Through the development of charging infrastructure solutions and battery technology, Staad plays a role in the energy transition. In recent years, the company has grown so much into this role that a battery production facility has been established to meet the increasing demand for battery packs—or Powerboxes, as Staad calls them. But this would not be possible without the people behind the scenes. They contribute to shaping the future every day. We spoke with an enthusiastic workshop manager there, Jos Nuchelmans.
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Jos joined Staad four years ago as an assembly technician for battery packs. Before that, he had worked as an electrician in the construction industry for 33 years. “I was working on all kinds of projects throughout the country. That sometimes meant long travel times, and I didn't want to deal with that anymore. My wife, who worked at Staad at the time, tipped me off about the vacancy for an assembly technician, and that is how I ended up at Staad.” In this early period of electric excavators, we manufactured 140 kWh boxes in a corner of the workshop in Veghel. After that, production was moved to Vinkel. “We were there for a year and a half, and then we had outgrown our premises because the demand for batteries kept increasing.” The 140 kWh boxes have a limited capacity and are intended for smaller machines. “Staad had the ambition to electrify the large excavators as well. To be able to operate these machines for longer, Staad developed the Powerbox 400 battery pack.”
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A year and a half ago, a new location with more production space was found in Oss. Staad was also able to utilize existing permits granted for this location. Due to the raw materials in the batteries, the production of the Powerboxes falls under the category of heavy industry. Battery production in Oss has access to two halls and a large shipping container on the outdoor site. One of the two halls is used for the storage of parts, while the assembly of the Powerboxes takes place in the second hall. “We test the Powerboxes in the shipping container, which must comply with strict legal requirements. The container, where three Powerboxes can be tested simultaneously, is equipped with all necessary safety features, including a sprinkler system, a smoke detection system, and a fire extinguishing system. The Powerboxes are only certified after the testing phase, so that the user knows they have a safe battery pack at their disposal.”
I am quite proud when I see a machine running with a battery that we made.
500 times Powerbox 400
Jos is proud of 'his' workshop. You can see and feel this in the passionate way he talks about his work. “So, we make Powerbox 400 battery packs here, but also Fieldmaster fast chargers (DC) and Fieldmaster inverters (AC),” he explains. “Every week, eight Powerbox 400 battery packs roll off the production line here, already tested. They are then transported by electric truck to our branches in Veghel or Harlingen, where they are installed in the new machines.” Jos enthusiastically recounts that in April, the 500th Powerbox 400 was delivered to the Neder-Betuwe Dike Reinforcement project by Dijkalliantie Neder-Betuwe, consisting of GMB, Ploegam, and Dura Vermeer.
Every week, eight Powerbox 400 battery packs roll out of production here, already tested.
While many electric machines from other brands contain built-in batteries that must be charged on-site, the Powerbox 400 is primarily used as a swap battery in electric earthmoving machines. In addition to powering the machine, a Powerbox can also be used as a stationary battery at a construction site or a festival, or as a charging solution in combination with Fieldmaster fast chargers or inverters. The 'Energy as a Service' concept exists for the Powerbox 400. As part of this service, the battery packs are swapped on-site daily for a fixed fee.
The Fieldmaster DC can be used to charge electric cars and electric machines with a battery pack or rechargeable battery. Additionally, the Fieldmaster AC functions as a traditional mushroom-shaped connector, supplying electricity to everyday equipment as well as the construction site office. This allows the Powerbox 400 to be deployed as a versatile charging solution on the construction site.
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The production site in Oss forms an important link in future developments. For example, intensive work is underway on new Powerbox variants with different kWh capacities. The latest Powerbox 300 with a built-in inverter will go into production this year. This has been developed for the new excavators under the STAAD brand itself, or as a power supply on construction sites for charging various construction site-related power consumers. Jos: “By the end of August, the prototypes must be tested and ready for use in the STAAD 17W. And even later in the year, we will start the development of the Powerbox 500, for the larger excavators. This has the same length and width as the Powerbox 400 and can therefore also be used on the machines where the Powerbox 400 is currently deployed, but it allows for even more operating hours.”
The workload to produce the Powerboxes was high, especially in the beginning. “Many Powerboxes had already been sold before they went into production. As with any new product, there were some teething problems. Once those had been ironed out and the supply of parts had been streamlined, things improved. Fortunately, we were able to resolve those start-up issues relatively quickly.”
The components are delivered separately and assembled in Oss. Four cells are mounted per Powerbox, after which they are connected electrically and mechanically. Electronics handle the control. And thanks to Active Climate Control, the Powerbox never gets too cold or too hot, but can always operate at the optimal temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.
“Working energy-neutrally and emission-free is the future for the current generation and for that of our children,” says Jos. “Things are getting worse and worse on the planet. But perhaps we can still salvage something. At Staad, we can contribute to that recovery with our machines and our battery packs. It is our ambition to build eight hundred excavators per year. If that happens, we will have to move to a larger location again.” According to Jos, the location in Oss plays an important role in making civil engineering (ground, road, and water construction) in the Netherlands more sustainable. He concludes: “The product we make here is beautiful and clean. I am really proud when I see a machine running with a Powerbox battery that we made. The same goes for my colleagues. We have a friendly team here, and it is fun working here. Staad Oss is truly our home.”
This article was published in Grondwerk Magazine, Summer 2026 edition. Would you like to receive this beautiful magazine as well? Then click here.
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