Jungheinrich AG and Triathlon Holding GmbH have come together to found JT ENERGY Systems GmbH, a joint venture focused on the production and recycling of lithium-ion battery systems.

Jungheinrich holds a 70 per cent share in the joint venture with Triathlon taking the remaining 30 per cent. The company is due to begin operations in August 2019. JT ENERGY Systems intends to create around 100 new jobs at the plant in the next few years.

Both Jungheinrich and Triathlon are known for their industry-leading level of expertise in the field of lithium-ion technology across a wide variety of applications. This extensive knowledge will be combined within JT ENERGY Systems. The aim of the joint venture between Jungheinrich and Triathlon is for the two companies to expand their production capacities to cover the ever-increasing demand for lithium-ion battery systems and to further develop their technological leadership in this field. JT ENERGY will supply products to both companies.

Chairman of the board of management of Jungheinrich AG Hans-Georg Frey said: “For our customers, energy efficiency and maximum truck availability are key competitive advantages. We support them in this with a range of trucks and products that utilise the benefits of lithium-ion technology. The exponential sales growth we have experienced in recent years shows that the intralogistics sector is making a decisive move toward lithium-ion technology.

“Jungheinrich recognised this trend early on. Today, we act as a one-stop shop offering everything from our own energy storage devices and power units to battery chargers, and our comprehensive expertise in energy makes us innovation leaders within the sector. This collaboration with Triathlon will enable us to leverage further untapped potential in the market for electric trucks and drive the development of this future technology forward.”

Managing director of Triathlon Holding GmbH Martin Hartmann said: “We are proud to be taking this step with a company as well respected as Jungheinrich AG. We believe that the joint venture will see us achieve greater economies of scale and scope that will in turn increase our competitiveness considerably. Going forward, this move will give our customers and partners access to an even broader range of cutting-edge lithium-ion battery systems based on the latest technology.”

JT ENERGY Systems is due to begin operations in August 2019.