Plasser & Theurer has opened a €60 million factory in Linz, bringing final assembly and commissioning of its track machines under one roof.
Plasser & Theurer has officially opened its new assembly and commissioning factory on Pummererstraße in Linz, Austria, after two years of construction. The company describes the investment of more than €60 million as the largest single commitment in its 73-year history, and says it will create 80 additional jobs.
State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn, Governor Thomas Stelzer, Regional Minister Günther Steinkellner and Linz Mayor Dietmar Prammer attended the inauguration on Friday 16 October. The family-owned manufacturer’s facility covers around 12,000 square metres and brings final assembly and commissioning of track construction and maintenance machines together on one site.
Track machine commissioning under one roof
Final assembly covers tasks such as laying cables and hoses, fitting engines and tanks and mounting cabs. Commissioning is the last stage of production, when a machine is switched on and its electrical, mechanical and hydraulic systems are brought to life. For the first time, the entire commissioning process can take place in a single facility.
The factory has 15 assembly stations, each 30 metres long and 8.5 metres wide, and four commissioning tracks with a combined length of just under 330 metres. Production stages that were previously carried out at separate locations now sit closer together and nearer to upstream operations, which Plasser & Theurer says shortens transport distances and eases coordination.
Hybrid-drive machines and a green roof
The company is aiming the new infrastructure at its E³ machines, which use hybrid drive technology to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. A planned photovoltaic system and a green roof add to the building’s energy efficiency. According to Plasser & Theurer, the roof’s thermal insulation evens out temperatures, cutting the energy needed for heating, ventilation and air conditioning while improving air quality.
Jobs and a call for policy support
Start-up will take place in stages, with around 180 employees working at the new factory by the end of the year. Plasser & Theurer is recruiting electricians, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, welders and steel fitters to support the expansion.
CEO Johannes Max-Theurer said: “We have invested not only in a new factory building, but also in the future of our company and our employees.” He described the spending as investing “in advance”, but said conditions for industry in Austria must improve, pointing to high energy costs, high non-wage labour costs, a shortage of skilled workers and growing bureaucracy. “We feel it enormously, and this is where sensible policy with good judgement is required,” he said.
No comments yet