KION Warehouse Systems Expands Reutlingen Location

The KION subsidiary KION Warehouse Systems (KWS), based in the Reutlingen district of Mittelstadt, is the competence center within the group for the development and production of system technology devices for the KION brands. During a site visit with Thomas Keck, Mayor of the City of Reutlingen, Finance and Economic Mayor Roland Wintzen, and Wilhelm Haug, District Mayor of Mittelstadt, Volker Bonk, Managing Director of KION Warehouse Systems, presented the status of the planning.

(Frankfurt/Reutlingen) The KION Group is strengthening its location in Reutlingen and plans to expand its local plant. The intralogistics company is investing a double-digit million euro amount for this purpose. “With the expansion of production by over 60 percent, we are sending an important signal for the future. We expect sustainable market growth in the area of high rack stackers and vertical order pickers and have aligned our planning accordingly,” says Rob Smith, Chairman of the Board of KION GROUP AG. “The expansion of the location will further strengthen our excellent position as a global intralogistics provider.”

The plan includes an extension of the existing production halls with the relocation of the factory bypass. The goal is to expand the production area to the south. The wooded area is currently owned by the City of Reutlingen and is to be acquired by KWS. The internal production processes could be significantly optimized with this solution while requiring minimal space. The overall expansion encompasses at least 2,600 square meters, of which about 2,200 square meters are for the expansion of the production hall. Additionally, extensive investments in existing facilities and machinery, as well as a general modernization of processes at the site, are planned. Construction is scheduled to begin in autumn 2023, pending approval from all committees, with expanded production expected to commence in 2025.

“The location policy and corporate strategy of KION are characterized by adaptability and reliability. The intralogistics company is once again sending a positive signal towards the economy, the labor market, and especially for the economic location of Reutlingen,” says Thomas Keck, Mayor of the City of Reutlingen.

Securing 400 Jobs

The expansion of production capacity will also impact employment at the location: From 250 employees in 2010, the workforce has already grown to more than 400. Currently, about 130 of KWS’s employees come from the area of the City of Reutlingen and approximately 280 from the Reutlingen district. With the expansion, existing jobs will be secured, and new ones will be created.

“Reutlingen is the largest and most important location for our global business with high rack stackers,” says KWS Managing Director Volker Bonk. The planned investment clearly shows: “Our heart beats here in the city. This expansion will further increase our flexibility and ensure that KWS remains optimally positioned in the dynamic intralogistics market.”

To create the planning legal requirements for the southern expansion of the plant site, a development plan procedure and an amendment to the land use plan are necessary. The development plan will be on the agenda of the District Council of Mittelstadt today, November 28, 2022. KWS is already in close contact with the city committees.

In Coordination with Nature Conservation Regulations

The planned expansion will also be carried out in close coordination with nature conservation regulations. As part of the development plan procedure, external areas must be found for the necessary forestry and nature conservation compensation. Suitable reforestation areas in the city of Reutlingen have already been identified in preparation. As a result, the following areas are particularly suitable for reforestation: In the district of Reutlingen in the area “Hinterer Zaun” or in the area “Eichwäldle” as well as in the district of Mittelstadt, area “Oberer Auchtert.”

Photo: © KION