On October 1, 2025, officials gathered in Münster to mark the start of construction for the second phase of the Fraunhofer Research Fabrication Battery Cell (FFB Fab). Attendees included the Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Minister for Culture and Science, the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space, and representatives from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The new facility, located at Hansa BusinessPark in Münster-Amelsbüren, is slated to begin operations in 2028.
The second construction phase follows the successful launch of the smaller “FFB PreFab” pilot plant in 2024, which provides more than 6,000 square meters of research space. When completed at the end of 2027, the FFB Fab’s large research building will add an additional 20,000 square meters dedicated to developing and testing battery cell manufacturing processes at scales up to the gigawatt level. The site will enable industrial partners to trial individual production steps under scientific supervision, with up to 150 researchers expected to work on advancing economically and ecologically sustainable cell technologies.
As one of Germany’s largest research infrastructure projects, the FFB Fab seeks to bridge the gap between laboratory research and full-scale industrial production. It aims to strengthen European competitiveness in battery manufacturing, supporting the transition to electromobility and renewable energy systems. The facility will also serve as an innovation hub for industry partners, offering a flexible platform for process development on a near-gigafactory scale.
The project is embedded in BatteryCityMünster, a regional battery ecosystem that includes leading institutions such as the MEET Battery Research Center at the University of Münster and the Helmholtz Institute Münster. Together, these organizations attract companies and startups focused on next-generation battery technologies.
Funding for the initiative comes from a combined investment of approximately €320 million by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for land and buildings, alongside up to €500 million from the federal government to establish research facilities and operations. This joint support underlines Germany’s commitment to securing sustainable, scalable battery production and enhancing Europe’s technological sovereignty.
Source: Fraunhofer FFB
