Mittelstand: Nearshoring: Worauf Firmen bei der Verlagerung nach Osteuropa achten
Viele Mittelständler denken über eine Produktion im Ausland nach. Osteuropa ist ein beliebtes Ziel. Doch neben niedrigen Kosten bringt eine Verlagerung auch Risiken mit sich.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's green energy policies prompted Joachim Ley, CEO of Ziehl-Abegg, to move his company's headquarters to Poland. In late 2023, the manufacturer of air, regulation, and drive technology opened its first facility in Lodz, producing cost-sensitive components for heat pumps, previously made in Thailand.
According to Ley, the decision to move to Central Europe was influenced by proximity to customers, a combination of costs, infrastructure, personnel availability and qualification, and the understanding of quality.
However, the company's production facility remained mostly empty for two years due to the Energy Buildings Act, also known as the "Heizungsgesetz," causing political gridlock and a standstill in policymaking. Despite this setback, Ley remains positive about the investment of 50 million euros. In September 2026, the plant produced around 19,000 fans, up from just 500 a month in mid-2024.
Currently, the 175 employees are busier than ever, and the workforce is expected to grow as Ziehl-Abegg plans to shift all production of heat pump fans to Lodz within the next 15 months. Eventually, the German subsidiary will only produce less price-sensitive products.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
