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P21 is experiencing increased demand for environmentally friendly fuel-cell systems and has commenced serial production.
Brunnthal-Munich, June 2007. The P21 GmbH, with its headquarters in Brunnthal (near Munich), is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fuel-cell systems that can supply emergency electrical current to the mobile telecommunication industry. P21 has successfully proven its technology in various field tests with international mobile-network providers since 2004. To keep pace with the growing demand in this area, serial production commenced in April. For this purpose, the number of employees has quadrupled at P21’s own production facility in Brunnthal (near Munich).
Worldwide Demand for Fuel Cells is Increasing
The past few months have witnessed an increase in the global demand for fuel cells which can assure that mobile-telephony networks continue to function reliably even under difficult climatic conditions. There are approximately 2.5 million base stations for mobile-telephone networks around the world. Another 350,000 new transmitting stations will be built in 2007. And all of these stations require emergency electrical supply systems.
This strong growth is primarily due to two factors: the conversion of devices from GSM to UMTS; and startups of new Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) in remote locations.
Concentration on the Telecommunications Market
In 2004, devices in the Premion T product line first began serving as backup units to assure that mobile-telephony networks and the transceiver facilities of international mobile network providers continue to function reliably in the event of a power outage. P21’s systems are designed to supply emergency electrical current to Base Transceiver Stations. Compared to conventional batteries, they provide significantly longer bridge-over intervals of more than six hours’ duration. They also require less maintenance and are highly robust when confronted by external climatic conditions, thus giving them a longer lifespan. Cost savings of as much as 30 percent are possible over the entire lifecycle.
With the system assembly, P21 is also preparing itself for a worldwide rollout, which is scheduled to take place in 2008. The supply-chain management is currently establishing a professional network of suppliers and worldwide channels. P21 is relying here on the creation of competitive lean production, which will be characterized by flexibility, adherence to delivery dates, and high quality. P21’s own stack assembly will be expanded in July 2007, and semi-automation will follow in September.
“The changeover from individual manufacture to serial production shows how we’re responding to increased demand for fuel-cell systems for use in the telecommunications industry. With our ongoing expansion of interfaces to the customers and the enlargement of our global network of partners, we’re further emphasizing our focal points: closeness to the customer, reliability, and quality awareness,” explains P21’s managing director Dieter Braechtken. |
