Revised operating concept
Dürr has significantly improved the spray guns’ operation with larger adjustment elements and optimized haptics for easier control. A new ergonomically correct rotary knob replaces the previous lever for regulating the spray air. This prevents accidental adjustments and can be completely closed if necessary. The optimized air valve makes you reliably set the pressure right from the first trigger pressure point.

Fewer variants, greater reliability
The EcoGun ACE pro requires just four air cap variants. Two conventional and two low-volume, low-pressure air caps cover all diameters from 1.2 to 2.5 millimeters across seven different nozzles sizes. This simplifies storage and reduces the risk of mix-ups. Plus, to make handling easier and avoid loose parts, the air cap and union nut remain connected after removal.

New design as a visible change of generation
Visually, the EcoGun ACE pro stands out with a new bronze-colored housing and black controls. The design signals a new generation without changing the proven system principles. Dürr continues its line of low-pressure spray guns offering robust industrial quality, precise spray patterns, fast color changes, improved ergonomics, and cost-effectiveness.

A unified portfolio for enhanced customer value
The merger will not affect existing contract terms or services. On the contrary, customers will benefit from a broader service portfolio, innovative and sustainable solutions, and the convenience of a single point of contact for all production needs. Dürr Systems Italy will provide a unified portfolio including consulting, planning, and implementation of assembly processes, along with painting technology, pretreatment and electrocoating systems. Dürr’s high-performance technologies like the automated guided vehicles (AGVs) ProFleet are used at car manufacturers worldwide, enabling flexible, cost-effective manufacturing tailored to individual industrial requirements.  

The streamlined structure simplifies project coordination, reduces administrative complexity, and ensures continuity in customer relationships and service quality. Customers can count on long-term support through preventive maintenance, technical assistance, and plant modernization. “We can offer our customers in the automotive and industry sectors a unique combination of expertise, comprehensive manufacturing solutions and reliability throughout the entire production cycle,” Hohmann summarizes.  

Dürr also operates another subsidiary in Italy: Verind S.p.A., based in Milan, manages robotic and application technologies. The company will continue to operate as an independent entity and brand within the Dürr Group. Verind specializes in the production of industrial systems for application, ultrafiltration and waste water treatment for customers in automotive and general industry. In addition, Verind is Dürr’s Center of Excellence for electronic dosing machines. The company offers expertise, engineering, laboratories, and technologies dedicated to the application of painting and coating products, e.g. on metal, aluminum wheels, plastic, wood, ceramic, marble, composite and glass.

New standards for the painting process in Indonesia
The RoDip® E is being used in Indonesia for the first time, marking a significant milestone. With its high flexibility, it sets new standards in pre-treatment and electrocoating. Thanks to a controllable carriage, it enables individual, vehicle-specific dip curves. The recirculation system positioned at the side of the tank helps reduce the height of the system, saving space. With its modular design, the painting system is scalable and prepared for future production increases. Capacity can be increased from five up to fifteen car bodies per hour.

In addition to the RoDip® E, Dürr is supplying proven dryers and the EcoDry X dry separation system for the paint shop. This system is especially sustainable, using cardboard and disposable filters, and requiring neither water nor chemicals. The new plant is controlled and managed using the latest Industry 4.0 IoT concept to meet the requirements of digitalization. DXQequipment.operation enables operating processes and production data to be visualized in real time. This increases both efficiency and productivity.

Efficiently planned and quickly implemented
The project has been implemented in an exceptionally short time frame: construction began in December 2024, and production is scheduled to start in fall 2025.

Indonesia - an emerging location in the automotive industry
With the new paint shop, PT Handal Indonesia Motor is strengthening its position as a growing car manufacturer in the region. Innovative technologies are expected to facilitate international car brands in local production. At the same time, the project plays a key role in establishing Indonesia as an emerging and sustainable location in the Asian automotive industry. As a partner, Dürr is contributing extensive technical expertise - backed by decades of experience working with automobile manufacturers worldwide.

Efficient Execution Despite Challenges
Despite global supply chain interruptions through sheet metal processing and electrical components constraints, fluctuations in maritime transport, and extreme weather events like Super Typhoon, Dürr completed the project within 18 months. From contract signing in November 2023 to final acceptance in July 2025, the project was delivered on time and to specifications. 

Recognition for Excellence
In recognition of its outstanding performance, TC Motors recently awarded Dürr China the “Excellent Supplier” title. This award highlights the collaborative spirit and technical excellence that characterized the project. “A key factor in this achievement was the effective collaboration between the teams of Dürr China and Dürr Vietnam with the TC Group, working together to ensure the project's success,” said Wang Shuo, Project Manager at Dürr Paint shop systems Engineering (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. “We are extremely proud to receive this award. It reflects the dedication and professionalism of our team, who overcame considerable challenges to deliver an advanced modern factory.” 

