The two companies recently signed an agreement to this effect. The KION Group and BMZ Holding will each hold a 50 percent stake in the joint venture (JV). The aim is to expand the lithium-ion product range and production capacities in order to best meet the rapidly growing demand for lithium-ion battery systems in the intralogistics sector.

The production facility is being built by BMZ Holding GmbH for the joint venture in Karlstein am Main, the headquarters of the BMZ Group. By 2023, the JV is expected to employ around 80 people, primarily in research, development and production.
Both KION and BMZ have extensive expertise in the field of lithium-ion technology. In a first step, the new JV will produce 48- and 80-volt batteries for counterbalance trucks, and production will later be expanded to include 24-volt batteries for smaller warehouse trucks. Completion of the transaction is subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities.

According to the company, the joint venture will see Europe's largest manufacturer of industrial trucks and a leading provider of lithium-ion battery solutions enter into a far-reaching strategic partnership. "This alliance significantly strengthens our position in the field of lithium-ion batteries and gives the KION Group - and therefore all of the Group's brands worldwide - an even stronger competitive position," said Gordon Riske, Chief Executive Officer of KION Group AG. "In cooperation with the BMZ Group, we can optimally meet the steadily increasing demand for modern lithium-ion battery cells and offer our customers maximum delivery reliability."

The founder and Managing Director of BMZ Holding, Sven Bauer, also sees great potential in the joint move: "KION has been a highly valued partner and customer for a long time. Both companies already have long-standing strategic and operational business relationships. The BMZ Group's technology and 25 years of experience provide the joint venture with an excellent basis for a successful future from which both companies will benefit in the long term." According to Bauer, the joint venture will benefit above all from direct access to its own test laboratories and development teams and from strategic and cost-optimized developments.