Friday 17th December 2021
New footwear in Pasewalk
Birkenstock wants to expand to MV
Birkenstock sandals are very popular all over the world. In order to meet the increasing demand, the shoe manufacturer is planning a new plant. When looking for a location, the company struck gold in the northeast. Prime Minister Schwesig rejoices.
The shoe manufacturer Birkenstock from Linz am Rhein wants to build its new plant in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The Berlin-Stettin industrial park in the city of Pasewalk has “good prospects” of becoming the location for the new plant with 1000 new jobs in the medium term, said Till Backhaus, State Minister for Rural Areas. The city representatives in Pasewalk therefore approved the sale of a 120,000 square meter area to Birkenstock with a large majority.
According to Backhaus, the final purchase is still tied to certain requirements, such as the existence of the necessary building and immission control permits. Birkenstock boss Oliver Reichert stated that he trusted the promises of everyone involved. It is “fundamentally important” to stick to the schedule. According to the information, Birkenstock wants to start construction work in the second quarter of 2022. Production is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2023. Plastic and outdoor sandals are to be manufactured in the plant.
Pasewalk scores with a well-developed industrial park, a convenient connection to the A20 and rail transport, and the potential workforce, explained Backhaus. Another plus point is the broad political support: City, district and state have agreed to actively support Birkenstock.
Sandals are sold in over 100 countries
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig said: “We are delighted with Birkenstock’s strong interest in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. And we hope that the company will come to us.” She also sees the company’s announcement as a success for the Western Pomerania policy. The state strongly promoted the development of the Berlin-Stettin industrial park near Pasewalk.
Birkenstock is growing rapidly around the world and was looking for a location for the new plant exclusively in Germany. The main production site is Görlitz in Saxony; According to the information, it is reaching its limits “spatially as well as in relation to the existing workforce”.
Birkenstock has around 5500 employees worldwide. Since this year the company has been owned by the US-French investment company L Catterton and the private investment company of the French billionaire family Arnault, Agache. The sandals made in Germany are sold in more than 100 countries. Birkenstock has also been offering beds and cosmetics since 2017.