1) What’s Next for ebm‑papst Product Localization?
As industries prioritize supply chain resilience and rapid access to essential components, product localization has become a key focus at ebm‑papst. Our commitment to local-for-local sourcing means expanding our North American manufacturing capabilities. We’ve already started with customer favorites like the RadiPac and AxiBlade, and we continue to broaden our size range and product offerings.

By increasing domestic production, we reduce lead times and enhance flexibility in meeting specific market needs. Explore our North America Retrofit Product Brochure for a closer look at our locally produced options.

Why Localization Matters
Localization is more than a manufacturing strategy; it’s a future-focused business philosophy. By producing closer to where our customers operate, we shorten supply chains, reduce transportation emissions, and increase agility in responding to market changes. Localized manufacturing supports regional economies through job creation and reinforces our ability to maintain high standards in quality and compliance. It also strengthens our resilience against global disruptions like tariffs, shipping delays, and geopolitical tensions. At its core, localization empowers us to deliver faster, smarter, and more sustainable solutions tailored to the needs of the North American market.

Building for the Future: U.S. Manufacturing Expansion in Tennessee
The cornerstone of our North American manufacturing strategy is our facility in Telford, Tennessee, where we’ve increased both capacity and headcount to support growing customer demand. Alongside our Farmington, Connecticut location, this site serves as a key hub in our Local4Local manufacturing strategy, allowing us to produce high-demand products like the RadiPac and AxiBlade EC fans domestically.

Our recent investments in the ebm‑papst Tennessee plant not only help us better serve our customers in HVAC, data center, and commercial refrigeration applications, but also protect them from the volatility of international shipping, tariffs, and uncertainty.

“We are fully committed to growing our presence in Tennessee, and elsewhere in North America,” says Mark Shiring, CEO of ebm‑papst Air Technology Americas. “Over the last year, we have increased our investment in the Telford plant with additional capacity and people to serve our customers more reliably and efficiently.”

With this continued U.S. manufacturing expansion, ebm‑papst achieved 50% localized revenue in Q1 of FY25. We’re targeting 65% by FY26 and aiming to reach 85% by 2030—clear evidence of our commitment to reshoring and reinforcing our EC motor manufacturing capabilities.

Proactively Managing Tariff Challenges
The global trade landscape remains complex, with tariffs on components from Mexico, Europe, and China evolving unpredictably. In 2025, this challenge persists. We’ve already taken advanced steps to shield our company and our customers from the bulk of these impacts and will continue to do so.

We’ve assembled a dedicated task force to monitor developments and implement cost management strategies. This includes accelerating localization projects and working closely with customers to ensure transparent communication when tariff-related cost adjustments are unavoidable.

“On the one hand, our commitment to local production gives us a stability advantage,” Shiring says. “On the other hand, the cost and complexity of sourcing some necessary components globally reinforce the importance of practical, long-term trade agreements—especially within North America.”

The Power of the Localization Team
Driving our localized supply chain solutions forward is our newly formed Localization Team, established in April 2024. This agile group has already localized dozens of finished parts and continues to expand our vertical manufacturing capabilities.

Their collaboration with internal departments like Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Design, and Quality has allowed us to streamline timelines and improve responsiveness. With real-time dashboards that track component and equipment status, we’re ensuring transparency and accountability across the globe.

This highly collaborative approach allows us to deliver custom fan solutions for North America faster and more efficiently. It’s not just about producing locally; it’s about building a smarter, stronger ecosystem that supports our customers at every stage.

Local4Local: Designed for Speed, Built for Growth
At ebm‑papst, we’ve significantly expanded our local R&D capabilities by building a dedicated team, complete with on-site testing facilities, to develop optimal solutions for the North American market. Over the past two years, this team has tripled in size and now includes experts in motor development, aerodynamics, electronics, and UL compliance, enabling us to offer customers deeper technical support and system optimization. Our Local4Local approach combines global innovation with local insight. By investing in U.S.-based R&D, manufacturing, distribution, and service, we can deliver plug-and-play air technology solutions that meet the specific requirements of our North American customers. Whether it's a data center in Texas or a refrigerated warehouse in Ontario, our fans are now designed and built closer to where they’re used.

From concept to delivery, our agile manufacturing model gives customers the flexibility to adapt quickly to changing needs, something that’s especially critical in today’s fast-paced business environment. Invested in You isn’t just a tagline; it’s our philosophy. “Our customers know we’re not just selling components,” says Shiring. “We’re delivering a partnership backed by speed, reliability, and local expertise.”

Leading the Way in EC Motor Innovation
For more than 40 years, ebm‑papst has pioneered energy-efficient EC air technology solutions in Europe. Now, we’re bringing that same spirit of innovation to our operations in the Americas. With a growing base of EC fan manufacturing in the U.S., we’re better equipped than ever to meet the demands of mission-critical industries across the region.

Our expanded product portfolio, including locally produced models in our North America Retrofit Product Brochure, offers customers more choices, faster availability, and tailored performance. We’ve already started with customer favorites like the RadiPac and AxiBlade, and we continue to broaden our size range and product offerings. And with our eye on sustainable growth, we continue to engineer low-energy, high-efficiency air movement solutions that help reduce environmental impact while supporting customer success.

Want to learn how our local manufacturing in North America can support your next project? Contact our team to explore how our air technology solutions—now manufactured closer to home—can reduce lead times, mitigate risk, and fuel your growth.