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[Translate to English (ID 1):]New building sfm plant 2
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Major investment at sfm medical devices GmbH in Wächtersbach.

sfm "Plant 2" - impressive new building in Wächtersbach / Germany. This represents the largest investment in the company's history and includes a new sterilization plant and the expansion of the logistics area. The focus here is on occupational safety, environmental protection and sustainability.

Purchase of land from the Main-Kinzig district utility company

The company sfm medical devices GmbH will expand in Wächtersbach. This step was made possible by the purchase of the neighboring property of Kreiswerke Main-Kinzig a few years ago. Afterwards, plans were made to renew and expand the technical facilities in order to meet the growing demands of the medical devices market. The first step will be to construct a building for the new sterilization facility and a new logistics area.

Investment in the future

At EUR 20 million, this is the largest investment in the history of sfm.

 

Planning sfm Werk2 - Animation view

sfm plant 2

The current headquarters of sfm, including administration and production, has approx. 250 employees (plant 1). The future extensions (plant 2) in northern direction, represents now the new planned sterilization building. At the same time, a new logistics building is being built, which will centrally connect Plant 1 and Plant 2. In the future, incoming and outgoing goods will be efficiently handled there.

  • New logistics area with around 600m²
  • New sterilization building with a floor area of 1,080m².
  • Sterilization capacity will be increased from 8-pallets to 12-pallets
  • New chemical-microbiological laboratory with offices on about 100m²

Occupational safety, environmental protection and sustainability

In addition to the claim to install one of the most modern sterilization plants, occupational safety, environmental protection and sustainability have a very high priority. The permits for the operation are checked and approved by the Darmstadt Regional Council within the framework of the strict Federal Immission Control Act. For this purpose, numerous expert reports were prepared to prove that the latest laws for protection against harmful environmental effects, e.g. for water, air and noise, are complied with. Furthermore, the building was planned according to the high energy efficiency house standard 40, which requires only 40% of the primary energy demand. Supporting this, the entire newly created roof area will be used for photovoltaics to promote sustainability with renewable energies.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023. Due to the high level of mechanization, we anticipate a construction period of 1.5 years.

Construction progress

Preparatory measures

Site preparations for the construction of the new sterilization plant will start in May.

First, the large piles of gravel from the demolition of the old building have to be moved so that further soil investigations can be carried out underneath. In addition, an old gasoline separator must be excavated and disposed of properly.

Groundbreaking ceremony to launch the shell construction

We are pleased to announce that we have broken ground on the construction of our new production building! This milestone marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our history.

The shell of the new building will be realized by the renowned company Lupp as general contractor. Their experience and commitment to quality will ensure that our new building meets the highest standards.

The ground-breaking ceremony by the sfm project and management team and the management of Lupp launches the construction of the shell of the new company building.

This is the organized construction site with crane of the general contractor Lupp.

We look forward to the next steps of the project. Stay tuned for further updates on our construction progress!

The foundation stone is laid for the new sfm plant 2

We are pleased to announce the official laying of the foundation stone for the expansion of sfm medical devices GmbH in Wächtersbach. This step marks a further milestone for the company, the town of Wächtersbach and the Main-Kinzig district as a business location.

In a speech, Managing Director Mr. Peter Strötgen expressed his pleasure and pride in this significant step, thanked all those involved and wished all partners a safe and smooth construction process. The new building represents a modern and efficient factory building with highly developed building technology for one of the most advanced EO sterilization plants in the world.

The new facilities are based on the safest technologies and meet the highest standards of environmental protection and sustainability. The integration of the new building and the existing structures is skillfully achieved through a new incoming and outgoing goods cross-docking area.

The Mayor of Wächtersbach, Mr. Andreas Weiher, and the District Administrator, Mr. Thorsten Stolz, expressed their delight at the development of the project and praised the company as the largest and most important employer in the region.

 

The building is scheduled for completion in October 2024. The start has been made, now we are moving step by step in the right direction.

Things are progressing in huge steps! Construction progress as of 08.02.2024

A lot has happened since the foundation stone was laid, despite the adverse weather conditions. The following milestones have been reached:

 

  • Completion of basement shell before Christmas
  • Excavation pit filled before Christmas
  • Concrete supporting columns erected and connected with concrete girders and steel cross beams
  • First floor of the technical laboratory part of the building shell erected
  • Foundations of logistics center completed
  • Foundations for connecting structure completed
  • First concrete formwork for upper floor laboratory rooms erected

 

With our goal in mind, we are moving in the right direction every day, step by step. A big thank you to everyone who has made this possible to date.

After only 6 months of construction, the topping-out ceremony for the new sterilization building was celebrated on 16th April 2024.

It was a memorable event during which we were able to inspect the completed shell and appreciate the hard work of everyone involved.

Cool temperatures and rain did not deter sfm and the contractors from celebrating the topping-out ceremony. The partially covered building shell was prepared with radiant heaters and temporary lighting for ceremonial speeches and a hearty buffet. For the topping-out ceremony, the responsible foreman, the project manager from Lupp and the CEO of sfm took to lofty heights to toast the accomplishment under the topping-out wreath.

CEO Mr. Peter Strötgen and shareholder Mr. Peter Wagner thanked the construction workers and managers of the general contractor Lupp for their excellent work.  Despite rain, wind and weather, as well as frost and occasional snow, the schedule was adhered to.

The first meeting with the architect Mr. Hagen took place in March 2021. The first concepts for the new building were developed in the subsequent workshop. Despite all the plans and simulations, the finished shell turned out to be much more impressive than anyone involved could have imagined.

Another significant milestone was reached in the realization of the new building. 

"Marriage" at sfm!

Construction work on the new sterilization plant is progressing rapidly. The outer shell of the building is almost complete: The roof is covered, the façade is in place and the windows have been installed. Work is now concentrating on the technical building equipment and the interior fittings. As a result, the large, highly visible construction crane has now been dismantled.

 

This created the conditions for installing the heart of the new building, the sterilization chamber. This was delivered to Wächtersbach on June 18, 2024. In automotive manufacturing, a "marriage" is when the engine of a new car is joined to the body shell. The installation of the sterilization chamber in the new building was a similarly significant moment.

 

The specialist companies moved the 15-ton sterilization chamber and other large plant components into the building with remarkable precision and care. Seeing the equipment in its rightful place is the result of a fantastically efficient project team.

Construction update September 2024: We are making good progress!

Construction update September 2024: We are making good progress!

We’re excited to share an update on our ongoing construction project. The work is progressing rapidly, and there are some exciting developments:

  • Technical Installations: The sterilization technical systems are in place.
  • Energy Supply: Our combined heat and power plant has been installed.
  • Transport: The freight elevator is already in position.
  • Safety: All sprinkler systems have been successfully installed.
  • Building: The building façade is closed, and most of the drywall partitions are up.
  • Electrical Work: Electrical installations are currently being laid out.
  • Flooring: The floors have been coated.
  • Storage: The warehouse shelves are being assembled.
  • Conditioning Chambers: The chambers for pre- and post-conditioning are being set up.
  • Roof Central: Components for the roof central unit with cladding are in place.
  • Exterior Work: The exterior work has begun.

Our project continues to take shape, and we’re looking forward to sharing more progress with you soon. A big thank you to our dedicated team and partners who are making this possible!

Stay tuned – we’ll keep you updated!