Another significant milestone has been reached in the expansion of WERMA’s headquarters in Rietheim-Weilheim: The new connecting bridge between the existing company building and the new production and logistics building currently under construction has been successfully installed. With the hoisting of the steel structure, weighing around 21 tonnes, the existing building and the new building have been functionally integrated for the first time.

In future, the bridge will provide a weather-protected passageway for staff and further improve internal processes between production, logistics and the existing business divisions.

“This bridge does more than simply connect two buildings. It symbolises the bridge we are building between our successful company history and our future,” says Matthias Marquardt, Managing Partner at WERMA Signaltechnik. “It links the tried and tested with the new and makes it clear that we have long-term faith in our site in Rietheim-Weilheim.”

Largest new-build project in the company’s history

The bridge installation forms part of what is currently the largest construction project in WERMA’s history. With the ground-breaking ceremony in July 2025, the company officially launched the expansion of its factory site in the Dillgarten Ost industrial estate.

The new building is being constructed opposite the existing factory site, between the current location and the Stuttgart–Singen railway line. A total of three construction phases are planned; work is currently underway on the first phase, which will create additional production and logistics capacity across a floor area of around 5,700 m². Completion is scheduled for early 2027.

With this new building, WERMA is laying the foundations for further growth well beyond the year 2030. At the same time, the new infrastructure is designed to offer maximum flexibility for future technologies, processes and requirements.

Demanding precision work

Lifting the connecting bridge, which weighs around 21 tonnes, presented a particular challenge for everyone involved. In sometimes difficult weather conditions, with rain and strong gusts of wind, the structure had to be positioned with millimetre precision between the existing building and the new building, with a margin of error of just four centimetres. The architectural firm SCHMELZLE+PARTNER was responsible for the planning, whilst Haller Industriebau was responsible for the assembly of the bridge.

“The bridge is one of the most defining elements of the entire project. Functionally, it connects the existing building with the new development; architecturally, it also symbolises the consistent further development of the site,” explains Peter Gärtner, partner at SCHMELZLE+PARTNER mbB Architekten BDA. “In particular, the high level of precision in both planning and installation makes this phase of construction an exceptional milestone.”

Focus on sustainability and futureproofing

From the outset, the planning of the new building centred on flexibility, scalability and sustainability. The building is being certified according to the criteria of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and is designed to enable efficient material flows in the long term, as well as a clear separation of logistical and value-adding areas.

The connecting bridge is a central component of the overall concept. It ensures short distances between the buildings, supports efficient processes and strengthens the links between the various divisions of the company.

Next milestone: the topping-out ceremony

Following the successful hoisting of the bridge, attention now turns to the next major stage of the project: the topping-out ceremony is scheduled for September 2026. With this investment, WERMA is making a clear commitment to the Rietheim-Weilheim site and the region. At the same time, the company is laying the foundations for further growth, modern production and logistics processes, and the long-term safeguarding of jobs at its headquarters.

Download: Media-Kit

Caption: SCHMELZLE+PARTNER