Thule Group announced Friday it is starting a significant expansion of its operations in Hillerstorp, Sweden.
New buildings and facilities will be built to make room for an expanded global development and test center. At the same time, the production facility for roof racks is being expanded. The investment amounts to SEK 100 million and will be completed in spring 2021.
Thule Group was founded in Hillerstorp in 1942. Today, the company’s site in Hillerstorp is still a significant hub for the business. The majority of the global product development and the company’s global test center are located here, as well as the production of roof racks for the whole world.
“Over the past two years, we have invested more than SEK 100 million in efficient and modern production of a whole new generation of roof racks here in Hillerstorp,” said Magnus Welander, CEO and President of Thule Group. “We are now investing just as much in an expansion of our world-leading product development. We get an optimized working environment for increased numbers of employees in design, construction, and prototyping, as well as an expansion of our advanced global test center. At the same time, the new buildings give us the opportunity to improve material and freight flows for manufacturing.”
The expansion comprises just over 5,000 square meters of office and factory space for the test center, prototyping and tooling department, as well as an additional 3,000 square meters for a park-like test track for products in the Active with Kids product category.
Today, Hillerstorp’s operations include nearly 400 employees. The global product development and test center employs around 150 engineers, of which more than 20 have been newly hired during the past year alone. Thule Group’s continued expansion in the region will result in additional new hires in several professional roles.