Dürr’s technological contribution
Dürr played a key role in equipping the paint shop with advanced technology. The highlight is the electrically driven RoDip® E for pretreatment and electrocoating, using freely programmable trolleys. Each trolley has a conveying drive and a rotating drive, which enable horizontal and rotating movements to be controlled independently of each other for each body.
Benefiting from this, the system can set different dip curves according to vehicle models, thereby enhancing coating quality, improving energy efficiency, and reducing unit costs. Another special feature of the paint shop is that the primer and clear coat are applied in the same spray booth. This saves investment costs. The scope of delivery also includes sealing lines, seven painting robots, ovens, and a hot wax line.

In addition to a classic production layout with wet coating, the partners have developed a concept factory with dry coating and the new Z-folder technology that represents the next generation of battery cell production. Thanks to powerful and innovative technologies, production requires 50 percent less space and 70 percent less energy, resulting in significantly higher space efficiency and lower operating costs.

Efficient and sustainable dry coating
Dürr’s dry coating system X.Cellify DC product family implements the so called “Activated Dry Electrode^®“ process from LiCAP Technologies. Dürr has been cooperating with the U.S. coating expert specifically in the field of dry coating since 2023. The Dürr machine uses a dry-mixed active material instead of conventional slurry. This powder mixture is pressed into a free-standing film using calender machines, which is then laminated onto both sides of the collector foil. Compared to wet coating, this eliminates the drying process as well as the recovery and treatment of solvents – saving space, energy, and costs. The free-standing film also offers advantages in terms of material efficiency, as excess film material can be completely returned to the production process before lamination onto the collector foil. 

The recently achieved successful proof of concept demonstrates that the Dürr machine is capable of performing the dry coating process with consistently high quality. It can be scaled up, and Dürr is actively seeking pilot partners in the industry.

High-speed cell assembly
With the new generation of Z-folders, which integrate the notching process, GROB achieves higher performance with less space. For particularly stable and reliable system technology, the separator is guided over a few deflection rollers with very even and low web tension. Thanks to a high-quality magazine buffer system for the electrodes, the system achieves 95 percent availability.

Precise electrolyte filling with high pressure
A process developed by Dürr enables battery cells to be filled in a single step without residual gas. Unlike the conventional process, the electrolyte is filled directly into the cells at up to 30 bar. The filling pressure is thus two to three times higher than the current industry standard. The process design enables precise dosing and shortens both the filling process and the subsequent penetration of the electrolyte into the active material.

End-to-end digitalization
The equipment technology from Dürr and GROB is complemented by end-to-end digital mapping of the production process. Even in the planning phase before production starts, a digital twin enables simulation of the entire factory and speeds up implementation on site. The data from the simulation flows into the MES/MOM software of Dürr’s subsidiary iTAC, which can be used to control and plan all production steps in battery manufacturing. Important functions here are traceability and quality analysis to avoid errors in production. This results in high overall equipment effectiveness.

Innovations in wet coating
Dürr has also further optimized its technologies in terms of performance and energy efficiency in the classic wet coating process. One example is the automation of the coating station and the slot dies, which form a closed control loop for the layer thickness – resulting in faster production start-up and reduced scrap rate. “Adding automated slot die profile control provides our customers with the ability to not only reduce the machine startup time, but it also ensures quality throughout the production process by maintaining the coating uniformity.”  explains Adam Shambeau, Senior Director of Dürr Lithium-Ion Batteries Americas, “Scrap reduction and machine up-time are critical to our customer’s success, so enhancing our products through automation or innovating our offerings with dual-side coating technology to reduce the total cost of ownership are two great examples where our products bring value to our customers.”

In the subsequent drying process, battery manufacturers can use laser dryers to achieve a 50 percent faster web speed and particularly energy-efficient drying. After drying, the electrode coating is densified using calendering machines. The machines from Dürr work with particular precision using “Dynamic Gap Control”: two sensors measure the distance between the two rollers with an accuracy of 0.5 µm. This results in a very uniform layer thickness, with no more force being applied than necessary. Dürr's calenders are used for both wet coating and dry coating to compress the film.

At the Battery Show North America 2025 from October 6 to 9, Dürr and GROB will be presenting their concept factory as a physical 3D model at their joint booth 3822 at Detroit’s Huntington Place Convention Center.

Dürr will be introducing a new naming concept. The company is bringing together its products for electrode coating and electrolyte filling under the new name “X.Cellify.”

Less energy, less production space
Dry coating offers clear advantages over conventional wet coating in electrode production: it reduces space requirements by up to 65% and lowers energy consumption by up to 70%. These savings are mainly due to the elimination of dryers and solvent recovery. "The successful proof of concept is a major step forward for us. We have demonstrated that the new kind of dry coating with free-standing film works reliably and delivers consistently good quality. It can be scaled up, making it the basis for initial pilot projects in industry," explains Bernhard Bruhn, Vice President of Dürr's Global Business Unit LIB. The process is suitable for today's lithium-ion batteries and also for solid-state batteries.

