Topping-out ceremony – yet another reason for GEDA to celebrate

The SME commemorates the end of framing for the new administrative building at the company headquarters in Asbach-Bäumenheim.

Johann Sailer broke ground on new construction of the administrative building on 14 June 2022. The topping-out ceremony was held just 10 months later on 18 April 2023. During the festive event, the wreath was placed on top of GEDA’s future administrative building.

Johann Sailer was visibly moved when he opened the event with a few words that also brought a few smiles to the faces of guests. “We have now taken this very important step into the future, and I look forward to leading the company into the next generation as best as possible”. He once again specifically thanked the district office, the municipality and the municipal council for the outstanding collaboration and for always having an “open ear”. Architect Bettina Kandler also received thanks for her hard work. It will take the tradespeople at least another year to turn the blueprints by the Donauwörth-based architect into reality.

The highlight of the event: the speech

The traditional topping-out speech was given by Mr Michael Bürle, who serves as structural engineer. The custom is to toast with wine and throw your glass down at the end since broken glass is known to bring good luck.

This was followed by a brief, yet apt address from guests of honour Mr Stefan Rößle (Head of the Donau-Ries District Authority) and Mr Martin Paninka (Mayor of Asbach-Bäumenheim).

Home stretch

Once excavation of the basement finished in spite of the high groundwater level in Asbach-Bäumenheim, the concept became clearer each day as construction progress advanced. The building will be in the shape of a cross to make sure it can be seen from every side. Sunlight will fill every room from all angles, creating an ideal atmosphere for work. The different number of storeys gives the building a dynamic feel, with a predominantly glass façade enclosing the 6,000 m2 office space. An original GEDA lift will sit at the centre of the building, as is only natural for the industrial and construction lift manufacturer. Another highlight will be the public restaurant, which is intentionally planned to be far from your traditional canteen. It will serve regional and high-quality dishes to be enjoyed not only by GEDA employees. The new building will have space for around 220 employees, with the ability to flexibly implement future workplace models. This is indispensable in today’s rapidly changing work environment. The administrative building is meant as a trailblazer for the region in every regard. The construction will receive a gold certificate from DGNB, which is awarded for highly sustainable construction. This is based, in part, on a life-cycle assessment. In addition, a heat pump will be used for heating and cooling and a photovoltaic system installed to generate power on the existing roof is already in operation. A cutting-edge ventilation system ensures an optimal indoor climate for daily work.

Mayor Martin Paninka is very excited for the company and is proud of this impressive project. Another guest of honour, Head of the District Authority Stefan Rößle, congratulated the company and thanked it for the extensive investment in Asbach-Bäumenheim: “It isn’t a given for companies to keep investing in Germany nowadays despite the rising cost of energy and wages. It would be a breeze for companies with global offices like GEDA to invest in another country”.

In short, constructing this building was exactly the right move for GEDA. Having the residents of Asbach-Bäumenheim and all the staff behind the project is a plus. The company is ideally positioned for the future, and you can see how much heart and soul has gone into it.