New relay production line in Obernai, France

Hager Group continues to invest in its industrial site in Obernai, France, specialised in the production of modular circuit breakers and residual current circuit breakers for the protection of equipment and people. A new relay production line is currently under construction to meet customer needs and will be commissioned end 2021.

“Our residential and commercial customers in Europe value our products and in particular are in constant need of RCCBs (Residual-Current Circuit Breakers). As relays are a key component, we intend to double our production capacities and are building a new production line in Obernai. This investment will allow us to better serve our customers,” explains Jacky Metzger, Vice President Electromechanical Factories.

Work started in summer 2019 and the steel structure and framework have now been installed. Covering a floor area of 1,400 m², the new building will accommodate the new production line as well as office space. It will be located in the extension of the current relay building, next to departmental road 501 and opposite the Kronenbourg brewery factory.

Industry 4.0 for better product quality

Firmly geared towards Industry 4.0, thanks notably to the purchase of new robots, the new production line will benefit from the latest innovations in terms of equipment connectivity, information processing and the management of data and industrial processes. This focus on technology will mean, for example, that the future relays produced on this new line will be immune to harsh environments containing dust or chlorine.

An investment in the growth of the company

Costing 28 million euros, this profitable investment involves both the construction of the new building, and the purchase of new machine tools and equipment.

What is a relay?

A relay is an essential part of residual-current circuit breakers. Serving as an actuator, it triggers the circuit breaker in the event of an earth leakage current, thereby protecting people from the dangers of electrical currents.

Key figures:

Construction duration: August 2019 - October 2020

Commissioning: end 2021

Building surface area: 1,400m² (production & offices)

Investment cost: €28 million