Free-standing film reduces scrap
The proof-of-concept plant is located in Chassieu in southern France, in a dry room environment at Ingecal, a Dürr Group company specializing in calender technology. Calenders are machines with rollers that compress materials into an even layer. Dry coating starts with film formation: A horizontal calender forms the dry powder into a film. It is referred to as “free-standing” because it runs through the machine without a carrier foil. In the second step, additional calenders compress the film to the desired layer thickness, density, and porosity. Finally, one film is laminated onto the collector foil from each side – thus producing the electrode. “Since we don't need a carrier foil until the final step, we can return the film to the process in its entirety if it does not meet the desired specifications. Thanks to the closed loop, no valuable active material is lost and we significantly reduce waste – an important point in battery production,” explains Bruhn.

Improved further processing 
The special characteristic of X.Cellify DC lies in its web guidance: the system transports the free-standing film in a self-supporting manner and compresses the film before it is applied to the current collector. The subsequent lamination onto the current collector requires less force than calendering in the wet coating process, which means that the foil does not deform – improving its processability for the downstream process steps of notching and stacking.

Combined strengths
The new approach to dry coating combines Dürr's expertise in electrode manufacturing and system integration, Dürr Ingecal's high-precision calenders, and LiCAP's patented Activated Dry Electrode^® technology. “To take the next step, we are actively seeking pilot partners in the industry for gigawatt-scale projects. This will enable us to bring the technology into real production environments – whether for electric cars, stationary storage or other applications,” says Bernhard Bruhn. Dürr is thus ready to partner in the next generation of battery production – with solutions for wet and dry coating.

Painting technology for high model variance
The two identical painting lines feature 170 sealing and painting robots, with the corresponding application technology for sealing and coating the different Volkswagen models in the future. This encompasses EcoRS Clean F, a prime example of Dürr’s efforts to bolster system technology to equip it for growing model diversity. It combines the thorough, gentle cleaning prowess of a feather roller system with the high flexibility inherent to a robotic setup. This makes it perfect for lines that paint many body variations with complex contours. The contract scope also includes the complete paint and PVC supply and software solutions with AI applications from Dürr’s proprietary DXQ product family.

Substantial reduction in CO₂ emissions
A central factor in CO₂ emissions reduction is body drying since it consumes the most energy in the painting process. Operating the ovens with regenerative energy, like green electricity, reduces the CO₂ emissions from the overall system by around 40 percent compared to a paint shop using natural gas. “This was one of the reasons why Volkswagen opted for the EcoInCure electric drying system,” explains Bruno Welsch, COO Automotive at Dürr. “Another is its special air duct system that heats the bodies from the inside out. This technology results in more uniform heating and cooling behavior and reaches solid body components like the rocker panels more directly than conventional systems, cutting the body heating times by 30 percent.”

Electric package concept for oven and exhaust air purification
Another cornerstone for minimizing CO₂ emissions is linking the electric oven to an electric air pollution control system. Dürr is the only provider on the market with an overall blended concept of this kind. It combines the EcoInCure with an Oxi.X.RV, an electric exhaust air aftertreatment system that purifies the polluted exhaust air using the principle of regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) – with no open flame. Unlike conventional combustion processes, no additional CO₂ is produced by the operation. The system is also extremely energy efficient and achieves autothermal operation even with small quantities of solvent, i.e., it maintains its operating temperature by itself. It uses the significant energy produced during oxidation of the solvents to keep its process going.

Dürr has also installed an energy-saving, environmentally-friendly system for overspray separation. EcoDryScrubber uses limestone powder as a natural binder to separate paint overspray. Highly efficient HEPA12 filters remove all particles from the process air. The saturated limestone powder is disposed of fully automatically via a piping system – with no process interruption. The dry separation system at Volkswagen Puebla minimizes the required fresh air supply to 5 percent maximizing the proportion of recirculated air. This reduces the paint booth’s energy consumption by well over 60 percent compared with wet scrubbing. 

Innovation driver for industrial change 
Dürr innovations always focused on high functionality, quality, operating cost savings, and, in recent years, increasingly on sustainability.

A variety of market-changing developments have shaped the industry. The RoDip^® rotation dip coating system was the first to enable 360° body immersion, improving coating uniformity. Continuous improvements to Dürr’s atomizers have increased clear coat transfer efficiency to over 90%. The groundbreaking EcoDryScrubber system replaces conventional wet separation, eliminating the need for water and chemicals, and setting new standards in energy efficiency. The EcoInCure oven uses cross-flow to reduce line length and gradually incorporates green energy for efficient, zero-carbon production. EcoPaintJet Pro technology enables fully automatic, overspray-free color spraying for the first time.

The rapid progress of digitalization in recent years has led to more advantages in plants: Combined with the DXQ digital platform Dürr’s "paint shop of the future" replaces linear manufacturing processes with flexible, dynamic systems for the mixed production of various car body shapes and a comparatively easy quick adaptation to changing production quantities. But Dürr offers more than paint shops. With its “NEXT.assembly” product line, Dürr provides a complete portfolio for final assembly, along with end-to-end solutions that reimagine conventional final assembly layouts.

Local expertise, global impact
From the initial introduction of foreign technologies to independent local implementation, Dürr China has built a nationwide service network, integrated itself deeply into the local industrial ecosystem, and established a strong service base. In line with its customer-first philosophy, the company has completed over 100 turnkey painting and assembly projects for both traditional automotive manufacturers and new energy vehicle brands. Dürr provides comprehensive professional support throughout the entire product life cycle, including system analysis, production capacity optimization, and more.

