Fast charging “made in Austria”: Keba takes over EnerCharge

The Linz-based technology company Be careful is strengthening its portfolio of charging solutions for electric cars with a strategic acquisition. As the company announced on Thursday, the Carinthian charging infrastructure manufacturer EnerCharge bought and integrated into the company. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Fast charging infrastructure

EnerCharge specializes in DC charging stations with an output of between 40 and 480 kW, which are used primarily for fast charging of electric cars and electric trucks. The company from Kötschach-Mauthen with production in Lienz slid into insolvency last year. Insolvency proceedings were opened in July. Debts amount to 15.8 million euros. 97 employees were affected by the bankruptcy, of which 60 are still working. The main sales markets are Europe and the Middle East.

With this strategic acquisition, Keba is expanding its portfolio to include charging solutions for the (semi-)public sector and aims to succeed as a full-range supplier in the charging technology sector. “We can now offer all charging technologies,” said Keba CEO Christoph Knogler on Thursday. The joint portfolio, which will be brought together under the Keba brand, now includes charging solutions from the AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current) areas. Keba says it has sold more than 500,000 AC charging stations (wall boxes). They are used where electric cars are parked for longer periods of time (at home, in underground car parks, at work).

Production in Austria

The acquisition is a commitment to production in Austria. The two companies have already cooperated previously.

Keba, based in Linz, has 26 branches in 16 countries and employs 2,100 people, half of them in Austria. The automation company’s portfolio ranges from security technology, drive technology for machines and Robert, cash and parcel machines to charging stations for electric cars.