On July 13, 2026, Kontron announced the launch of a new production line for 5G communication modules in Düsseldorf. For the opening, Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Thomas Jarzombek, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernization, visited the Kontron Automotive GmbH production site.

The facility manufactures 5G automotive network access devices (NADs) and 5G industrial M.2 communication modules. According to the company, Kontron develops these modules at its Berlin site and then manufactures them in Germany. The goal is to strengthen supply chains and reduce dependence on non-European manufacturers.

Applications in Industry, Transportation, and Infrastructure

5G communication modules are used in smart factories, connected vehicles, energy systems, medical devices, critical infrastructure, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications, among others.

According to the company, Kontron is also the only provider of functional modules for the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), the future Europe-wide 5G-based communication standard for rail transport.

"The industrial production of key 5G components in Germany is an important step toward Europe's digital sovereignty. Projects like this demonstrate how innovation, industrial expertise, and strategic foresight can work together to establish future-proof technologies within our own economic sphere, thereby securing and expanding value creation in Germany and Europe,” said Thomas Jarzombek, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernization.

Site with 120 employees

Kontron Automotive GmbH employs approximately 120 people at its Düsseldorf location. The plant features highly automated production lines in a production area of approximately 3,700 square meters, as well as 2,000 square meters of warehouse space.

For 2026, the company plans to manufacture approximately 15 million PCBA assemblies and more than one million electronic control units (ECUs). These production capacities are intended to ensure the mass production of the new 5G communication modules.