Hengelo in the fast lane of electric vehicle component testing
The industrial technology company, which works with some of the world’s biggest automotive, heavy vehicle and industrial brands, has today opened its €2.5 million purpose-built facility in the Twente area.
This new lab building sits alongside Sensata Technologies’ existing Business Center in Hengelo and is part of the company’s strategy to deliver high-quality products in an increasingly decarbonized and electrified world; in particular, for products being fitted into electric vehicles.
This is the first facility in The Netherlands capable of testing products under extreme power levels with precise and accurate timing control and will be a critical part of Sensata Technologies’ product design process.
Engineering teams subject all new sensors and contactors to rigorous testing to identify their exact specifications and safety parameters. Products, such as fuses and battery distribution units, will be tested in this laboratory before being mass produced and shipped to customers around the world.
Speaking at the opening of the new building, Harsh Kulkarni, Sensata Technologies Hengelo Site Leader, said, “Electrical components that we design here in The Netherlands are in cars, trucks and many household machines that people use every day. Our products, some of which support temperature, pressure and battery management, help vehicles to run safely and at optimum efficiency. We are proud of our know-how and heritage - one of our components even supported the moon landing back in the 1960s.”
“We are always looking to the future and as the world becomes increasingly electrified, we wanted to build on the significant, specialized engineering experience in our Hengelo team by investing in the in-house facilities to support product design and testing processes for our next innovations.”
Wim Boomkamp, Chair of Twente Board, who joined the team at the opening ceremony, said, “It is great to be here today and to see another company in this region investing in facilities which will provide innovative solutions for a better world.
“Twente is an entrepreneurial high-tech region where we aspire to bring together companies, entrepreneurs, educational institutions and governments in order to make a difference. I am delighted that Sensata Technologies, a company that has been operating in our region for many years, is working with us to deliver this ambition.”
Following the opening ceremony on Monday, 24 April, Sensata Technologies’ Hengelo test facility is expected to be operational from next month.