The future of Germany as a business location, infrastructure, and energy supply – these were the main topics of a visit by the Baden-Württemberg Ministers of Economic Affairs and Justice to Herrenknecht AG.

March 21, 2025, Schwanau, Germany. Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Tourism, visited the tunnel boring technology manufacturer in Schwanau on Monday at the invitation of Marion Gentges MdL, CDU Member of the State Parliament for the Lahr constituency and Minister of Justice and Migration. In addition to a presentation of Herrenknecht's product range and a factory tour, the program included a discussion with the management of the globally active family company. Germany as a business location, infrastructure, and energy supply were the main topics of the exchange.

Economics Minister Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut was impressed by the global presence of the tunnel boring machine manufacturer. "With an export share of over 90 percent, Herrenknecht is an outstanding example of medium-sized industry in Baden-Württemberg, which is a global leader in numerous niche markets. Maintaining Germany's attractiveness as a business location means that we must reduce excessive bureaucracy, accelerate approval processes, and provide an efficient infrastructure."

The expansion of the transport and energy infrastructure is also a concern for Dr.-Ing. E.h. Martin Herrenknecht, founder and CEO of Herrenknecht AG. From his work on underground infrastructure projects on all continents, he concludes: "Those who have the best infrastructure have the best future."

Herrenknecht observes that many transport projects in which his company is involved as a machine supplier are implemented significantly faster in Asia or America than in Germany. But one doesn't have to look far afield; one can also see how transport projects are being implemented consistently and expeditiously in neighboring Switzerland.

In his company presentation, the entrepreneur demonstrated the diversity of technologies from Schwanau. These include tunneling technology for drilling foundations for wind farms in the Atlantic and laying the onshore cables that transmit electricity from the wind farm to the mainland's power grid.

Geothermal energy also offers great potential for environmentally friendly heat generation. Bavaria is currently the leader in geothermal energy in Germany. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Martin Herrenknecht commented: "In the Upper Rhine Graben, we have excellent geological conditions for heat from the earth. In the coming years, geothermal projects will also be built between Mannheim and Lörrach, supplying communities and industry with heat."

How to meet the demand for skilled workers in Baden-Württemberg's industry was another topic discussed between the company and the two ministers. Employees from 53 nations work at Herrenknecht in Schwanau. The company recruits highly qualified welders, for example, from almost every European country. Marion Gentges, Minister of Justice and Migration, said: "For demographic reasons alone, we need a regulated influx of skilled workers from abroad."

Business representatives and ministers agreed: the exchange between businesses and politicians is beneficial.

source: Translated from Herrenknecht press release in German.