Thule to “significantly” expand development, testing and production
The Thule Group has today announced a SEK 100 Million investment in its Hillerstorp operations.
As part of the investment new buildings will be constructed to house an expanded global development centre, as well as new test centre. Simultaneously, the production facility for roof racks will gain in space.
“Over the past two years, we have invested more than SEK 100 million in efficient and modern production of a whole new generation of roof racks here in Hillerstorp. We are now investing just as much in an expansion of our world-leading product development. We get an optimized working environment for increased numbers of employees in design, construction, and prototyping, as well as an expansion of our advanced global test center. At the same time, the new buildings give us the opportunity to improve material and freight flows for manufacturing,” says Magnus Welander, CEO and President of Thule Group.
The expansion comprises just over 5,000 square meters of office and factory space for the test center, prototyping and tooling department, as well as an additional 3,000 square meters for a park-like test track for products in the Active with Kids product category.
Today, Hillerstorp’s operations include nearly 400 employees. The global product development and test center employs around 150 engineers, of which more than 20 have been newly hired during the past year alone. Thule Group’s continued expansion in the region will result in additional new hires in several professional roles.
The Thule business has generally been performing well of late, though has been loosely impacted by shifts in currency and tariffs.