Building a house is a lot like planting a tree. It is the outward sign of a state of mind. An attitude of courage, confidence and trust in God for our future and that of our descendants.
In autumn 2001, the LEONHARD WEISS divisions and departments previously located in Crailsheim move into the newly built administration building in the Satteldorf industrial estate. The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 were still fresh in peoples minds, the global political situation was unpredictable and the construction industry had been in a prolonged crisis since the mid-1990s. At the same time, the family-owned company has opened a new joint chapter in its history, following the merger of its independent branches three years earlier and in time for its 100th anniversary. In these turbulent times, the new building in Satteldorf, with its latticed, shiny metal facade and large windows, exudes a sense of calm and promise.
At first glance, the building appears to be primarily functional, with no frills. However, the administration building contains state-of-the-art technology and a well thought-out concept: geothermal probes and concrete ceilings carrying hot and cold water provide environmentally friendly air conditioning. A large underground car park extends below ground level, and the bright floors provide office space for more than 300 employees. Satteldorf has enough space for all business units and will also be the commercial headquarters of the family-owned company. Göppingen, with its large railway construction hall, will remain the competence centre for track construction, but all other business units will also be based there. In Stuttgart, the company is beginning to gain a foothold at a new location, which will focus primarily on engineering and turnkey construction as well as project development.
LEONHARD WEISS needed only 14 months to build its own project. The result is a showpiece and a new home for the growing company. The previous location in Crailsheims Brunnenstraße had long since become too small. In 1938, the LW branch was founded in the centrally located Brunnenstraße in Crailsheim. The plans for this came from the company's founder, Leonhard Weiss, who had been working on the expansion of the railway infrastructure in Crailsheim for several years and wanted to open up new regions from here. After the war, the company grew rapidly, with new departments being added all the time. In the 1970s, managing director Werner Schmidt-Weiss realised that the company would eventually have to be located close to the motorway. With foresight, he repeatedly bought plots of land in Satteldorf with the intention of using them later as 'replacement land'. With the construction of the new A6 motorway in the early 1980s, the opportunity arose to purchase a contiguous plot of land in the planned industrial area. Previously, the company's departments in Crailsheim had been housed in five different locations due to a lack of space. At the spacious site in Satteldorf, the company now has room to grow. And it needs it.
The first extension was built in 2010, and in July 2018 LEONHARD WEISS laid the foundation stone for a € 20 million project. This is not just any building site. In Satteldorf, an LW extension is being built with space for 260 additional workplaces, including modern alternating workplaces, meeting rooms, printing and plotter rooms and a room for the new 3D planning method BIM. In keeping with old building traditions, the builders are putting the current daily newspaper and some memorabilia into the lead seal that will be sunk into the foundation stone. Dieter Straub, the former managing director, also expressed his best wishes: that many young people would start their careers in the family business and continue the success story. Just four years later, in October 2022, LEONHARD WEISS inaugurates the new training centre in Satteldorf – with several practice halls and a training ground, where not only junior staff can practice and further their education.
Today, Satteldorf is the second home of LEONHARD WEISS alongside the historic site in Göppingen. Both architecturally and symbolically, the interconnected building complexes still stand for the spirit that characterises LEONHARD WEISS: for the great sense of belonging to the LW family – and for confidence in the future.