Palfinger AG announced that To offer its customers and business partners highly integrated and future-proof overall solutions, PALFINGER is expanding its research and development capacities. Köstendorf is to become an important site in PALFINGER’s product development network. Within the framework of its comprehensive investment program, PALFINGER starts the first expansion phase - costing around five million euros - of its research and development site in Köstendorf. “Our strategy is to work closely with customers to develop holistic, sustainable solutions for their individual challenges. That is why PALFINGER in Köstendorf focuses on mission-critical customer solutions,” explains Andreas Klauser, CEO of PALFINGER AG. PALFINGER is participating in the increased COVID-19 investment bonus decided in 2020 by the Austrian government and will invest a total of around EUR 40 million in strengthening the site as well as in greening and digitalization projects. These include the expansion of the Lengau site, the modern PALFINGER Campus Training Center - and now the Köstendorf Technology Center. The expansion will see a flexible open space office concept with various work zones being created for more than 100 employees in Köstendorf. This concept supports the product development teams in cross-functional work. It means that teams can collaborate flexibly across all department boundaries, either in person or digitally, as needed. That is why the employees concerned are actively involved in shaping the details of the architectural concept. In order to ensure the performance, reliability and safety of the highly complex lifting solutions, the test laboratory for performing trials and building prototypes is also being significantly expanded.