Knorr-Bremse, which claims to be the world market leader for braking systems, has been supplying rail and commercial vehicles with safety-relevant components for over 100 years. The commercial vehicle division includes solutions for trucks, buses, trailers, and agricultural machinery. Now the Munich-based company, which employs around 32,000 people worldwide, wants to transform its largest production plant for truck components in Aldersbach, Lower Bavaria, into a high-tech location and produce components there that support the electrification and automation of commercial vehicles. According to the report, the initial focus is specifically on fully electric steering systems, which will be used not only but also in automated vehicles. The European Union is funding the modernization of the plant, which is expected to cost a total of around 125 million euros.
Expanding the factory area
The plan to expand its largest truck site in Europe, located in Aldersbach, was initiated last week on July 11, 2025, with a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony. In addition to the company's executives, other project participants and representatives from the district and the city attended the event.
The plan now is to expand the area by a quarter of the current factory space and prepare it for the future production of fully electric steering EPS (Electric Power Steering), a development adapted for automated driving functions. The high investments are described in the press release as necessary for "energy-efficient, automated, and digital manufacturing technologies." The leading factory is to be expanded into a high-tech location by 2030, with the expanded area scheduled to be operational by spring 2027.
Optimization of processes
Bernd Spies, a member of the executive board of Knorr-Bremse AG responsible for the commercial vehicle systems division, describes the investment as a commitment to Germany as an economic and production location:
“We rely on the highest quality and efficiency as well as the use of the latest technologies and processes. Our investment decision strengthens the site's digital transformation and ensures groundbreaking and highly efficient infrastructure.”
The project operates under the name "Technology Initiative Aldersbach 2030." According to Wolfgang Krinner, Managing Director of Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicle Systems, the company aims to "consistently optimize" Aldersbach's
production, logistics, and intralogistics processes with the implementation of the project:
“This strengthens our long-term competitiveness and further invests in the production of climate-friendly solutions. Our EPS significantly supports the electrification and automated driving of commercial vehicles.”
Decarbonize
According to reports, Knorr-Bremse's new EPS technology can potentially reduce up to 5.8 million tons of CO2 in Europe. The system reduces the energy or fuel consumption of vehicles through the "power-on-demand principle." The report states:
"This reduces operating costs and overall CO2 emissions, directly contributing to meeting the EU's CO2 targets.”
The funding comes from the EU Innovations Fund, which has set itself the goal of "creating a climate-neutral Europe by 2050" as part of the Paris Climate Agreement. Supported areas include low-carbon technologies for energy-intensive industries. The multi-billion euro fund is reportedly one of the world's largest financing programs aimed at supporting the deployment of innovative decarbonization technologies. Knorr-Bremse reports that in the first ten years of operation, the use of the produced EPS steering systems could save up to 5.8 million tons of CO2 compared to
conventional steering systems.
The company operates the plant founded in 1980 in Aldersbach, not far from Vilshofen an der Donau, as its largest truck site in Europe. Around 1,000 employees from over 30 different countries produce around two million disc brakes and more than five million mechatronic components for braking systems each year.
Extensive network
The communication network of Knorr-Bremse extends across the globe: over 100 locations in more than 30 countries supply customers with solutions from the braking system expert. In 2013, the company, along with Friedrichshafen-based supplier ZF and Stuttgart-based technology group Bosch, founded the franchise workshop network Alltrucks, which today is one of the largest of its kind for commercial vehicle service in Europe. Recently, ZF withdrew from the joint venture and has since focused on expanding its own range of commercial vehicle workshop services in the aftermarket business area under the name ZF [pro]Service.
At Knorr-Bremse, aftermarket activities for commercial vehicles are combined under the TruckServices brand: the offerings cater to dealers, workshops, and fleet operators and include, among other things, technical documentation
