“Thoroughness before speed”

Over the past several months, working groups have been actively preparing the expansion of the Bauerfeind headquarters in Zeulenroda, Germany, which includes plans for logistics and a new production hall. Rainer Berthan, CEO, shares his insights into the next phase of growth for the organization.

Mr. Berthan, it feels like everyone is eager to know when the construction work in Zeulenroda will begin.

I understand the anticipation, but we’re looking at fall 2025 at the earliest for the groundbreaking ceremony. We need to thoroughly consider every aspect of the Zeulenroda Site Expansion Project, along with the related construction efforts – and then plan the budget and secure financing for all the necessary investments. And we are wise to prioritize thoroughness over speed at this point! 

But Bauerfeind will still be making significant investments in Zeulenroda, Remscheid and Gera in the coming years?

Yes, because we have a strong foundation in Germany. It is based on a high-performing workforce, a reliable infrastructure and our proximity to our customers. By expanding in Germany, we are investing in our foundation: the stability and growth of our company and our teams.

Back to Zeulenroda: what are the next steps?

We are assessing both medium- and long-term needs for logistics and production, as well as for raw materials storage and research and development. In addition to considering the required dimensions and the decisions we need to make, we are also dependent on planners and authorities. We have to obtain offers from service providers and submit building applications to the municipality, while continuously refining our planning basis. A confirmed item on our agenda is the launch of our energy hub. 

What is an “energy hub”?

This is about ensuring sufficient power supply in the future. We need to update and optimize our heating technology, also to align it with new requirements. This includes replacing gas heaters with heat pumps and gradually connecting existing buildings to the new system. If everything goes according to plan, the groundbreaking ceremony for the energy hub will take place in fall 2025, marking the first visible, structural milestone of the site expansion.

And what about logistics and production?

We must remain patient as we finalize the size and scope, submit the required applications, and complete additional steps. Once we have obtained the building permits, we can say more. If things progress quickly, this could be the case by summer of 2025 for logistics.