Double Negative Posted April 26, 2012 Share #1 Posted April 26, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Ground-breaking Ceremony in Wetzlar GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY FOR NEW LEICA CAMERA AG HEADQUARTERS IN WETZLAR Solms, Germany (April 26, 2012) – Leica Camera AG commenced ground-breaking on a new headquarters at the Leitz Park in Wetzlar on April 25, 2012. Once complete, the new Schanzenfeld site will mark the company’s relocation from Solms. Attending the celebration were dignitaries from Salzburg’s ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH, the majority shareholder of the company, the board of Leica Camera AG and representatives from Leitz-Park GmbH, the project’s developers, in addition to Volker Bouffier (CDU), Prime Minister of the state of Hesse, members of the media and invited guests. The plans, prepared by architectural firm Gruber + Kleine-Kraneburg, will bring forth an ultra-modern location for the production, administration and customer care divisions of Leica Camera AG in November 2013, with a projected ground-plan area of around 27,000 m² (approximately 88,500 ft²). The new site, built in accordance with the latest energy-efficiency standards, will then be a new home to around 600 Leica employees. Openly visible production areas, a Leica Museum, a Leica Galerie, a Leica Store, a photo studio and a restaurant expand the spectrum of engaging features for visitors, friends of Leica and anyone fascinated by photography. A central plaza will create a binding element between the new headquarters of Leica Camera AG and the existing facilities occupied by Weller Feintechnik GmbH and ViaOptic GmbH on the Leitz Park site. The overall investment volume for the Leitz Park construction project amounts to 55 million euros. ‘Leica Camera AG is a traditional Hessian company with a worldwide reputation for excellence. We can be proud that a company so important in the optical industry maintains its manufacturing and administrative facilities in our state,’ said Volker Bouffier, Prime Minister of the state of Hesse. ‘With the new company headquarters in Wetzlar, Leica remains loyal to its Hessian origins. I am certain that the company’s employees will ensure that Leica will continue to be an internationally renowned name that is always equated with the highest quality.’ ‘The Leitz Camera set out from here to conquer the world and revolutionize photography almost exactly 100 years ago. Now that Leica Camera AG is returning to its birthplace, we are confirming the utmost importance the city possesses for the entire optical industry segment in Germany,’ added Dr. Andreas Kaufmann from ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH, emphasizing the signal sent out to the world for the ‘Optical City’ of Wetzlar by the new headquarters project. ‘Leica Camera AG is returning to Wetzlar, to a new home that will be open to visitors and photography enthusiasts and will offer a unique experience with valuable insights into the past, present and future of photography.’ ‘The production and administrative buildings in the development are being built to the latest environmental and energy-efficiency standards and will allow us to rapidly satisfy the enormous demand for Leica products without the delays we have sometimes suffered in the past,’ stated Alfred Schopf, Chairman of the Executive Board at Leica Camera AG. ‘Our colleagues will enjoy a modern and attractive working environment that motivates, promotes creativity and enables us to provide Leica’s familiar technical perfection, satisfying the most stringent quality demands. The new headquarters development is a further milestone in the history of our company that benefits not only us but also our customers and visitors.’ About Leica Camera AG Leica Camera AG is an internationally active, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the construction of lenses. And today, in combination with innovative technologies, Leica products continue to guarantee better pictures in all situations in the worlds of visualization and perception. Leica Camera AG has its headquarters in Solms, in the state of Hesse in Germany, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. The company operates branch offices in England, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, Italy and the USA. New and innovative products have been the driving force behind the company’s positive development in recent years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 26, 2012 Posted April 26, 2012 Hi Double Negative, Take a look here Ground-breaking Ceremony in Wetzlar. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
ho_co Posted April 27, 2012 Share #2 Posted April 27, 2012 See also http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/235632-cornerstone-leicas-return-wetzlar.html. See also http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/235811-news-wetzlar-leitz-park.html. There are also a couple of threads by Holger1 on the topic in the German Kundenforum, one of which gives a link (Wetzlar: Mit Video: Leica, Spatenstich f) to a video of the event. Seems to have been quite a gathering. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted April 27, 2012 Indeed, looks like quite a time. Certainly an exciting milestone for them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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