• Groundbreaking with political and company representatives
• Wind turbine production already in 2017
• Project leadership transferred to Carsten-Sünnke Berendsen
Siemens new offshore plant in Cuxhaven is quickly progressing. Only one year after the initial investment decision, construction at the building site is already beginning. Soil compaction and the preparation of the pile foundation, with 1,900 concrete piles, have already been completed. Construction of the actual building was officially started by Siemens with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Parliamentary State Secretary Enak Ferlemann, who emphasized the importance of the project for Germany’s coastal economy and future energy infrastructure. “A new industry is developing at the German north and east coast which is not only beneficial for the labour market, but also for the energy transition. Cuxhaven is clearly on a solid course for the future.”
Günter Willbold, Head of Siemens Real Estate Germany, also praised the project. As Siemens’ first new factory in Germany in 20 years, the project clearly demonstrates “that Germany also has a future in production sites,” said Willbold. Daniela Behrens, Secretary of State in the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economics, called the project “the most important anchor for the German industrial offshore center in Cuxhaven. The offshore industry is key to the success of Germany’s energy transition.”
Sharing the groundbreaking spade with Behrens was Uwe Santjer, member of Lower Saxony’s parliament. Further cuts of the spade were done by the mayor of Cuxhaven, Ulrich Getsch and Hans-Joachim Stietzel, Head of the agency for the economic development of the City of Cuxhaven. On behalf of Siemens and the Wind Power and Renewables Division, CEO Markus Tacke introduced the new project manager Carsten-Sünnke Berendsen. As planned, he is taking on the project with the start of the building construction. Tacke thanked the predecessor of Berendsen, Thorsten Granzow, for his energetic efforts within the scope of planning and previous construction work.