Thanks to its local experience, Dürr China has become a global systems center, coordinating the Southeast Asian market and actively exporting expertise developed in China. In recent years, the company has executed more than 50 multinational projects across over 20 countries and regions—including the Stellantis plant in Morocco and the BYD factory in Europe—efficiently supporting global industrial modernization.

Deepening local innovation for the future
Looking ahead, Dürr will further strengthen its localization strategy, make better use of global resources, and support both Chinese and international automotive manufacturers in their global growth. The company will invest further in talent development and build high-performance teams to enhance service quality.

Michael Baitinger, CEO of Dürr China, said: “Over the past thirty years of our partnership with customers in China, we have been honored to witness—and be part of—the automotive industry’s transformation. In the future, we will open a new chapter of localization, making more progress in R&D, production, and open collaboration, so that we can drive the sustainable development of the industry together with our partners.”

Alongside Dürr, a company recognized for its performance in the automotive sector, Cetec will now support a range of industrial segments. Dürr’s liquid and electrostatic painting technologies meet the demands of various industries with excellence, delivering quality, precision, and efficiency to different production types.

“Cetec has a consolidated history of operating in technical-industrial supply and a deep knowledge of the national market. This expertise, combined with Dürr's global know-how, creates a strategic partnership that offers cutting-edge technology, competitive pricing, and close customer service,” highlights Tiago Cardoso, Dürr's director of services. He adds that the synergy between the companies will enable Dürr to expand its presence in Brazil and offer even more complete and customized solutions.

Products available through this partnership include manual and automatic liquid spray guns, electrostatic liquid spray equipment, double diaphragm pumps, piston pumps (horizontal and vertical), dispensers, and spare parts.

Dürr painting solutions for various industries
The German company's portfolio includes all products required for transporting and applying fluids. The ready2integrate solution brings these products together in optimized sets, reducing implementation time, minimizing project risks, and simplifying integration with existing systems.

Solutions in the ready2integrate line include paint recovery systems, ring piping supply, and application sets compatible with robots from various suppliers. Although pre-designed, these components are delivered individually, offering flexibility for assembly according to each customer's specific needs.

“The combination of exceptional quality equipment, extreme efficiency, high reliability and durability—combined with Dürr’s global reputation and Cetec’s expertise in the Brazilian industrial market—has generated concrete, positive results for our customers,” says Eduardo Cernic, CEO of Cetec.

Partnership enhances quality
With a flexible and modular approach, Dürr’s solutions can be adapted to different production scales and processes, making them ideal for a wide variety of applications. With this pioneering partnership, Dürr and Cetec are beginning a new phase in Brazil: a specialized channel to bring the same level of automotive painting to other industries.

“We are very pleased with this partnership. Cetec has in-depth market knowledge and shares our values of innovation, excellence, and customer service,” explains Cardoso.

“The strategic partnership with Selettra is based on numerous projects we have executed together for the Brazilian and international markets. Selettra is a reference in the integration of technologies for industrial mobility and flexible manufacturing, areas in which Dürr also develops attractive solutions”, highlights Paulo Sentieiro, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Dürr Brazil. He adds that the teams from both companies have a lot to offer, paving the way for new businesses, markets, and opportunities. "For Selettra, it is a gateway to international expansion. For Dürr, it is an opportunity for lively professional exchange on an equal footing. Selettra brings fresh talent, technologies, and software, while Dürr brings global experience in R&D, manufacturing, and project management pooled at the Dürr Center of Excellence in Turin," Sentieiro explains.

Selettra develops mobile robotics solutions through technology and innovation, with a special focus on customization. To meet growing demand and the need for flexibility in material transportation, it develops autonomous robots adapted to different environments and industrial processes, providing greater efficiency, safety and scalability to operations. 

Development and opportunities
The companies will jointly develop software for the automation and management of fleets of AGVs and high-load-capacity AMRs – Automatic Guided Vehicles and Autonomous Mobile Robots – internal transportation equipment that moves autonomously to optimize production and logistics processes. The technology and infrastructure of the industrial park, also known as Mobility Habitat, will also be used for this purpose. In addition, the partnership opens new opportunities in the field of aircraft manufacturing, where customized intralogistics and flexible automation solutions are increasingly in demand. Selettra's portfolio perfectly complements Dürr’s intralogistics offering, enabling us to provide end customers with comprehensive, future-oriented solutions.

The Mobility Habitat space seeks to strengthen industrial competitiveness, stimulate technological innovation and promote economic growth. “It´s a space for mobility studies, with several attractions, such as laboratories for the development of prototypes and infrastructure. This puts us close to people who are fully intellectually developing and knowledgeable about new technologies”, emphasizes Paulo Sentieiro. The Park has the University Center (UNISENAI) on its premises, in addition to a partnership with UFPR.

