Northvolt officials announced that a “very interesting actor” conducted a confidential visit to the Skellefteå factory last Friday. Investigative reporting by Norran revealed that a private jet associated with the German company Bosch was present at Skellefteå Airport on that day.
The aircraft, registered to Scintilla AG—Bosch’s subsidiary based in Gerlingen near Stuttgart—landed at 09:17 and departed at 17:53, according to Flightradar24 data. This visit marks a potential shift in Bosch’s stance, as the company had previously stated it would not operate its own battery factories. Battery experts suggest that Bosch might be reconsidering its position, especially given the possibility that Mercedes-Benz representatives also visited the facility concurrently. However, whether these two companies collaborated during the visit remains uncertain, despite their prior collaborations and shared headquarters near Stuttgart.
Since the bankruptcy administration took over operations on March 12, maintaining production at the Skellefteå battery factory has been a top priority. The recent announcement of continued operations, albeit at a reduced scale, is viewed positively by the administration. Mikael Kubu, the bankruptcy administrator, indicated that sustaining operations is crucial for the potential sale of the business, either wholly or partially. Battery experts believe that ongoing production may signal that a new owner is nearing, enhancing the factory’s prospects for survival.
Northvolt’s head of communications, Matti Kataja, declined to provide comments on the matter. In response to inquiries, Bosch’s Nordic head of communications, Lotta Törnberg, stated that due to security protocols and operational considerations, the company does not disclose specifics regarding its flights.
In addition to Bosch, Panasonic has emerged as another potential buyer for the Skellefteå factory. Sources indicate that Panasonic, known for its lithium-ion battery factories in Japan and the United States, including a partnership with Tesla, has also conducted a visit to the site.
Mercedes-Benz has officially denied visiting Skellefteå last week and dismissed speculation about interest in acquiring Northvolt. Edward Taylor of Mercedes-Benz Group AB stated, “The speculation that we are interested in buying Northvolt is without merit.”
Attempts by Norran to contact the bankruptcy administrators for further insights have thus far been unsuccessful.
Source: Norran
