Competitiveness for Europe and Germany
World-class location through freedom and a market economy
Many medium-sized mechanical engineering companies have strong roots in their home region and are highly competitive worldwide. To keep it that way, good conditions for Germany as a business location and a supportive industrial policy are necessary. The VDMA emphasizes that the state and the EU should interfere as little as possible in the day-to-day business of companies. Instead, they should create good framework conditions that promote competition.
A central goal, especially in the current geopolitical situation, is technological sovereignty. This means that Europe must be in a position to either develop critical technologies itself or source them from other regions of the world without becoming dependent. However, it is not about complete technological independence, but about remaining flexible and promoting innovative strength.
Germany faces major challenges as a business location
Excessive reporting obligations, more and more bureaucracy and at the same time an obvious mistrust of the economy are causing the new VDMA President Bertram Kawlath great concern.
Mechanical engineering invests in Germany
Germany is suffering from clearly visible location problems - and domestic industry in particular is suffering as a result. But at the same time, Germany still has many strengths as a business location, including an industrial SME sector that wants to remain internationally competitive in the future with a great deal of innovative strength. This is why companies are spending a lot of money and investing in their domestic plants and research facilities, modernizing and expanding them.
.jpg/35a21b07-1779-6535-1ba4-68e54d4bec27)
The family-owned company Kärcher has put a new, fully automated high-bay warehouse into operation at its Bühlertal production plant. The total investment for the new building amounts to 16 million euros.
ZF Friedrichshafen is investing 14.3 million euros in its new logistics center in Plant 1 at the Friedrichshafen location. The aim of the investment is to optimize the local material flow and make the infrastructure more efficient.
The machine tool manufacturer DMG MORI is building its European headquarters and technology center in Munich. The company is renting a building near the Olympic Park with a floor area of 10,000 square meters.
Gerabronn, Öhringen and Criesbach: Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, manufacturer of measurement and control systems for liquids and gases, will invest around 70 million euros in these three locations from 2023.
The manufacturer of precision gearboxes and drive systems, Neugart GmbH, has opened its new Plant 3 in Kippenheim. The plant and the associated increase in capacity will enable orders to be processed faster and more efficiently.
The machine and plant manufacturer Gea is investing 80 million euros in a new pharmaceutical technology center in Elsdorf in the Rhineland. Completion and opening is planned for the second half of 2025.
The family-owned company is investing in the expansion and modernization of its Ludwigsburg logistics center. The plan is to develop it into the hub of Lapp logistics throughout Europe.
Weidmüller is expanding its headquarters in Detmold with a new production building. The new building in Ohmstraße will be used for the production of electronic components, among other things. The plant is currently in the production ramp-up phase.
Samson is pressing ahead with the largest innovation project in its more than 100-year history and is relocating its company headquarters and largest production facility to Offenbach am Main by 2027. Investment sum: around 400 million euros.
In autumn 2024, Multivac put a new competence center for slicing solutions into operation in Buchenau (Dautphetal). Around 15 million euros were invested.
The ebm-papst Group opened a new high-speed technical center in December 2024. Here, 70 employees work on the interdisciplinary development and production of compact and energy-efficient turbo compressors.
In order to remain competitive at the Frankenthal site in the future, KSB is comprehensively renewing the established Eta production facility by 2029 in line with the latest technological and energy standards.
The technology group is building the new headquarters of Körber Technologies GmbH in Hamburg for more than 200 million euros. The building complex is being constructed in the future Bergedorf Innovation Park and covers 50,000 square meters.
From training centers and technology hubs to production plants: investments are also being made in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in Germany. We show exciting examples.
From training centers and technology hubs to production plants: investments are also being made in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in Germany. We show exciting examples.
Related content
Your contact
