According to building site manager Walter Bartholomä, the interior work on the company’s new building is currently in full swing. The screed was recently installed for the floors, tiles are being laid and even rooftop greening is underway. In addition to landscaping and paving of the outdoor areas, work on the façade is also coming along well. Walter Bartholomä is evidently satisfied: “Although the schedule is tight, when I see the outstanding cooperation between Bürkert, the planners and the general contractor Wolff & Müller, I am certain that we will be able to complete the project on schedule. Everyone involved is truly working hand in hand. But the mild weather this winter also helped. There were only a few cold days and hardly any snow, so we were able to work right through.”
After the completion date there will still be six full weeks to prepare the spacious training centre and event area with conference rooms, as well as the other building components for operation. On the occasion of the company’s 70th anniversary on 17 September the Campus Criesbach and the training centre will open their doors to employees and their families as an opportunity to attract future talent from the region, an issue of extreme importance for the manufacturer of automation and valve systems for gases and liquids.
The more complicated phase then begins on 4 October, when the entire production department will be moved from the original site to the new, larger assembly hall. In addition, the introduction of a modern and versatile assembly system will ensure optimal operation of the new site, as well as adaptation of production processes to new conditions.
USA as most important foreign market for Bürkert
Also in the town of Huntersville, located in the Charlotte metropolitan area, a 400,000 square metre lot is currently the construction site for a new company building that will bring the Bürkert US team together under one roof. The new building with a floor area of more than 15,600 square metres will house the production facilities, the delivery warehouse for the US and the offices, in addition to a Bürkert Systemhaus. The Systemhaus teams develop individual, custom-tailored, reliable solutions that are delivered as turnkey systems for the customer's production process. The 20 million euro project also includes an indoor fitness centre with a basketball court for the employees. As the location continues to grow in the coming years, another 50 jobs will be created.
US customers appreciate the quality and reliability of Bürkert products and system solutions, as well as the know-how of the fluidics experts. Since it was founded in 1984 Bürkert USA – especially in the past ten years – has experienced continuous and sustainable growth and now employs 109 people. This growth is due primarily to the close mutual cooperation with the customers and their evolving business needs, which has paved the way for further expansion, necessitating the construction of a large new building in order to serve the increased demand for Bürkert systems and services.
Completion of the Bürkert Campus Huntersville is planned for the third quarter 2016. The local staff of 80 employees, including the constantly growing design and development team, will then move into their friendly, brightly lit offices in a spacious, modern building to begin the next chapter of the success story Bürkert USA – there is plenty of space available for expansion.
