The Chairman of LEAD, one of the world’s largest suppliers of new energy manufacturing equipment, made his first visit to the company’s Naila production plant this week to promote his “Made in Europe” strategy. His appearance was part of a nine-day European trip where Chairman Yanqing Wang and members of his management team traveled for a series of meetings with business partners, customers, and government representatives to discuss LEAD’s growing presence in the region.

Addressing over 100 employees in Naila on Wednesday morning, Chairman Wang said, “The European market plays the most significant role in our global plan. Here, we have established close partnerships with many renowned companies, and we anticipate our order volumes, delivery volumes, and market share will have a leading position in Europe in the long term.”

Prior to the Naila appearance, Chairman Wang and his team visited many of LEAD’s prominent German and European customers. LEAD is already supplying the majority of battery cell manufacturing equipment for VW’s 20 GWh production line in Salzgitter. It will also provide a major share of battery manufacturing equipment for France’s first gigafactory, ACC’s Billy Berclau Douvrin plant in Hauts-de-France, a region dubbed “the Silicon Valley of batteries.” LEAD places great importance on these face-to-face meetings, not only to show appreciation to its customers, but to forge stronger partnerships and closer collaborations that will ultimately benefit Europe’s EV battery manufacturing sector.

LEAD opened its Naila Center of Competence in October 2022, generating significant local acclaim and establishing a new home base for its European expansion. In the future, the company plans to upgrade the Naila plant with a customer experience center, research and development center, service center, and staff training center. Wednesday’s visit by Chairman Wang and other LEAD executives was their first in person, as they could only attend the grand opening via video link due to COVID-19 restrictions.

After Wednesday’s town hall meeting, LEAD executives also met with distinguished local politicians, including the second Mayor of Naila, Mr. Jörg-Steffen Höger, and the District Chief Executive of Hof, Dr. Oliver Bär. They discussed the company’s long-term growth plans and the economic benefits it hopes to bring to the region as a key equipment supplier in Europe’s e-mobility and clean energy transitions.