cellcentric Boosts Hydrogen Fuel Cell Production with Appointment of Kai Woerner

Here’s a big step forward in the race toward zero-emission transport and sustainable energy: cellcentric has just named industry veteran Kai Woerner as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director. Starting January 2026, Kai will be at the helm of day-to-day operations, steering the industrialization of hydrogen fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicles. This move comes as the 50:50 joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group shifts gears from prototypes to full-scale manufacturing at its Weilheim an der Teck campus in Baden-Württemberg’s Stuttgart region, where more than 560 people are already on the payroll.

Key Appointment and Operational Mandate

Before hopping on board at cellcentric, Kai Woerner racked up a ton of experience in the automotive and battery worlds. He ran operations across Europe and the US as COO at AESC, rolling out battery plants worldwide. Then at Volkswagen’s PowerCo, he oversaw Global Manufacturing, dialing in quality and boosting output. Earlier stints at Bosch saw him manage a plant in Charleston and fine-tune processes in Hildesheim. Now, he’s diving into everything from digital quality checks and lean manufacturing to strategic supplier tie-ins. Expect him to shake things up with advanced analytics and AI-powered process tweaks, all to make cellcentric’s production lines sing.

Technical Deep Dive: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems

At the core of cellcentric’s mission are its high-power fuel cell technology systems, designed to push out over 200 kW for long-haul trucks and coaches. Think membrane electrode assemblies loaded with platinum-group catalysts to get hydrogen and oxygen reacting efficiently, plus smart water and thermal management to keep everything at just the right humidity and temperature. Precision-machined bipolar plates guarantee even gas flow, while the balance-of-plant bits—compressors, humidifiers and heat exchangers—are dialed in for peak performance. Safety isn’t an afterthought either: robust leak detectors and explosion-proof designs are built in from the start. Under Kai’s watch, the tech team will be fine-tuning these processes to squeeze out more uptime and longer stack lifespans.

Scaling Up for Industrial Production

Going from lab-scale pilots to factory floors is a huge leap. Over at Weilheim, they’re fitting out the plant with automated assembly cells, collaborative robots, and a digital twin platform for live monitoring. The space itself is modular, so you can swap out production lines on the fly as the tech evolves. With more than 560 staffers on board, cellcentric’s rolling out hands-on training in Six Sigma and predictive maintenance. Kai’s also beefing up supply chain resilience by multi-sourcing key materials like membranes and catalysts. And with strict hydrogen handling protocols baked into every training module, the team’s set to meet (and exceed) European safety standards.

The Stuttgart Edge

You can’t talk about heavy-duty transport without tipping your hat to Baden-Württemberg’s roots. With giants like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche in its backyard and a network of over 300 specialized suppliers, the region is a hotbed for automotive talent. Top universities and research institutes in Stuttgart, Karlsruhe and Tübingen keep the talent pipeline full, too. Being based in Weilheim an der Teck means cellcentric can tap right into this ecosystem for rapid prototyping and joint R&D. Kai’s quick to point out events like the f-cell conference and Battery+Storage expo as prime spots to swap ideas and feed the latest innovations straight back into the production line—fueling the growth of hydrogen infrastructure.

Positioning in the Global Fuel Cell Landscape

While folks like Ballard Power Systems zero in on stationary and maritime fuel cells, cellcentric has its sights set on heavy-duty mobility, leveraging OEM channels from Daimler Truck and Volvo Group. The JV is squarely aligned with the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance’s roadmap, aiming for cost cuts that’ll make hydrogen fuel cells stack up against diesel in total cost of ownership. Kai’s challenge? Keeping cellcentric’s roadmap in lockstep with shifting global standards and nailing the specs that truck and coach makers demand.

Driving Heavy-Duty Decarbonization

Decarbonizing heavy-duty transport is no walk in the park—range and payload are huge hurdles. Battery electric rigs handle short hops just fine, but for cross-country runs, hydrogen fuel cells win on fast fill-ups and energy density. cellcentric’s building on trials of Daimler’s GenH2 truck concept and backing industrial decarbonization goals set out in the EU’s Fit-for-55 package. Over at Daimler Buses, their Setra coach is already out on test drives with a hydrogen heart, showing off the tech’s versatility. By ramping up production, cellcentric aims to drive down system costs and help scale up the hydrogen infrastructure that’ll keep these big rigs rolling.

Kai’s arrival also dovetails with Daimler Truck’s decision to push its GenH2 series launch later into the decade—underlining why you need rock-solid, high-volume manufacturing in place before going commercial. As the central piece in this puzzle, cellcentric will coordinate with energy providers, fleet operators and regulators to pave the way for smooth, end-to-end adoption.

But tech alone won’t seal the deal. Success in sustainable energy hinges on some serious teamwork, from catalyst developers to refueling network builders. With Kai Woerner at the wheel, cellcentric is well-placed to turn fuel cell technology from niche demos into a mainstay of zero-emission, heavy-duty transport.

About cellcentric

cellcentric is the 50:50 joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group set up to industrialize fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicles. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in the Stuttgart region, the company employs over 560 people and is busy building out its Weilheim an der Teck factory. On the management board, you’ll find Nicholas Loughlan (CTO & MD), Niklas Ekström (CFO), and now Kai Woerner stepping in as COO & MD.