Investment in Portage headquarters underscores growth in solar industry - hundreds of new advanced manufacturing and R&D jobs created.

Company

10/5/2023 / Portage

Founded in Austria in 1945, Fronius is still a family-owned and operated business. However, it has become a global player in welding, battery charging and, since the late 1990s, solar energy in particular. As one of the world's leading manufacturers of solar inverters, Fronius also offers various solutions in the residential solar market. The high-tech company has been active in the USA 2002. Last year, Fronius broke through the $1 billion mark in global sales and is investing heavily in additional production lines and new jobs around the world to meet the massive growth in the solar markets.

Solar boom brings hundreds of new jobs to Portage, Indiana

"We are very pleased to announce that Portage, Indiana is a key part of our business development strategy. Fronius USA will invest in its 400,000-square-foot manufacturing facility to add new solar inverter production lines, a new data center and to hire new research and development engineers. Today, Fronius USA has approximately 200 employees, and by the end of next year, that number will increase and more than double up to 500. This will create a wide range of jobs, from advanced manufacturing, technical support, and sales positions to software developers," said Klaus Strassmair, Managing Director at Fronius USA.

"The business-friendly environment in Portage, Indiana, combined with the large pool of highly skilled workers in Northwest Indiana, is why we are investing in this area. The solar boom in the United States offers great opportunities for sustainable business and a healthy climate. We made the decision to build new manufacturing capacity in the US years before the announcement to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), but of course it accelerated our activities to get started earlier with US-manufactured solar inverters," said Elisabeth Strauss, CEO of Fronius International and granddaughter of company founder Gunter Fronius.

Investment in research and development

We just started a few weeks ago with 12 new, highly skilled, and well-paid engineering jobs such as software developers or electrical engineers. Our new R&D offices and high-tech electrical engineering laboratory provide the perfect environment for innovation and business development in the Mid-West. We will be able to test and analyze our products and even perform pre-certification tests on our inverters. We are delighted that these investments in jobs and infrastructure are already up and running and delivering very good results. All of these Fronius investments result in indirect value to the local Portage economy, from third-party software developers to local contractors, electricians and other service providers. The local R&D team is expected to grow to 50 engineers in the next years.

We are Fronius - global family business with a generous benefits package

One thing that hasn't changed in the 75 years of the company's existence is that our corporate philosophy is based on the value of community. Now in its third generation of family ownership, Fronius offers an attractive and, above all, stable workplace. We offer a generous benefits package, including a flexible work schedule with hybrid options, available personal time off (PTO) and 11 paid holidays, an employer-matched 401(k), 100% medical, dental and vision coverage for employees and 50% company paid medical, dental and vision coverage for your entire family. It's no coincidence that we're also a certified “Great Place to Work”. We are constantly working to improve ourselves and our products. This is the only way to develop the best solutions - for our customers and for ourselves. That's how we inspire solutions for an exciting future, and that's not just our company objective. This approach underlines how important innovation is to us as a technology company.

Justina Payne, Head of Technical Support Solar Energy at Fronius USA

“With their support for growth and learning, Fronius has empowered me to effectively leverage my education and skills. Throughout my 10+ years with Fronius, I have successfully transitioned from a Technical Support Representative to a Team Leader and, ultimately, to the Head of Technical Support National. This journey is a testament to the company’s dedication to nurturing talent and promoting excellence”, said Justina Payne, Head of Technical Support for Solar Energy, Portage, Indiana.

Fronius USA management is pleased to invite the interested public of Portage to our Open House on October 19th, 2023, and offers tours to schools, local media or interested communities upon request.

We are Fronius.

Founded in 1945 as a regional one-man operation, we are now a global player - a fact that is impressively demonstrated by our 37 international subsidiaries and our network of sales partners in more than 60 countries, over 7,000 employees worldwide, and 1,446 active patents: that’s us, that’s Fronius. And yet, at our core, we are still a family-owned company from Austria, active in photovoltaics, welding, and battery charging technology. We have always developed products and solutions for a future worth living, offering our customers an all-in-one package in the process: from advance planning and consulting to ongoing monitoring and a repair service tailored to their specific needs. We are innovative. We are curious. We are Fronius.