Chinese battery giant CATL is ramping up production at its Arnstadt, Germany, facility and is actively recruiting additional staff to support its European expansion, the company said.
“The plant is currently working at a high capacity to fulfil customer requirements,” a CATL spokesperson told the German news agency DPA. The spokesperson added that the factory’s growth will depend on market developments.
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The Arnstadt plant, which began producing battery cells in December 2022 and officially started operations in 2023, supplies automakers including the Volkswagen Group for models such as the Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron. The factory, operated by Contemporary Amperex Technology Thuringia GmbH, currently employs around 1,700 people, including Chinese specialists assisting with technology installation and plant ramp-up. These specialists are expected to return home gradually as CATL transitions to a more locally sourced workforce.
To support its expansion, CATL is not only hiring but also investing in workforce training. “Around 30 people are currently undergoing vocational training, with up to 30 more trainees to be added this year,” the company said. The training programs focus on roles such as machine and plant operators, mechatronics engineers, industrial mechanics, and logistics specialists.
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CATL’s careers portal currently lists 105 job openings at the Arnstadt facility, ranging from shift supervisors and product engineers to tax specialists and HVAC technicians. The company is also hiring in Hungary, where it is preparing to launch a second European factory in Debrecen. The plant, scheduled to begin operations in the second half of 2025, currently has 80 job postings listed.