Schaeffler opens development center in Kysuce: think tank for the mobility of tomorrow

Schaeffler strengthens innovative strength for the mobility of the future with a global network of 20 research and development locations

Investment of 20 million euros in a state-of-the-art development center and new test and laboratory areas

By 2025, 500 developers will be working on the mobility of the future in Kysuce

Schaeffler is expanding its global activities for the development of modern mobility solutions. The company is now opening a new, state-of-the-art development center in Kysuce, Slovakia. Here the company develops products and components for e-mobility as well as chassis applications that are used, for example, for automated driving. In addition, the globally active automotive and industrial supplier is expanding its test center at the site with new test benches, test and laboratory facilities. In total, Schaeffler is investing around 20 million euros in the new construction and the expansion of the test facilities. "Innovative power is more than ever a decisive factor for our company's success. As a future-oriented technology company, Schaeffler therefore invests heavily in research and development – in Kysuce and worldwide,” says Matthias Zink, Member of the Executive Board Automotive Technologies at Schaeffler AG.

Around 4,300 people from 20 nations work at Schaeffler in Kysuce, more than 350 of them in development. By 2025, around 500 developers for the mobility of the future will already be working at the site. New jobs are therefore being created at the site, especially for partially and fully electrified drives, for example for e-axles and hybrid modules. “The region offers ideal conditions for Schaeffler. We benefit from excellent universities and research institutions with the appropriate technological expertise and experienced specialists from Slovakia,” says Milan Jurky, head of the Schaeffler location in Kysuce.

Innovations for the mobility of the future on the area of a soccer field

The newly built areas cover around 8,000 square meters - 4,000 square meters in the four-story development center and a further 4,000 square meters for test facilities and test benches. Schaeffler started construction of the new building at the end of 2021. After around one and a half years of construction, the first employees are now moving into the new development center. The special feature: The entire building was equipped according to the so-called "New Work Concept". This means modern office equipment, communication and collaboration zones as well as so-called gravity points for employee exchange. "We are gearing ourselves to the new requirements for flexible and digital collaboration and are designing the workplace of the future for our employees," says Milan Jurky.

At the site, Schaeffler covers numerous development activities for new products and customer-specific solutions. This includes system and software development, simulation and testing as well as hardware and mechanical product design. In addition, the specialists at the site take on extensive project management tasks for international customers from the automotive industry. In the adjacent production area, Schaeffler manufactures engine and transmission systems, numerous bearing variants, actuator systems, components for electric axles and hybrid drives, and chassis actuators such as roll stabilizers. The company thus benefits from the close integration of development and production at one location.

Kysuce is part of a strong global development network

The new development center in Kysuce is part of a strong global network with around 8,000 employees at 20 research and development locations. "At more than half of our development locations, we are working on sustainable electrified drive and mobility solutions and innovative chassis solutions for our customers worldwide," says Dr. Jochen Schröder, head of the E-Mobility division at Schaeffler. The development locations for modern drives and chassis solutions include Wooster and Troy (USA), Puebla (Mexico), the German locations Bühl and Herzogenaurach, Szombathely (Hungary), Svitavy (Czech Republic) as well as Pune (India), Seoul (South Korea), Yokohama (Japan) and Taicang and Changsha (China). “We rely on a global development network with distinct local focuses and responsibilities. In addition, thanks to our global presence, we are always close to our customers and can respond quickly to local requirements,” says Jochen Schröder.