Automotive power
The fact that Paraná is one of the largest automotive hubs in Brazil reinforces all the investment in technology in this area. As it is also an innovation hub, expectations are also high for Dürr's cutting-edge technology, which, in partnership with Selettra, can result in innovative solutions for mobility and industrial logistics in the country. "It is a meeting of companies and researchers to drive the modernization of the production sector, with sustainability and transformation of various sectors of the Brazilian production chain", summarizes Gularte.

The Industrial Technology Park was officially launched in June, when solutions for mobility, battery technologies and AGVs were presented. The event was attended by investors, entrepreneurs from the automotive and technology sectors, as well as students and professionals in technical training, all interested in the trends of Industry 4.0 and electric mobility.

Under Stellex’s ownership, the environmental technology business is well positioned to expand its leadership, benefitting from resources to support the expected growth. In 2024, environmental technology generated sales of €407 million and employed around 1,300 people, including around 450 in Germany. The head office is located in Bietigheim-Bissingen and the business is operated at 16 locations in 12 countries worldwide. Environmental technology systems from Dürr are used in various end-markets, including chemicals, odor control and automotive, for example.

Concentration on the core business

Dr. Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr AG: “The environmental technology business has grown strongly in recent years and has established itself as the global market leader. However, it lies outside our strategic core business relating to automation technology. The new owner, Stellex, therefore offers better opportunities for further growth for environmental technology. Through this sale, the Dürr Group will become leaner and sharpen its strategic focus. We will use the proceeds from the sale to strengthen our company.”

Karthik Achar, Partner at Stellex: “We look forward to becoming the next steward of Dürr’s Clean Technology Systems Environmental division and we welcome the company into our investment portfolio. We view the division as a global leader in environmental filtration and pollution control solutions - critical technologies that serve a wide range of industrial and adjacent markets. Its long-standing customer relationships are a testament to the company’s engineering excellence. We are eager to partner with the management team and its employees in an effort to shape the next phase of its growth.”

Dr. Sebastian Baumann, Head of the Clean Technology Systems Environmental division: “We can look back on a successful development in the environmental technology business and are convinced that we can develop our potential even better as an independent company. With Stellex at our side, new opportunities for growth and innovation are opening up, both in our established business areas and in pioneering technology areas such as carbon capture and heat storage.”

In spring 2025, the company expanded its training center in Bietigheim-Bissingen with a sealing robot cell equipped with EcoRail HS and two latest-generation robots: the EcoRS N20i and EcoRS L15i. These are complemented by EcoShot Meter and EcoGun2 3D dosing and application technology. The EcoTemp PT temperature control system is also included, bringing the highly viscous sealing material to the required processing temperature.

Dr. José Gamero, head of the training center at Dürr, summarizes the advantages: “The expansion allows us to offer ideal training for our customers using the latest Dürr sealing technology. We offer courses on mechanical and electrical maintenance of the technology, including assemblies and control systems.” Furthermore, robot programming and plant operator training for sealing can be provided at this new training cell.

Courses under real conditions

Thanks to the expansion, participants can now gain practical experience operating the new EcoRS robot generation under real-world conditions. The additional robot cell gives the training center greater flexibility to meet customer requests and accommodate more simultaneous courses. 

In 2024, around 1,000 participants received training in various technical disciplines in Bietigheim. In addition, approximately 100 training courses were conducted on-site at customer locations.

EcoY – vertical farming on a new level
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) refers to the modification of the natural environment to boost crop yield or extend the growing season. CEA systems are typically housed in enclosed structures such as greenhouses or buildings, where environmental factors like air, temperature, light, water, humidity, carbon dioxide, and plant nutrients are controlled. In most vertical farming systems, the crops are grown in horizontal layers stacked one on top of the other with no access to daylight. These setups demand massive amounts of energy for artificial lighting, mechanical ventilation, and climate control – costs that cannot be offset by raising prices for low-margin produce. 

Dürr has reimagined this system using its engineering expertise. “With our EcoY solution, we’re taking a different approach,” explains Michael Broek, Company Chairman at Dürr Africa. “Our objective was to develop a system that delivers maximum yield with minimum energy consumption. It’s essentially a hybrid hydroponic solution, independent of external climatic conditions. The system can even operate in extreme environments such as deserts or regions with extreme cold.” Together with CAN-Agri, Dürr developed a solution that harnesses natural resources like sunlight for vertical plant growth in a greenhouse, while conserving energy and water through efficient manufacturing, patented technologies, and digitalization. This greatly reduces operating costs while ensuring consistent quality and yield per square meter. 

Grow tubes and digital control for optimal yield
All key factors for plant growth – light, humidity, temperature, and CO₂ – are digitally monitored and adjusted in EcoY’s high-tech greenhouse, in line with the technology-based concept of CEA. What sets EcoY apart are the grow tubes in which the plants are cultivated. Developed and patented by CAN-Agri, these tubes arose from the idea of turning the traditionally horizontal plant layers 90 degrees, stacking 80 seedings, one above the other, vertically in each tube. The grow tubes are positioned in the greenhouse to ensure that sunlight reaches all plants. “The grow tubes not only increase plant density but also help regulate the climate,” completes François van der Merwe, CEO at CAN-Agri.

