Schaltbau is a leading supplier of safety-critical components, specializing in direct current technology. Their products are used in the railroad industry for signaling, protection, and power distribution in trains, as well as in renewable energy and e-mobility for energy management and protection of battery-based applications. The company has a subsidiary in India and manufacturing sites in Navi Mumbai and Manesar.
This interaction with Dr Jüergen Brandes, CEO at Schaltbau Holding AG, and Mr Raminder Singh, MD of Schaltbau India Private Limited, covers their product line, its relevance for the e-mobility industry, and the localization opportunities the company has been working on. Programmable Time Delay Relay
Can you please provide us with a brief about Schaltbau, your product line and its areas of application?
Schaltbau is a 95-year-old company founded in Munich, Bavaria. At that time, electric locomotives were the most innovative locomotives. In continuation, Schaltbau has become a leading supplier of components in electric vehicles, from forklifts to electric cars, e-trucks, buses, and even marine applications. We focus on DC, i.e. direct current applications.
Schaltbau is the leading company that helps switch on and off direct current, especially when the current is high; our contactors manage the arc flash while switching on and off. This is an inherent competency Schaltbau has developed over the years. We are one of the few companies that can switch off and on direct current, no matter in which direction the current is flowing. Our overheating and overpower capabilities are also critically important, especially in fast-charging applications.
Can you tell us specifically about Schaltbau India’s capabilities and offerings?
Schaltbau India was established in 2009, with a small manufacturing setup in Mumbai, which we expanded later. We are catering to multiple industries with our local manufacturing in India. We are an approved supplier for Indian Railways and multiple clients in the solar and electric vehicle space, especially battery chargers. Enhancing those capabilities, we have set up a plant in IMT Manesar with a focus on new markets like EVSE.
What products are offered by Schaltbau for EV batteries and EV chargers? And how would you compare your products to your peers?
Our key product is a contactor that comprises of a drive, the contactor itself and an arc chamber. We are customising these components for specific applications, such as forklifts, tuk-tuks, 2Ws, 3Ws, cars and buses. The contactors come with desired overload and breaking capabilities for each application and are tailored to the environmental conditions of different vehicles. When it comes to a high number of contactors, we are specifically designing our contacts inside of the battery connection boxes.
The contacts are relevant to all segments of electric vehicles as a key component for the safety of the passengers and the environment. In every case, you need to disconnect the battery power supply from the rest of the vehicle, not only in case of an accident but every day as you switch on and switch off the battery from the drive. Our products are designed to deliver even under harsh conditions.
Can you explain the safety concerns that your contactors address?
What is the focus of the current R&D efforts at Schaltbau?
We prioritize ‘Design for Purpose‘ in our operations. We take pride in the design capabilities of our Indian engineers for the needs of the Indian market. For example, Western Europe doesn’t have tuk-tuks, but they are popular in India. Similarly, we have high-quality car manufacturers in India who require specific designs for their battery connection boxes. Therefore, our focus is on designing products that serve their intended purpose and not limiting the design process to a central location.
What kind of opportunities do you see in localizing production in India?
India is a price-sensitive market. If we want to meet our price targets, it is difficult to import and sell in India, given a 15% import duty on these components. So, it is difficult to meet such market expectations without localisation, even though we have the right products. Localisation helps control the cost and serve the market.
The second advantage is the product’s life cycle management. When we design and manufacture in India, we service the client from the design stage till the end of the product life cycle. With localization, such indirect advantages also help us serve the clients better and retain their loyalty.
Do you also have an export focus from India?
EVreporter Podcast – Schaltbau India products for electric vehicles and focus on local manufacturing
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