Dürr campus dedicates new modern working environment to 1,500 employees

In the presence of Baden-Württemberg`s minister president, Günther Oettinger, and 200 guests, Dürr has dedicated its new headquarters in Bietigheim-Bissingen today. The Dürr Campus stands for open communication, efficient operational processes, and an energy-saving approach to resources. About 1,500 people are employed at the site, of whom about 900 moved there a few weeks ago from the company`s former headquarters in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

Dürr has invested about EUR 65 million in expanding and modernizing the site, which has a total area of 71,000 square meters. The Dürr Campus features a new, anthracite-colored office complex for engineering, distribution, and administration. The striking building with gross floor space of 39,000 square meters comprises three connected pavilions and embodies the campus concept of fast communication and short paths.

The campus also offers additional space for research and development. The technology center, where Dürr tests new painting and assembly processes, has been enlarged by 2,400 square meters for that purpose. Dürr has built a modern training center for the education of customers and employees. Among other things, five robot zones are available there for practice-oriented user training.

Construction work on the Dürr Campus began in fall 2007 with the building of a new logistics hall and expansion of the technical center. The new office complex was completed on time in July 2009, after only 15 months of construction time.

At the opening ceremony, Dürr AG CEO Ralf Dieter said, `The campus is a signal that we believe in the future and the growth of our markets. It offers our employees a modern working environment in which they can optimally develop their abilities. It is also the backbone, idea factory, and innovation cell of our business.`

The most important target in planning the campus was to arrange work processes more efficiently and to promote exchange among employees.  For that reason, obstacles to communication such as single offices, dividing walls, and doors have been reduced to a minimum. Instead, open-space offices prevail, in which departments blend spatially into one another and informal communication arises.

Dürr is breaking new ground in reducing energy consumption and emissions with the `Campus Energy 21` concept. That combines renewable energy sources such as deep geothermal energy, geothermal exchange, heat recovery, and photovoltaic cells. `Campus Energy 21` also stands for energy-saving design with effective insulation, daylight-controlled lighting, and concrete core activation. Altogether, the concept lowers energy consumption by 50%, and carbon dioxide emissions by 60%.

Baden-Württemberg`s minister president, Günther Oettinger, praised Dürr`s loyalty to the location and the decision `not only to stay in Baden-Württemberg, but to invest here`. He said that Dürr, as `the top address for innovation` had `in the midst of the economic slump, sent out a clear signal against depression` by building the Campus.

The planning of the Dürr Campus was provided by Stuttgart architecture firms AIG Planungsgesellschaft and Schreiner Architekten. The planners from Werkteam in Stuttgart were also called on for the new logistics building and the addition to the technology center.

The campus is the Dürr Group`s largest site. The globally operating mechanical and plant engineering firm has bundled its Germany-based activities there in the areas of painting, assembly, and environmental technology. Before, that business was divided between the sites in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and Bietigheim-Bissingen. The site in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen has now been taken over by neighboring automaker Porsche AG. With about 1,500 employees, Dürr is the largest employer in Bietigheim-Bissingen. The company remains legally domiciled in Stuttgart.

Dürr is a mechanical and plant engineering group that holds leading positions in the world market in its areas of operation. It generates about 85% of its sales in business with the automotive industry. It furthermore supplies the aircraft, machinery, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries with innovative production and environmental technology. The Dürr Group operates in the market with two divisions. The Paint and Assembly Systems division supplies production and painting technology, especially for car bodies. Machinery and systems from the Measuring and Process Systems division are used in engine and transmission manufacturing and in final vehicle assembly, among other areas. Dürr has 44 business locations in 20 countries worldwide. In 2008, the group achieved sales of EUR 1.6 billion and had about 6,100 employees.