Fronius USA Starts Manufacturing in the U.S.
The company invested over $1.5 million into a full manufacturing facility in their 400,000 sq ft headquarters.
Posted: May 27, 2015
Fronius USA LLC (Portage, IN), a subsidiary of Fronius International GmbH (Pettenbach, Austria), has recently invested over $1.5 million in the development and integration of a full manufacturing and testing facility in their 400,000 sq ft headquarters in Portage.The company is known worldwide for its quality power electronics, including welding technology and solar inverters. Fronius USA recently hired over 30 people to staff the production.
The manufacturing line produces and tests over 200 Primo solar inverters per day. The Primo is part of the unique SnapINverter line, which is leading the solar industry with its innovations in easy mounting, highest design flexibility and outstanding communication capabilities. The available power classes for the Primo inverter reach from 3.8 kW to 8.2 kW to serve typical residential solar installations.
“The Primo is a leader in the residential solar industry and, as such, is a clear reason for us to invest in production in the United States,” says Thomas Enzendorfer, the director of solar energy at Fronius USA. “We are proud to offer a high quality product manufactured entirely in the United States.” Since quality is a top priority for the company, every inverter is tested under real-life conditions for full function and safety before shipping.
“Our inverter production line applies the latest lean production technologies. This allows us to achieve both, efficient production and elimination of any potential error source to assure highest quality,” explains Klaus Strassmair, the head of production at Fronius USA. The production equipment for the new line was sourced locally from U.S. suppliers, as a strong commitment to quality and the U.S. market.
The company appreciates Indiana as a manufacturing location for its ideal geographical location amidst the crossroads of America. It offers easy access to ground or air transportation for fast shipping to any of the fifty states. Furthermore, main suppliers of raw materials are located in the Midwest, which allows for short supply chains and good, long-lasting relationships with U.S. suppliers.
This new production line is the first step towards more U.S. manufacturing to come, with plans to manufacture further products in Portage to better serve the high demand in the U.S. “As a family-owned company, we are thinking long-term and are dedicated to showing our commitment to the U.S. for generations to come,” notes Enzendorfer.
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