Schaeffler investing $230M in U.S. e-mobility manufacturing site

Motion technology company Schaeffler announced plans to expand its U.S. operations with the addition of a new manufacturing facility focused on producing automotive electric mobility solutions. The company will invest more than $230 million USD in construction of a new greenfield manufacturing facility in Dover, Ohio, as well as future expansions in the state through 2032.

Products manufactured at the Dover, Ohio manufacturing plant will include electric axles for light- and medium-duty vehicles. (Photo: KHL Staff)

The U.S. represents a strategic growth market for the company, Schaeffler noted. “We are convinced that the trend towards more electrification will continue. At the same time Schaeffler is ideally positioned to benefit from its technological leadership in hybrid and fuel-efficient technologies, in particular in the U.S.,” said Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG.

The company currently has 15 plants in the Americas region and five Research and Development locations, with U.S. manufacturing locations in Ohio, South Carolina, Missouri and Connecticut. The Dover, Ohio location will be in proximity to major automotive OEMs, strategic suppliers, rail, access to highways and to the company’s Wooster facility, which specializes in the manufacturing of transmission systems and serves as an innovation hub for automotive electric mobility. Schaeffler recently completed a nearly 90,000-sq.-ft. expansion at Wooster to produce electric motors and components for electric powertrain systems. It also announced an increased relationship with The Ohio State University (OSU) to create a new battery cell research and development center that will open in 2025.

Construction at the Dover site will begin in mid-2024 with an estimated completion in the third quarter of 2025. Once completed, the first phase of the facility will include roughly 130,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space dedicated to electric mobility solutions for the automotive industry. Products manufactured will include electric axles for light- and medium-duty vehicles.

“Our new plant will play a pivotal role in shaping our future in the Americas region,” said Marc McGrath, CEO, Schaeffler Americas. “Dedicated to advancing our innovative product offering, our new Dover, Ohio facility will feature state-of-the-art production processes so we can better serve our customers, while also adopting sustainable practices, as we continue to pioneer motion.”

The Dover facility is expected to create approximately 450 job opportunities by 2032, with positions to include manufacturing operators (assembly, welding and CNC), material handlers, manufacturing leaders, engineers, maintenance technicians, tooling technicians, quality professionals and other support staff.

Schaeffler will host a groundbreaking event later this year to commemorate the start of construction at its future site.