What company did Tesla acquire in 2016 to automate manufacturing?

Tesla acquired Grohmann Engineering in 2016 to automate manufacturing.

Grohmann was a German engineering company specializing in automated production systems. Tesla announced the deal in November 2016 as it prepared to increase production, especially for the forthcoming Model 3. The company was based in Prüm, Germany, and had experience building equipment for batteries, electronics, and other high-precision products.

The acquisition was intended to strengthen Tesla’s in-house manufacturing expertise rather than simply purchase a conventional parts supplier. Tesla later renamed the business Tesla Grohmann Automation, and it became involved in developing machinery for battery cells, battery modules, and vehicle components.

A common mix-up is the completion date: Tesla announced the acquisition in 2016, but the transaction formally closed on January 3, 2017. Other companies in the options were acquired later or served different strategic purposes. Maxwell Technologies, for example, was acquired for battery and energy-storage technology, while Perbix supplied manufacturing equipment but was a separate acquisition.