DGAP-News

Voltabox in the Light of Business Transformation - Refocusing to be Completed in 2021 - Seite 2

Voltabox has been doubly affected by the impact of the Corona pandemic. Blocked supply chains in the spring and subsequently significantly reduced call-off volumes from Voltabox customers, who were also noticeably affected by the Corona crisis, characterized the business performance in the past year. Nevertheless, the company was able to make considerable progress towards the "new Voltabox". In addition to concluding a long-term contract for the conversion of diesel buses to electric drives with the customer e-troFit, Voltabox developed a patented technology concept for the lighter, more efficient and more cost-effective construction of lithium-ion batteries. With the Voltabox-Flow-Shape-Design(R) (FSD), Voltabox aims to make the technology with its high market relevance available to a customer base as wide as possible through its own production as well as through out-licensing.

"Unfortunately, our existing customers continue to order very cautiously, which will presumably continue to significantly characterize our sales and earnings situation until the middle of the year. At the same time, however, we have created extremely exciting opportunities in the market with our FSD technology and the first products developed on this basis," explains Patrick Zabel, CFO of Voltabox AG.

As part of the licensing model set up for the commercialization of FSD, Voltabox will enable several customers to use the manufacturing process in the current fiscal year. In the Automotive application area, i.e. cars, trucks and two-wheelers, the longstanding majority shareholder paragon has expressed its intention to license the FSD technology. Voltabox itself will then focus its development and production activities on the core market of industrial applications. These primarily include the branches intralogistics, buses, construction and agricultural machinery, municipal vehicles and stationary power supply.

Voltabox AG will also offer production services in the field of highly automated lithium-ion battery production for the first time in these industries; initial inquiries are already being processed. As a result, the company expects a more base capacity utilization.

"Voltabox has performed well in the past months and years despite all adversities and has created a basis for reaching break-even more quickly. This is clearly an advantage for the current sales process and has once again widened the circle of approaching investors," emphasizes Klaus Dieter Frers, CEO of paragon and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Voltabox AG.