Inside the greenhouse, the grow tubes are evenly spaced in rows with nutrient-rich water circulating through them. To maintain consistent plant temperatures, the nutrient-rich water temperature is adjusted, promoting a localized microclimate where the plants need it most. This optimizes the growing environment and improves yields. This microclimate is monitored and fine-tuned automatically using the greenhouse climate control technology that includes heating, cooling, humidification, ventilation, and screening systems to create ideal growing conditions. The closed-loop system consumes up to 95 percent less water compared to traditional outdoor cultivation methods. Dürr’s intelligent ventilation concept also reduces resource usage by precisely conditioning the temperature and moisture content of the air and distributing the air throughout the greenhouse. Another special feature: in higher latitudes, where daylight is limited especially in the winter months, optional LED lights can be installed. These lights activate only when the required amount of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR in mol/m²/day) falls below the required threshold – ensuring constant output with minimal energy usage.

Combined expertise from mechanical engineering and agriculture
The EcoY solution combines expertise from various areas. For the design, installation, and commissioning of the turnkey farm, Dürr contributes vast know-how from plant manufacturing – especially in ventilation and climate technology for paint shops – alongside proven international project management. Dürr’s intelligent software from the DXQ product family is also part of the project scope and is constantly being developed further. For its part, CAN-Agri, Dürr’s partner, provides extensive agricultural expertise and innovative cultivation technologies. The company operates its own vertical farm in Pretoria, South Africa, where it uses the grow tubes. The facility also functions as a research and development center, enabling CAN-Agri to collect empirical data and refine its processes and technologies.

In addition to a classic production layout with wet coating, the partners have developed a concept factory with dry coating and the new Z-folder technology: "Our concept factory, and in particular the dry coating process, represent the next generation of battery cell production. Thanks to powerful and innovative technologies, production requires 50 percent less space and energy. For our customers, this means significantly higher space efficiency and lower operating costs," explains Dr. Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr AG.

Efficient and sustainable dry coating 

Instead of conventional slurry, the Activated Dry Electrode® process uses a dry-mixed active material. This powder mixture is pressed into a free-standing film using calender machines, which is then laminated onto both sides of the collector foil. Compared to wet coating, this eliminates the drying process as well as the recovery and treatment of solvents – saving space, energy, and costs.

The free-standing film also offers advantages in terms of material efficiency, as excess film material can be completely returned to the production process before lamination onto the collector foil. After calendering, the coat weight can be measured directly, enabling better control of the coating thickness. The subsequent lamination onto the collector foil requires less force than calendering in the wet coating process, which means that the foil does not deform – improving its processability for downstream notching and stacking.

High-speed cell assembly 

With the new generation of Z-folders, which integrate the notching process, GROB achieves higher performance with less space. For particularly stable and reliable system technology, the separator is guided over a few deflection rollers with very even and low web tension. Thanks to a high-quality magazine buffer system for the electrodes, the system achieves 95 percent availability. 

Precise electrolyte filling with high pressure 

A process developed by Dürr enables battery cells to be filled in a single step without residual gas. Unlike the conventional process, the electrolyte is filled directly into the cells at up to 30 bar. The filling pressure is thus two to three times higher than the current industry standard. The process design enables precise dosing and shortens both the filling process and the subsequent penetration of the electrolyte into the active material. 

End-to-end digitalization 

The equipment technology from Dürr and GROB is complemented by end-to-end digital mapping of the production process. Even in the planning phase before production starts, a digital twin enables simulation of the entire factory and speeds up implementation on site. The data from the simulation flows into the MES/MOM software of Dürr’s subsidiary iTAC, which can be used to control and plan all production steps in battery manufacturing. Important functions here are traceability and quality analysis to avoid errors in production. This results in high overall equipment effectiveness.

Innovations in wet coating 

Dürr has also further optimized its technologies in terms of performance and energy efficiency in the classic wet coating process. One example is the automation of the coating station and the slot dies, which form a closed control loop for the layer thickness – resulting in faster production start-up and reduced scrap rate.

In the subsequent drying process, battery manufacturers can use laser dryers to achieve a 50% faster web speed and particularly energy-efficient drying. After drying, the electrode coating is densified using calendering machines. The machines from Dürr’s subsidiary Ingecal work with particular precision using “Dynamic Gap Control”: two sensors measure the distance between the two rollers with an accuracy of 0.5 µm. This results in a very uniform layer thickness, with no more force being applied than necessary. Dürr Ingecal's calenders are used for both wet coating and dry coating to compress the film.

At the Battery Show Europe 2025 from June 3 to 5, Dürr and GROB will be presenting their concept factory as a physical 3D model, along with other technologies from the field of battery production, at their joint booth E50 in Hall 10 of the Stuttgart Exhibition Center. 

Dürr will be appearing with a new name concept for the first time. Dürr is bringing together its products for electrode coating and electrolyte filling under the new name “X.Cellify.” 

