Energy management and automation company Schneider Electric has announced the opening of its smart factory in Dunavecse, Hungary. Accordingly, this will increase its production capacity for engineering-to-order (ETO) solutions to suit customers’ specifications across European markets.  

Moreover, about 90% of the site’s manufactured products are for export across Europe.

36^th Smart Factory and Largest ETO

This latest investment in capacity helps meet the increased demand for electrification and digitalization solutions in the region. The site spans 28,000 m² and will employ up to 500 employees.

The changing landscape in energy transition are increasing the demand for electrification. Meanwhile, the growing digitalization and the upsurge of emerging technologies are pushing the demand for data center and cloud.

The new plant is Schneider Electric’s 36^th smart factory and largest ETO factory in Europe. Thus, bringing the total number of ETO factories in Europe to 22. It will serve as Europe’s core factory for Schneider Electric’s latest SF6-free medium voltage switchgear, RM AirSeT.

This innovation dramatically increases the sustainability of medium voltage switchgear, a central technology for the decarbonized power systems on which energy transition relies. Moreover, this technology complies with the strict new F-gas regulations in Europe, affecting all medium voltage switchgear users from grids to infrastructure.

Cutting-Edge Technologies

“Europe is accelerating through the energy transition and strengthening its energy independence,” said Yann Reynaud, Senior Vice President, Global Engineering to Order Operations. “Dunavecse is our new flagship factory in Europe for smart medium and low voltage SF6 free technologies to support the increasing demand across the region, bringing even more innovation, sustainability, and digital solutions to customers.”

The factory features several sustainability technologies embedded throughout the plant. One of them is Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IOT solutions to improve energy efficiency with anticipated energy savings of up to 25%. Solar panels along with renewable sources from the grid will provide the plant’s energy needs. Furthermore, it will use geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling. Bathrooms and irrigation will use collected rainwater.

Meanwhile, the plant will also have Schneider Electric charging stations for up to 30 electric cars and 25 electric bicycles. Airlocks prevent heat loss at truck-docking stations and the factory entrances.

10 June 2024