By the spring of 2018, roughly 5,400 square metres of gross floor space will be ready for occupation: a multi-storey office building with a parking area on the basement level, a hall for research + development and one for assembly. The office building will be a split-level design. The offset floor levels will feature large, open-plan office workplaces with visual orientation, short distances and good communication possibilities. The directly connected hall for R & D will accommodate the electronics laboratory as well as flexible surfaces for testing prototypes. In addition, a new assembly hall extends the production capacities by 50 percent. An enclosed walkway over the road connects the buildings. The foundation stone contains an engraved stainless steel cassette that has been walled in symbolically.
Space for innovation
“The quantitative development in recent years and the resulting expansion of personnel and production-related capacities make the new building an absolute necessity”, explains Stephan Kleine, Executive Partner of GfA. "The strength of GfA has always been the development of innovative and high-quality products in a short time. The new building complex is intended to make a decisive contribution to this, while at the same time providing the best conditions for future challenges to the company", Kleine continues. Short distances, the proximity of sales, development and prototyping and a state-of-the-art infrastructure will support interconnected business processes and create optimal working conditions. Integrated training rooms equipped with functional samples will enable more intensive customer support on site.
Decision with the environment in mind
The new company headquarters will be designed to raise awareness of the environment. Our objective is the responsible handling of scarce resources. For this reason, we are also seeking certification as a passive house for the new office building. For the offices and the adjacent R & D hall, we have already applied for recognition as an efficiency building 55 by the Reconstruction Loan Corporation (KfW - Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau). With this type of building, we undercut the requirements of the current "Energy Savings Regulation" (EnEV - Energieeinsparverordnung 2014) by 45 percent. For example, a solar system of 720 square metres will cover approximately 2/3 of our future electricity consumption. This will represent a further contribution to the Ökoprofit project by GfA.
Further growth and career opportunities
GfA is in a growth phase. Customers worldwide use our reliable, flexible and easy-to-operate door drive systems. To set new trends and meet future customer requirements, GfA expands research and development activities currently on a large scale. As part of a future strategy, we will also strengthen our team: "We are looking for well-educated, creative minds who are focusing their commitment and ideas on the further development of our products and services," explains Dr Böhl, also Executive Partner of GfA. "We offer optimal working conditions. Our employees value flat hierarchies and the possibility to take responsibility. The profit sharing also ensures that personal commitment pays off. The new building complex aims to expand our attractiveness as an employer even further. A generous cafeteria with varied offers, several comfortable lounge areas with creative elements for concentrated individual work phases, a roof terrace with greenery and even a rehearsal room for our own GfA band are just a few examples”, says Dr Böhl.