GIFHORN (dpa-AFX) - Continental and Stiebel Eltron are making speed with the planned conversion of the former brake plant in Gifhorn into a site for heat pumps. As early as next Thursday, the supervisory board of the home technology manufacturer will decide on the partial takeover of the Conti plant, company CEO Kai Schiefelbein announced Monday in Gifhorn at the opening of a new training center for employees. He said the company then plans to start converting the first production hall at the beginning of 2024. "We will then start production at the beginning of 2025." By 2028, Schiefelbein then wants to gradually take over 300 of the 950 employees at the site to date.

Instead of car brakes, the site will in future produce interior modules for heat exchangers, including stainless steel hot water tanks, Schiefelbein said. His company had already signed a corresponding letter of intent with the automotive supplier in July. With a view to the heat turnaround in Germany, the family-owned company from Holzminden is currently massively expanding its heat pump production. The idea of getting involved in Gifhorn came at just the right time, said Schiefelbein. The conversion of a factory is much faster than building a new one on a greenfield site, and Conti has well-qualified skilled workers who are urgently needed. "The skilled workers are a gift for us."

To prepare employees for the new tasks, Continental opened its own training center, now the thirteenth Continental Institute for Technology and Transformation (CITT), directly on the plant site on Monday. At the opening ceremony, Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) spoke of a "good example for the entire Federal Republic" of how structural change can be managed. "It must be about ensuring that today's employees also have the chance to do tomorrow's work."

Conti Chief Human Resources Officer Ariane Reinhart described the project as a "blueprint" for other sites. Because in view of the changes in the automotive industry in particular, there is an enormous need for transformation everywhere, she said. Lower Saxony's Social Affairs Minister Andreas Philippi (SPD) said: "We have to shape technical change in such a way that we maintain value creation and jobs in Lower Saxony and emerge stronger from this change." IG Metall Vice President Christiane Benner said, "Transformation through further education is a real opportunity."

Continental had announced in early July that it would close the site by the end of 2027 because brake production here was no longer profitable. The relocation of around half of production is to begin as early as next year, with the rest to follow in stages by 2027. In parallel, Stiebel Eltron now wants to ramp up its production. As early as 2025, when assembly in the first hall still starts from delivered parts, the company wants to start converting a second hall and then gradually take over five of the seven production halls at the site by 2028, Schiefelbein announced.

According to the works council, of the 950 employees to date, around 150 are temporary workers whose contracts will expire. A further 200 jobs could be cut through partial retirement, and half of the remaining 600 would then start work at Stiebel Eltron.

Reinhart said that talks were underway with other companies. In addition to those that could also settle on the site, there were also companies from the region. The interest is great. In view of the shortage of skilled workers, in the end there will probably be more offers for employees than is needed./fjo/DP/men