MAHLE products are installed in at least one out of every two vehicles worldwide. The German company currently has three production plants in Spain.

MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry, as well as a pioneer and driver of technology for the mobility of the future. MAHLE Electronics has been a part of the German company's business since the acquisition and integration of the Nagares Group in 2017. The company currently has three production centres in Spain, one located in Motilla del Palancar with 1,100 employees, a satellite production support centre in Boecillo with 31 employees, and an R&D centre in Paterna with 381 employees. MAHLE products are installed in at least one out of every two vehicles worldwide. For decades, its components and systems have also been used on the world's racetracks and off-road circuits, in stationary applications, for mobile machinery, rail transport and marine applications.

 

What advantages does having a strong presence in Spain offer a multinational company like MAHLE?
First of all, a world class R&D centre with qualified electronics and IT staff, a good infrastructure, and of course great cooperation with the University and Polytechnic of Valencia. We also have an excellent working relationship with the technology institutes in Paterna Park. At MAHLE Electronics we have excellent support from government institutions in Paterna, the city of Valencia and the Valencia Region as a whole for the development of strategic, sustainable activity in the field of electric mobility. In Motilla del Palancar we have a skilled organisation in electronics production, with professional training and good cooperation with the university institutions of Castilla-La Mancha, a large pool of available workers and great support from governmental organisations at local level  in Motilla del Palancar, at provincial level in Cuenca, and regionally in Castilla-La Mancha.

 

What components do you manufacture in Spain?
We primarily manufacture strategic components for electric vehicles, OBCs (On-Board Chargers), HV PTC components (Electric Heating PTC Controllers), OBC (On-Board Charger) + DCDCs, electronic E-compressors, as well as multiple motor speed controllers.

 

What markets are the parts manufactured in Spain sold to?
Our main market is Europe, but we also supply Asia, North America and Africa.

 

Your expansion plans in Spain include an increased presence in the Motilla del Palancar factory. How do you plan to grow?
The number of employees in Motilla del Palancar has grown from 450 in 2017 to 1100 in 2021, and the plan is to continue a similar growth trend until 2025. Turnover has grown from €70m to €135m in 2020, and we're aiming for €455m by 2025.

 

Will you also be increasing your presence in other plants?
Our business unit is related to electric vehicles and it has a different - and faster - strategic development than other plants.

 

How does the commitment to electric vehicles affect MAHLE’s business?
Like other suppliers, MAHLE is in a process of technological transition, and our dual strategy is rapidly decreasing dependence on the combustion engine and contributing to environmental improvement on our planet. Dependence on the combustion engine currently stands at 55% overall in MAHLE. In Spain's case, it is one of the strategic sectors of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

 

Will any of your projects be eligible for European funding?
We’ve already been nominated to participate in the PERTE (Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation) together with Ford in Almussafes. We’re also engaged in discussions on the possibility of participation in the PERTE in Castilla-La Mancha.

 

The company has also developed a magnet-free electric motor. Will it be manufactured in Spain?
This is not scheduled within the framework of our MAHLE Electronics business unit.

 

MAHLE has participated in the foreign company R&D investment programme organised by ICEX-Invest in Spain. What has this meant for the company?
Our participation is positive, and it’s also vital  to continue pursuing our objective of attracting the sort of development activities that guarantee the continuity and future of organisations, particularly in large industrial sectors such as the automotive industry, and strategic sectors such as electric mobility.

 

What has this collaboration with ICEX-Invest in Spain been like?
It’s been extremely close and fluid right from the beginning, and above all very professional. They've helped us to overcome obstacles throughout the process, participating in a review of our facilities and confirming the technological potential we have as a key supplier in the development and manufacture of power electronic applications for electric vehicles.

 

With the end of the year fast approaching, what are your expectations in terms of turnover?
Taking into account all the difficulties in terms of the availability of manufacturing materials that are affecting everyone, and particularly the automotive sector, our current forecast for 2021 is to achieve a turnover of approximately €200m, which represents a growth of 50% compared to last year.