Buildings from the Factory

The Bielefeld-based technology company plans and builds turnkey logistics and production halls, parking garages, offices and other commercial properties. The market leader does a large part of its construction work in its own factory halls: Drawing on the model of the automotive industry, huge steel and concrete parts are produced there in large numbers in a modular design – yet with high variance at the same time. Goldbeck calls this “elemental building.” Or the “Lego principle.” The Bielefeld builders rely heavily on digitization, and some construction is done with robots. They are regarded as the innovation leaders in their industry. And yet they still want to get better.

Porsche Consulting served as a sparring partner and technology scout: Using databases, the consultants examined some 200 technologies in 27 search fields that are relevant to the “production of the future.” And identified 33 tools that are so robust and practical that they can be used right away. In a second project step, the consultants and their client designed modular layouts for future concrete and steel structures.

Goldbeck’s engineers and architects have come closer to their vision of “intelligent building with new technologies.” “We need new efficient technologies that we can use to manufacture components that expand our lead. We want to remain number one in the industry going forward,” says Dr. Wulf Härtel, Managing Director at Goldbeck Manufacturing. The technology transformation is well under way at Goldbeck: In 2022, the medium-sized company opened two highly automated production halls. The facilities manufacture steel structures and roof and façade parts of the kind found in almost every Goldbeck building.