Latest robot generation for painting process 
The plant’s painting lines are equipped with Dürr's EcoRP series robots in both 6-axis and 7-axis models, automating interior and exterior painting in coordination with handling robots. The 7-axis robot also assists with opening the hoods, while the 6-axis robot efficiently paints the exterior of the vehicles.

Innovative technology drives sustainable production 
BYD has adopted Dürr's EcoBell3 high-speed rotary atomizer to ensure flawless painting quality with uniform shade, flow, and layer thickness. In combination with advanced environmental and color-changing technology, the atomizer family enables fast color changes and reduces energy consumption.

The integration of the standardized and modular EcoSupply P special paint system from Dürr will further increase efficiency. The piggable system returns paint residue to the container, leaving no residue. This significantly reduces both paint and solvent residue.

For BYD's various EV models, Dürr has customized flexible-action feather rollers cleaning robots to efficiently remove dust and dirt particles from complex body surfaces. 

Globalized expertise supporting Chinese automakers abroad 
With 139 subsidiaries in 33 countries, Dürr leverages its global project experience and localized networks across Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America to provide comprehensive support for Chinese automakers in their international expansion.  Dürr’s expertise in local regulations, engineering design, equipment manufacturing, and intelligent control ensures efficient project execution, helping Chinese automotive companies establish a strong overseas presence. 

Cathodic electrocoating: flexible, compact, and scalable 

After pretreatment, the bodies are conveyed to the cathodic electrocoating system. This process ensures that a seamless primer coat is applied to the body’s surfaces, providing corrosion protection and serving as an adhesive base for future topcoats. In contrast to conventional PT/EC systems, EcoProWet is the only system on the market that is scalable and sets new standards in terms of space requirements, sustainability, and investment costs. 

The innovative design of the EcoProWet EC system features individual compact basins instead of continuous systems filled with paint. Two independently controllable pendulum towers lift the car bodies from the roller conveyor and gently guide them into the bath. With an immersion angle of up to 60 degrees, automakers can customize the immersion process for different models. Each dip tank supports up to ten units per hour. During the three- to five-minute dip, the paint is energized, forming a thin even coating on the body surface. 

The EcoProWet system is ideal for small to medium production capacities. Its modular design allows for staged expansion from 7.5 to 30 units per hour without significant operational disruptions. This enables automotive manufacturers to scale the system according to their production needs, reducing paint and operating costs compared to continuous systems. Additionally, it minimizes the space required for a paint shop while allowing for a flexible layout. 

All-in-one solution

The EcoProBooth, combined with the EcoBell4 Pro generation, enables both vehicle interiors and exteriors to be painted in the same booth using either solvent- or water-based paints. The universal atomizers generate narrow jets for the interior and wide jets for the exterior, including the use of metallic paints. This eliminates the need to move car bodies between spray booths, which saves time. Tasks are distributed effectively, allowing idle robots to undergo cleaning or maintenance without production downtime. For this, robots can move to integrated service cubicles located in each corner of the spray booth. 

Maximum production and energy efficiency 

The booth size accommodates all car types, from compact models to SUVs. Instead of a traditional linear layout with fixed cycle times, the painting boxes are arranged in a parallel production layout such as Dürr’s "paint shop of the future". This allows for flexible tact times and maximum efficiency. Additionally, EcoProBooth achieves a 95% air recirculation rate, using only 5% fresh air—minimizing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. In total, it reduces energy use by up to 80% compared to wet scrubbers in classic lines and by 45% compared to conventional dry scrubbers in line. 

The 5th annual PACE Pilot program was presented by Automotive News. The competition was open to suppliers and startups that invented products, software/IT systems or processes and idea incubators that have the capacity to transform the automotive industry. The Automotive News PACE Pilot program is leading the way in distinguishing global emerging innovators. 

Energy efficient and economical

Oxi.X RE systems purify the solvent-laden exhaust air from production processes by oxidizing nearly all organic substances at temperatures between 800°C and 900°C. Despite these high temperatures, the system uses minimal primary energy due to its integrated regenerative heat exchanger, which preheats inflowing exhaust air to nearly 800°C using energy from previously purified exhaust air. Once the Oxi.X RE reaches operating temperature, it runs autothermally (i.e., without the need for gas or heating oil), even with a very low solvent load. This not only reduces energy costs but also makes the air pollution control system extremely economical and productive.

Technically, this efficiency is achieved through special ceramic honeycomb bodies in the heat exchanger, which can store and transfer substantial heat thanks to their high thermal conductivity and large surface area. The design enables the process to be highly energy-efficient recovering over 96% of the energy required to operate the system through the integrated heat exchanger, meaning that only around 4% needs to be supplied externally. The newly installed Oxi.X RE also leverages the solvent energy from the exhaust air to heat the thermal oil for the ovens, thereby covering the heat supply for the production plant. This approach positively impacts Orafol’s carbon footprint.

