EQS-News: Stabilus SE is strengthening its global growth platform and investing in regional production and distribution infrastructure in the USA, China, Mexico, and Germany

CORPORATE NEWS

Stabilus SE is strengthening its global growth platform and investing in regional production and distribution infrastructure in the USA, China, Mexico, and Germany

• With facilities in 19 countries, Stabilus produces and delivers directly on site, allowing for shorter delivery routes, secure supply, and reduced dependence on global supply chains

• USA: New distribution center in Charlotte and supply contracts worth USD 3 million secure premium presence at around 20,000 points of sale among the top 3 automotive parts retailers

• China: The new production facility in Suzhou brings together Stabilus' expert brands for automation under a single roof, establishing a strong foundation for future growth in the region.

• Mexico: New warehouse capacity at Stabilus Mexico takes advantage of nearshoring trend and increases resilience to customs and supply chain risks

• Germany: ACE strengthens European production and relocates production of industrial and small shock absorbers to the Stabilus sites in Koblenz and Aichwald

Koblenz, May 19, 2026 – Stabilus SE (WKN: STAB1L, ISIN: DE000STAB1L8), one of the world's leading suppliers of motion control solutions for a wide range of industries, is advancing its localization strategy "In the region – for the region" through strategic investments in regional manufacturing and distribution infrastructure. With presence in 19 countries and its own production sites in nine countries, Stabilus produces and supplies directly on site in the world's most important economic areas. Short delivery routes, higher availability and a significantly reduced dependence on global supply chains are a strategic competitive advantage that Stabilus is now consistently pursuing in China, the USA, Mexico and Germany.

Michael Büchsner, CEO of Stabilus, said: "We produce and deliver where our customers are – this is not only a logistics decision, but also a strategic one. Geopolitical tensions and changing customs landscapes show that companies with decentralized, regional structures have a clear advantage. Our investments in Suzhou, Charlotte and Mexico are the next logical step on this path – and they clearly support our medium-term growth ambitions."

USA: New Charlotte distribution center and premium presence in the retail aftermarket

In the US market, Stabilus is consolidating its regional infrastructure with the expansion of its own distribution center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The warehouse creates the logistical basis for a nationwide, reliable supply to the US market – with short lead times and high availability. The investment volume for this project, including the parallel warehouse construction in Mexico, is approximately USD 0.4 million.

This infrastructure decision is directly linked to a recently concluded contract valued at around USD 3 million, which allows Stabilus to become a premium supplier for the three largest auto parts dealers in the US market. As a result, Stabilus is now represented at around 20,000 points of sale nationwide. One major contributor to this success is the integrated product suite that includes gas springs, Powerise drives, and struts for essential vehicle applications. In particular, introducing Powerise solutions to the aftermarket has upgraded the product mix, attracted new customer segments, and significantly improved the average piece price within this segment.

The positive growth momentum in the US retail auto parts market confirms the strategy: Over the past four years, Stabilus has increased sales in this segment by approximately 50 percent to around USD 18 million. Looking ahead, the expanding Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) segment offers the next natural growth option. Stabilus is well positioned, both technologically and commercially, to supply electromechanical drives to this aftermarket sector as well.

Jürgen Roland, Head of the Industrial Components Business Unit at Stabilus, said: "In the US aftermarket, we see what is possible when technology, regional availability and the right product portfolio come together. Powerise has opened doors for us that go far beyond the classic gas spring business. With Charlotte as a regional logistics base, we can keep this momentum – and with the UTV segment, we see an exciting further growth opportunity."

China: New production site in Suzhou bundles expertise for the APAC market

Stabilus has set another substantial milestone in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with the establishment of its new site in Suzhou. For the first time, the expert brands for automation - which primarily include the Stabilus, ACE, and Destaco brands - will be united under one roof, integrating production, development, and service at a single location optimized for the specific needs of Chinese and Asian markets. During the initial phase of expansion, mainly existing assembly lines were relocated, accompanied by conversion and installation initiatives representing an investment of €0.5 million. Manufacturing of ACE products started in Suzhou at the beginning of 2026, with Destaco following in April, demonstrating Stabilus’ commitment to maintaining a sustainable and localized presence for customers in the region.

The location allows Stabilus to respond much faster to customer needs, ensure reliable delivery times and tailor support directly to the requirements of the Chinese industry – in the local language, according to local standards and with the short response times that are particularly important for the Chinese market. In this way, Stabilus proves that global production and quality standards and local proximity go hand in hand.

Mexico: Warehouse expansion opens up nearshoring potential

In Mexico, Stabilus is also further expanding its regional presence by building up new storage capacities. The measure follows the logic of the ongoing nearshoring trend under the USMCA agreement: More and more companies are relocating production capacities to North America, thus strengthening Stabilus' position as a reliable supplier for this growing manufacturing network. Local stockpiling shortens delivery routes, reduces transport risks and enables a faster response to market changes in the region. For industrial automation customers, local warehousing is especially important because it supports local service, billing in pesos, and warehousing — all crucial factors for entering the market.

Germany: ACE strengthens European manufacturing

Stabilus is also consistently expanding local production in Europe. As a first step, ACE Stoßdämpfer, part of the Stabilus Group, has relocated the ACE Magnum series to the main plant in Koblenz and is now strengthening its presence with additional relocations. Its safety and small shock absorbers for the European market, which were previously manufactured in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, will be produced at the Aichwald plant of its sister company Hahn Gasfedern in the future. As a result, products once made in the USA are moving closer to European customers — by 2025, over half of ACE’s more than 8,000 customers were based in Germany, and export rates to other European countries have remained consistently high for years.

Dr. Peter Kremer, Managing Director of ACE, said: "By strengthening our production in Europe, we are boosting value creation and reducing our reliance on global supply chains for customers, employees, and the company. Both the pandemic and energy crisis have shown us that regional production helps prevent bottlenecks. The relocation to Koblenz and Aichwald will enable us to supply our European customers with the appropriate components for each application, in whatever quantity is needed, promptly over the coming years."

Together, the investments in Koblenz, Aichwald, Suzhou, Charlotte and Mexico form the next chapter in Stabilus' consistent localization strategy. They strengthen the Group's operational resilience to geopolitical and supply chain risks, while establishing a robust platform for growth, with the objective of raising the industrial sector’s contribution to approximately 50 percent of total Group revenue by 2030.

Investor contact:
Andreas Schröder
Tel.: +49 261 8900 8198
E-Mail: anschroeder@stabilus.com
Web: ir.stabilus.com

Press contact:
Peter Steiner
Tel.: +49 69 794090 27
E-Mail: stabilus@charlesbarker.de
Charles Barker Corporate Communications

About Stabilus

Stabilus is one of the world's leading providers of motion control solutions for a wide range of industries including mobility, industrial machinery, automation, energy, construction, health, leisure and furniture. Stabilus offers reliable and innovative solutions that enable, enhance and automate precise movement, positioning, opening, closing, lifting, lowering and adjusting actions. The Group, which has its headquarters in Koblenz, has a global production and distribution network with more than seven thousand employees worldwide and generated revenues of €1.3 billion in the 2025 fiscal year. Stabilus SE is listed in the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and is included in the SDAX index. For more information, see group.stabilus.com and ir.stabilus.com.

Important Notice

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Stabilus Group management and other information currently available to Stabilus. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here.