BONN, GERMANY (17 January 2018)
Kautex Textron GmbH & Co., KG (Kautex), a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, celebrated the expansion of its Bonn, Germany headquarters.
The opening of the new building was attended by Mayor Ashok-Alexander Sridharan and Thomas Mertgen will, lead architect for the project, along with Kautex’s President & CEO Jörg Rautenstrauch.
The new building is 4000 sq. meters including 2500 sq. meters of seven open-plan offices holding up to 240 employees, meeting rooms and a new 560 sq. meter canteen seating up to 500. The building will house the Sales, Sales Administration, Design Engineering and Program Management teams currently based in Bonn.
In keeping with the company’s efforts to reduce environmental impact, it uses a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) System for heating and cooling through ceiling circulation and floor circulation in the canteen. It also boasts a central ventilation system with heat recovery.
Mayor Ashok-Alexander Sridharan said that with 2 locations in Bonn, in Holzlar and Duisdorf, Kautex plays an important role in providing skilled jobs to about 900 people in the region, including many from the 177 countries that are represented in Bonn and who are an important part of city’s international appeal.
“This new location gives us a modern, professional facility in which to host our customers and improves the working environment for our Bonn employees.” said Jörg Rautenstrauch during the welcoming event.
The existing headquarters building, built in the 1960s, will remain part of the Kautex Textron complex. Plans are in place to begin refurbishment of this facility in the near future, thus further signifying the company’s commitment to its employees and the region.
In addition to the new facility, the company is increasingly investing in product and prototype development at the Bonn-Holzlar facility.
“New technologies and services such as autonomous driving, e-mobility and ride-sharing are causing tremendous disruption throughout the entire automotive industry,” continued Rautenstrauch. “Kautex mush ensure we have the right products and solutions in place to meet both current and future customer requirements.
Founded in 1935, Kautex pioneered plastics processing and blow molding technologies. The company produced its first blow molding machines in 1949 and began production of blow molded bottles. In 1964, with the success of the first prototype plastic fuel tank, the company entered into the automotive market. Today, the company is located in 14 countries and is a Tier One supplier for numerous automotive OEMs worldwide. The company produces fuel systems, selective catalytic reduction systems, clear vision systems (CVS) and camshafts for automotive use, and a wide range of industrial packaging.
"The opening of the new headquarters signifies Kautex’s continued commitment to Bonn and the North Rhine-Westphalia region" - Jörg Rautenstrauch, President & CEO