Turnkey complete solution

Orafol operates thirteen air pollution control systems, in its roughly 280,000 m² headquarters, including nine Oxi.X RE systems from Dürr. “Our long-standing cooperation, which also includes service, replacement, and modification, ensures that Dürr’s team understands our requirements well and provides tailored technology that enables us to achieve exhaust air purification results significantly higher than legally required,” explains Marcel Janßen, Senior Vice President Engineering & Technology at the Orafol Group. “Efficient and even productive energy recovery is a crucial component in the sustainable development of our high-performance production infrastructure.” The new RTO system was delivered as a turnkey project, encompassing development, design, production, installation, and commissioning. It included all associated piping and air duct systems between the air pollution control and coating systems, as well as a boiler for generating process steam from the excess heat.

New heat management system increases operational reliability

The new RTO is Dürr’s largest installation for Orafol to date. Previously, two large coating systems were connected to a common air pollution control system – now it’s three. A key innovation is the advanced energy management system, which includes two specialized modules: XtraBalance equalizes temperature differences between the three RTO media chambers packed with ceramic heat exchange material. XtraControl establishes an overall “average system temperature” and monitors it through multiple sensors in the heat exchange tanks and combustion chamber, using the data to control the system. Together, these modules ensure reliable and trouble-free operation, high system availability, and uniform conversion of released energy into usable thermal energy for production. This further reduces operating costs and enhances resilience, even under highly fluctuating operating conditions.

Over the many years of successful collaboration, Dürr has precisely and efficiently adapted and optimized its technology to Orafol’s specific needs and operating conditions. Looking ahead, Dürr has already planned for an additional Oxi.X RE system for purifying the exhaust air from the coating systems as part of Orafol’s production hall expansion.

Energy savings through a flexible control window 

Smart AC calculates an energy-optimized range for temperature and humidity based on the specific system and the local climate conditions. The minimum and maximum values define the setpoint range, which is displayed to the system operator as a ‘control window.’ The larger the window, the less energy is required to control the heating, cooling, and water input. Traditionally, supply air systems have been set to fixed setpoint values that maintain safe margin from critical limits for the paint application, often leading to unnecessary heating or cooling. “Our digital solution, with its optimized control strategy, enables precise and efficient regulation of supply air systems within a defined range,” explains Jens Häcker. “Instead of conditioning air to a fixed temperature, such as of 23°C, the system can flexibly adjust between 21°C and 25°C. This reduces consumption while maintaining consistently high coating quality”

An intuitive user interface provides operators with real time insights into all relevant data, ensuring end-to-end process transparency. The overview displays current consumption values of the conditioning modules, setpoint values and trends for booth conditions, control options, and a detailed comparison energy consumption between window control compared to the previous point control method. The impact is illustrated with the following example: An air supply system for base coat and clear coat lines with a capacity of 350,000 m3/h operates with 80% recirculated air, and 30% of the days require a rapid adjustments due to weather fluctuations. Regardless of the location, annual energy costs using the flexible window approach were approximately 30,000 euros lower. The warmer and more humid the climate, and the higher the energy cost, the greater the potential savings.

Advanced Analytics Smart AC is a new module of the DXQequipment.analytics software developed by Dürr for acquiring, evaluating, and visualizing robot and process data. To support more sustainable operation of supply air systems, Smart AC can be integrated into both new and existing systems.

Last year, Dürr and GROB expanded their machine and system portfolios for the production of battery cells and made them more efficient. Process steps previously covered by Manz can be taken over by the two remaining partners.

The strategic cooperation focuses on the automotive sector and the market for stationary battery storage systems, which are experiencing a significant increase in demand. Stationary storage systems absorb surplus energy from solar and wind power so that fluctuations in the electricity supply can be balanced out. They also serve as home storage solutions for solar power from private systems.

The strategic cooperation focuses on the automotive sector and the market for stationary battery storage systems, which are experiencing a significant increase in demand. Stationary storage systems absorb surplus energy from solar and wind power so that fluctuations in the electricity supply can be balanced out. They also serve as home storage solutions for solar power from private systems.

Lower consumption of energy and raw materials

The cooperation between Dürr and GROB aims to minimize energy consumption in cell production and increase the quality of the battery cells produced. “We achieve this, on the one hand, through the high availability of our automated machines and systems and, on the other, through a consistent digitalization concept that allows our customers to monitor all production steps,” explains Dr. Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr AG.

In December, Dürr received a major order from the Italian battery manufacturer FIB and will install a turnkey system for electrode coating at the plant in Teverola near Naples. The plant is designed for the production of lithium-ion battery cells with a total output of 8 gigawatt hours per year.

The cooperation partners are already implementing their first projects together. For example, Dürr and GROB are supplying a European cell manufacturer with machines for the production of high-performance battery cells. Dürr is installing systems for the conventional wet coating of electrodes, which corresponds to the current state of the art,  and is planning a pilot system for efficient and sustainable dry coating. GROB supplies the complete cell assembly based on innovative lamination technology, which enables a significant increase in production speed and therefore low manufacturing costs.

“The Dürr-GROB cooperation stands for the highest quality and reliability in mechanical and plant engineering. Our systems verifiably meet the requirements and specifications of battery cell producers worldwide,” says German Wankmiller, CEO of the GROB Group. GROB is working with several well-known cell manufacturers on the development of production systems.