The fourth Pöttinger production plant was officially opened on June 11, 2021. Together with the company owners, the management team, employees and a small gathering of invited guests attended the handover of the new plant in St. Georgen near Grieskirchen (AT). The first expansion phase was completed in just one year at an investment of EUR 25 million ($30.3 million). The very strong order situation and the limited space available at the main plant mean that construction needs to continue quickly. That's why the groundbreaking ceremony for the next phase took place at the same time.
In addition to the main plant in Grieskirchen (AT) that manufactures grassland implements, the seed drill plant in Bernburg (DE), the tillage plant in Vodnany (CZ) and the new plant now complete the quartet. Round balers and large rakes will be manufactured here.
The first phase, which provides 68,000 square feet of production space on a site of 42 acres, was completed in the record time of just one year. In order to be able to support the ongoing growth of the company, Pöttinger designed the new production plant in such a way that, when completed, it will offer a production area similar to the manufacturing plant at headquarters.
The groundbreaking ceremony held during the official opening marked the start of construction on the second expansion phase. This new stage means an expansion of about twice the current production area and an investment of around another EUR 45 million. In future, the high-quality paintwork of the machines will also be carried out at the new plant. Cathodic dip painting is an environmentally friendly coating process. No solvent is used in the mixing and application of the coatings. This gives Pöttinger machines eye-catching paintwork that has a longer service life. That, too, is sustainability.
"We are pleased with the positive development of our business and want to use the momentum of current demand to achieve sustainability by expanding distribution and introducing new products. This development will be supported in the best possible way by these expansion phases," says Gregor Dietachmayr, Spokesperson for the Management Team, delighted with the ongoing expansion work.
Back to Nature
Sustainability is also a priority in the construction of the new buildings.
- That is why wood has been used throughout as a renewable building material.
- Implementing a green roof reduces the effects of soil sealing to a minimum.
- Underfloor heating has been implemented to make optimum use of the residual heat from the production processes.
- Energy-saving measures such as the use of LED technology, high-quality thermal insulation and heat recovery are already part of the philosophy at Pöttinger.
The natural exterior design promotes biodiversity: A 65,000 square foot flowering meadow in front of the plant and several beehives provide further integration into the natural surroundings.
"The natural outdoor environment features wooded and lawn areas as open spaces for employees to enjoy during their breaks," says an enthusiastic Jörg Lechner, the managing director responsible for the construction project. He goes on to say: "The new building will create additional value in the region as we once again strengthen our roots in Austria; a production location with high quality standards."
Around 60 employees will start assembling the IMPRESS round baler and TOP large rakes. The assembly line is an ergonomic workplace designed to the highest standards. "When the additional building has been completed, we will be able to offer another 30 to 40 people a high-quality workplace here," says Jörg Lechner, who is responsible for production.
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