ZEISS Industrial Quality & Research Division Announce Facilities Expansion
The ZEISS Group recently announced that it continues to invest in Ostwuerttemberg, Germany. The company remains committed to its growth strategy. “Innovations and increasing employee numbers need space to develop,” says Dr. Christian Müller, Chief Financial Officer of the ZEISS Group and responsible for Business Services & Infrastructure. “We are pleased that, together with the city of Aalen, we have succeeded in finding areas for our further development in Ostwuerttemberg.” Around 2,000 employees of the ZEISS Industrial Quality & Research (IQR) division, who are currently mainly based in Oberkochen, will work at the planned site. The expansion is part of a long-term growth strategy for the entire ZEISS Group: “In Ostwuerttemberg alone, driven by the ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology division, we are planning investments of more than 600 million euros in the coming years,” Dr. Christian Müller continued.
Continuous Growth
ZEISS is one of the pillars of Germany as an industrial location and continuously invests in its locations. ZEISS is growing in Jena, Wetzlar, Dresden and at other locations in Germany and worldwide. In Ostwuerttemberg, ZEISS’s solid growth over the years is pushing the Oberkochen research and production site to its capacity limits. “With the new space in Aalen-Ebnat, we are gaining space for the development of a building infrastructure that will offer state-of-the-art laboratories and production facilities in addition to modern workplaces. This ensures our long-term competitiveness and the innovative edge of our research and development capacities. At the same time, they offer the necessary flexibility to gradually lead the building stock at the main plant in Oberkochen into the future,” says Dr. Jochen Peter, member of the Executive Board of the ZEISS Group and responsible for the ZEISS Industrial Quality & Research (IQR) division.
Positive Signal Region
“ZEISS and many of our employees feel at home in Ostwuerttemberg. As a highly specialized and innovative company, the professional skills of its employees and the close local links are decisive location factors for ZEISS. With the planned development, we are clearly committed to the region. We stand for secure jobs and reliable municipal growth and stability. This continues to apply without restriction to Oberkochen – and also to Aalen,” explains Dr. Christian Müller.
ZEISS is currently working together with the city of Aalen on the construction plan. “As soon as the plans have taken shape, we first inform our employees, followed by the interested public,” says Dr. Müller.
Dr. Joachim Bläse, District Administrator of the Ostalbkreis: “This announcement is a positive signal for the entire Ostwuerttemberg region: ZEISS’s clear commitment to the district is an even stronger sign at a time when companies are considering leaving Germany as a business location and migrating to other regions of the world.”
Aalen’s Lord Mayor Frederick Brütting also welcomes ZEISS’s decision for Aalen and the region: “We are delighted that we have found suitable space in Ebnat together with ZEISS and that we are now starting joint planning. ZEISS is a pillar of the region and promises a very good development of Aalen as a business location in the future. As a city administration, we will fully support the investment.”
For more information: www.zeiss.com/metrology
