Discussions on North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial hub: Minister for Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur visits VAHLE
A strong business location, strong prospects: NRW Minister for Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur visits VAHLE in Kamen. The discussion with CEO Achim Dries focused on the future of North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial location, the role of small and medium-sized enterprises in industrial transformation, and the new VAHLE Campus as a clear commitment to the Kamen site.
Mona Neubaur visits VAHLE: On 14 September, the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy visited Paul Vahle GmbH & Co. KG in Kamen to gain a first-hand impression of the company and its future priorities. The focus of her visit was a discussion with her host, Achim Dries, Managing Director of VAHLE, on the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises for industrial transformation, the labour market and the competitiveness of North Rhine-Westphalia as a business location. Other items on the agenda included a tour of the factory, offering insights into VAHLE’s product portfolio, and a walk around the construction site of the new VAHLE Campus, where the company is building a new headquarters with state-of-the-art production, logistics and administrative facilities.
“For VAHLE, Minister Mona Neubaur’s visit is an important sign of appreciation for our commitment to making North Rhine-Westphalia a competitive industrial hub,” says Achim Dries, CEO and Managing Director of the VAHLE Group. As a long-established family-run business with over 100 years of history in Kamen, VAHLE is firmly rooted in the region and is one of the largest local employers. As a ‘hidden champion’, VAHLE develops technologies in North Rhine-Westphalia that are used worldwide in future-oriented sectors such as intralogistics, electromobility and smart factories.
During her visit to the site, Minister for Economic Affairs Neubaur gained insights into the areas of application for VAHLE’s solutions during a tour of the factory, ranging from intralogistics to the automotive and semiconductor industries, as well as port applications and theme parks.
The programme also included a tour of the VAHLE Campus, which is currently under construction. A state-of-the-art factory with around 15,300 square metres of floor space is being built there, where VAHLE will in future manufacture its broad portfolio of products and solutions – from power transmission systems to mobile control units. The new building is complemented by advanced storage areas such as an automated small-parts warehouse, an automated pallet warehouse and a honeycomb warehouse. In doing so, the company is creating modern jobs, driving innovation and demonstrating how industrial performance can be shaped in a sustainable manner.
Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, says: “Innovative strength, courage and adaptability – that is what VAHLE has stood for for more than a century. The company has evolved from a copper conductor rail manufacturer into a modern technology partner. With the new campus in Kamen, the company is sending a strong signal in support of North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial location. This investment impressively demonstrates that the region offers reliable framework conditions for shaping the future. This is how sustainable competitiveness is achieved, with high-quality jobs and innovative industrial value creation.”
A key part of the Minister’s visit was a discussion with VAHLE’s management on industrial policy issues. Topics discussed included the framework conditions for regional development and industrial transformation in North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as the role of innovative family-run and SME businesses in strengthening the region as an industrial hub.
