CEWE expands site in Breisgau business park

CEWE, Europe's leading photo service provider, has expanded its branch in the Breisgau business park, thereby sending out a strong signal for the Freiburg region. The company has been based here since 1999 and has been one of the largest employers for over 20 years. The official inauguration of the new building complex took place on 6 September 2024 and marks an important milestone for CEWE.

Expansion strengthens Freiburg site

The Freiburg site in the Breisgau business park in Eschbach has been expanded to a total area of 26,000 m², which corresponds to a doubling of the previous floor space. The new building includes production and logistics areas, a warehouse, a new canteen and office space for customer service. Martin Heiming, Managing Director of CEWE, emphasises: ‘The expansion in Eschbach is of great strategic importance to us. Following the expansion, it is now the second largest site in our Group after the headquarters in Oldenburg.’ Yvonne Rostock, Chairwoman of the CEWE Board of Management, adds: ‘This hall not only represents an expansion of our production capacities. It is a visible sign of our vision for the future. The location in the border triangle is also the ideal place to drive forward the internationalisation of our photo products.’

Markus Riesterer, Managing Director of Gewerbepark Breisgau GmbH, is also delighted: ‘CEWE has been an important building block in the success story of the business park since 2000. The expansion is a clear sign of the creation and safeguarding of jobs in the region.’

Sustainability as a core principle 

CEWE attaches great importance to sustainable investments. The new building was designed as an efficient building in accordance with the KfW 40 EE standard and utilises state-of-the-art energy technologies. An extended photovoltaic system with 600 kWp and the use of heat pumps ensure sustainable energy utilisation. An efficient heat recovery system was also installed.

Employees at the centre

The expansion of the site also focusses on the needs of the employees. New meeting rooms and think tanks provide a modern working environment that meets the requirements for flexible workplaces. The Fribourg-based company ‘office plus’ was responsible for the interior design, with the new canteen and roof terrace being a particular highlight. It was designed to reflect the cultural diversity of the border triangle and is a place for people to meet and socialise. In addition to attractive working conditions, CEWE also offers its employees extensive additional benefits such as flexible working hours, a company pension scheme, fitness courses and bicycle leasing. In 2022, the company was recognised as ‘Germany's Best Employer’ by Great Place to Work® - proof of its appreciative corporate culture.

Preparations underway for the Christmas season

CEWE is also preparing intensively for the Christmas season this year. The expanded warehouse capacity enables even more efficient processing of orders without having to resort to external storage space. For the peak season from October to December, CEWE is planning to hire around 140 seasonal workers in addition to the approximately 200 permanent employees at the site. Applications can be submitted immediately via the website.

Further information about CEWE can be found at company.cewe.de.
 

  • from left to right: Hannes Kissling (Goldbeck), Martin Heiming (CEWE), Carsten Heitkamp (CEWE), Michael Bühl (CEWE), Stefan Kretzler (Goldbeck), Jean Christophe Evrard (Goldbeck)
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  • CEWE Freiburg
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  • CEWE Freiburg
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  • from left to right: Michael Bühl (new site manager CEWE Freiburg), Carsten Heitkamp (Member of the Board CEWE), Yvonne Rostock (CEO CEWE), Martin Heiming (outgoing Managing Director CEWE Freiburg), Patrick Berkhouwer (Member of the Board CEWE)
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  • CEWE Freiburg
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Fotocredit: CEWE