Siemens invests in expansion of Frankfurt Switchgear plant

Siemens Smart Infrastructure is making an additional investment in its Frankfurt site. Coinciding with the inauguration of a new high-speed warehouse and expanded production area at its switchgear plant in Frankfurt-Fechenheim, Siemens has announced an additional investment in the site. The acquisition of a 3.5-hectare site with existing buildings in Frankfurt’s Ostend district will provide Siemens with additional capacity to ensure a secure energy transformation. Production in the new buildings is expected to start at the start of 2025.

The property on Daimlerstraße is around one kilometer from the existing switchgear plant on Carl-Benz-Straße. Approximately 13,000 square meters of the total 15,000 square meter building area will be used for production halls, with the remaining space to be used for offices. The site has both rail and port access. The transaction was executed by Siemens Real Estate in close cooperation with the Frankfurt Economic Development Agency. Together, the two production facilities will make up the Frankfurt switchgear plant and form a closely integrated unit.

Following the purchase of the site, Siemens will have more capacity for the production of its SF6-free 8DAB – blue GIS medium-voltage switchgear. This gas-insulated switchgear is deployed in transformer and switching stations and uses the climate-neutral Clean Air insulating medium, which consists exclusively of natural components of the ambient air. This demonstrates Siemens’ commitment to moving away from sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and producing sustainable medium-voltage switchgear. As a result, Siemens is focusing on technologies that reduce carbon emissions and create sustainable grids for future generations.

“For 40 years now, our plant in Frankfurt-Fechenheim has been a global center of competence for gas-insulated medium-voltage switchgear,” says Mark Backhaus, Site Manager of the Siemens switchgear plant in Frankfurt. “Our second expansion in a short period of time is an investment in our future and paves the way for climate-neutral power distribution.” Only last year, Siemens invested 30 million euros in the existing switchgear plant in Frankfurt. This includes the construction of a new smart high-speed warehouse, the PowerTower, as well as the expansion of the production areas.

In addition to the technology produced, the new plant buildings will also be designed to be sustainable. The purchased buildings on Daimlerstraße have already been certified with the DGNB Gold sustainability seal.

“Our additional investment in the site will enable us to open a plant with a sustainable and future-proof infrastructure,” says Stephan May, CEO of Electrification & Automation at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “Sustainability and the objective of achieving a carbon-neutral supply chain is a key element of our strategy. It is deeply rooted in our daily business and in investment decisions – and it goes hand in hand with the increased digitalization and automation of the site. This promise is reflected in our latest investment.”

Since its establishment 40 years ago, the Frankfurt switchgear plant has driven the electrification of infrastructure and, as a result, the growth of business and industry. The expansion of the Frankfurt plant continues this and paves the way toward achieving a secure energy transformation using innovative Siemens technologies.

Stephanie Wüst, Head of Economic Affairs at the City of Frankfurt, says: “Siemens is making a valuable contribution to the transformation of Frankfurt’s Ostend district as a development area for industry and commerce. I’m excited about the progress the switchgear plant in Fechenheim has made since the ground-breaking ceremony in March 2023 and the value Siemens has created there.”