulz have now secured a large part of it. They want to establish the “Green Campus Garsten” for companies in the renewable energy sector and green start-ups.

They have already found a key partner for this concept: HPW Metallwerk GmbH has acquired an 11,000 square meter sub-area including the existing main dairy building. The Linz-based specialist for high-performance copper wires for industry has received large-volume orders in the field of electromobility from well-known, globally active automobile manufacturers from the region. From mid-2024, PAI enamelled flat copper wires are to be produced at the “Green Campus” in Garsten.

In the coming months, the buildings will be renovated and state-of-the-art production facilities will be installed in order to be able to meet the continuing high demand for e-mobility. The new plant will double the current capacity. HPW is currently producing in the two existing production plants in Linz and Leonding.

“The additional Garsten plant means another milestone in HPW’s growth story,” says CEO Ewald Koppensteiner, who grew up in St. Ulrich and Steyr: “We are thus taking account of the high and constantly increasing demand for high-performance wires for electromobility and making an important contribution to global energy transition.” The new production site is being built in one of the most important centers of the European automotive industry with a particular focus on electric drive technologies. This shortens supply chains and opens up further sales opportunities.

Around 60 additional jobs will be created at the new location in Garsten. The investment volume totals around 45 million euros. Funding has already been secured. With the insulated copper high-performance wires from HPW, the effectiveness and thus the efficiency of electric motors in electric vehicles can be significantly increased and fast charging capacities can be significantly improved.