New relay production factory in Obernai (France)

Goal: to meet ever-increasing customer demand by ramping up the production of relays, an essential component of circuit breakers and residual current devices manufactured by the company.

After three years of work, the 2,600 m² building is now up and running. The first deliveries for the Group’s factories are set to start in April 2022. The goal is to meet customer demand with a gradual capacity increase by 40% in the first year and doubling it over the coming two years.

Marking the official inauguration on 15 March 2022, which was attended by elected representatives and economic players from the region, Chief Executive Officer of Hager Group Daniel Hager explains: “We have been developing our business and investing in Alsace for more than 60 years. This €29 million investment forms part of a global development strategy, not only to secure our future, but also to benefit our customers.”

Designed across two levels (with the ground floor designated for production and the other floor for support activities), the new building an extension of the current factory manufacturing modular electrical protection devices (circuit breakers and residual current devices).

This new factory will employ nearly 80 new people, two-thirds of whom will be recruited over the next two years. The project has been supported by a €200,000 subsidy granted by the Grand Est region.

A connected factory dedicated to its customers
Hager Group has been manufacturing relays at its Obernai site since 1995. To reflect technological progress and keep up with commercial demand, which is increasing between 5% and 10% every year, the Group has invested in a new factory driven by an industrial process that incorporates the latest technical innovations. This component will now be manufactured in an extremely clean, high-precision environment.

Relays: cutting-edge technology
A relay is a component measuring several cm3 and integrated at the core of circuit breakers and residual current devices. This safety device, which operates at very low currents, analyses the current of an electrical installation in real time. If a fault is detected (current leakage), it cuts off the power supply, thereby protecting both property and people.


Key figures for the new relay factory in Obernai:


• 2,600 m² surface area across two levels
• €29 million euros invested
• 80 new employees over time
• 60,000 relays to be manufactured per day in the long run
• More than 60 different products to be manufactured
• 250,000 km of copper wire per year
  
  
Hager Group commissioned the architects Sauerbruch Hutton and the engineering firm OTE to design the new factory.