In Suzhou, China, the foundation stone was laid last week for the construction of a new plant of the ifm Group. A sustainable production facility in accordance with the DGNB Gold Standard is being built on the 40,000 sqm site. China is the third largest sales market for the ifm Group and therefore strategically important.

With the symbolic laying of the foundation stone on April 15, 2025, ifm ceremoniously heralded the construction phase of the greenfield project in the metropolis of Suzhou, China. The first steps for the establishment of the production facility took place two years ago. The plant was registered under the name ifm Technology Suzhou and is intended to produce primarily for the Chinese market. "The building size is to be about 19,500 square meters and include production, warehouse and office space. We worked out the exact design together with architects and construction planners," reports Andrzej Durdyn, Managing Director of ifm Technology Suzhou. The symbolic groundbreaking ceremony that has now taken place marks the start of construction, with completion scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. In total, the building offers space for up to 1,000 employees. However, the increase in staff is taking place gradually and is based on the economic situation.

Suzhou is located around 100 km west of Shanghai and offers ideal conditions for the ifm Group's greenfield project. Strategically positioned in the metropolis of 10 million, state-of-the-art industrial structures have been established. These provide a suitable framework for innovative and sustainable projects such as the planned production facility. ifm designed the building according to the criteria for sustainable construction of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB e.V.) and will have it certified by them. The overall performance of the new building will thus meet the strict criteria of the Gold Standard ecologically, economically and socio-culturally.

For the employees of the ifm Group, the greenfield project also offers a unique opportunity. For the first time in the company's history, HR managers launched a call for employees from all ifm locations worldwide to apply to participate in the construction of the new plant in the summer of last year. The interest of ifm employees with a wide variety of professional and regional backgrounds is great. Many want to take the opportunity to gain valuable experience abroad in Suzhou and to further their cultural and linguistic education.