Sandvik today officially opens the doors of the Battery Electrification Innovation and Development Center for loaders and trucks in Turku, Finland. This is a state-of-the art development facility that will create innovative battery products and electric solutions for the global mining and construction markets and develop technology talent in Finland.
“Innovation and development start here”, says Mats Eriksson, President, Product Area Load & Haul. “We are bringing together a highly skilled workforce to drive battery innovation, collaborate and develop meaningful solutions that will benefit our company now and well into the future. In this development center, we’ve and we will continue to bring together a team made up of the best and brightest in battery, hybrid and electrification technologies, advanced engineering and many other disciplines to help Sandvik create, develop, produce and support the best mining machines in the world. Our new innovative battery electric vehicle development center will bring leading talents together from around the world to help develop the electrification and e-Drive technologies of tomorrow.”
The technology center will allow Sandvik’s presence in Turku to bolster and it will inject millions of euros indirect investment in the region annually. Across the country, it will have also an estimated, positive economic impact each year.
Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä, Sandvik Turku Leaders and also City Officials joined employees to open the facility of laboratories and offices that are devoted to the creation and development of battery electric vehicle technologies for use in current and future Sandvik mining and construction products.
“There is no better time to invest in new technologies. Everyone welcomes Sandvik’s decision to add the new innovation and development center and many new high-tech operations – it is a real vote of confidence in the community, and in the talent and expertise of Sandvik workers.”
Strong technology ecosystem and a network of globally recognized technology partners provide a robust talent pipeline for the new innovation and development center. The center with its close proximity to Sandvik’s major mining product areas in Finland, gives the company’s developers the opportunity to collaborate on projects as part of a diverse team of professionals. The center will be used to bolster Sandvik’s research efforts in core battery technologies, working closely with universities, technology institutes and other key players to do so.
“Sandvik has a long history of pursuing innovation and we are excited to be bringing that same passion and technology leadership to battery technology and electrification initiatives. We are already a leader in diesel and electric vehicles for underground mining operations,” said Mats Eriksson.
Sandvik has a long-standing history of supplying innovative products to the mining and construction markets and developing solutions together with customers.
“We are now expanding our current electric loader offering to include battery technology through close co-operation with our customers.”
In addition to continuously modernizing and improving Sandvik products and operations, the battery electric vehicle team works on technologies that include analytics, systems analysis, sensors, materials and processes, and product standards.
“Today’s announcement is a great example of how by working together, we can continue to position Sandvik as a global leader in research and technology. This facility will be key to solving the battery electric vehicles challenges of tomorrow while making future opportunities and solutions available to our customers”, concluded Mats Eriksson.