By Kasturi Datta |
Germany-based battery manufacturer PowerCo is working with Microsoft to build a gigafactory network to improve yield, energy efficiency, quality and process stability across its production facilities.
The new architecture will form the digital core for PowerCo’s factories in Salzgitter in Germany, Valencia in Spain, and St. Thomas in Canada. It will enable PowerCo to use AI analytics, digital twins and automated cloud services across its production ecosystem.
The firms are building on Volkswagen Group’s One Cloud strategy for creating scalable digital infrastructure to support battery cell production.
“To scale a global gigafactory footprint, digital excellence is just as critical as manufacturing excellence,” said Andreas Eckle, chief information officer at PowerCo, in a LinkedIn post. “With Microsoft, we are creating a unified digital foundation that allows us to innovate faster and operate smarter. This partnership gives us the ability to translate data into real competitive advantage. By combining Microsoft’s cloud and AI expertise with PowerCo’s manufacturing knowledge, we are laying the groundwork for an advanced European battery production platform.”