7 minute read
From nail to functional part
by ejotsverige
The EJOT architecture
Around Christmas time in 1989, Christian Kocherscheidt called to ask if we would like to look at an old factory building in Bad Laasphe at 10:00 a.m. on a Friday. He was talking about the former Mirella plant, which was being considered for acquisition.
>>Text: Monika Weber-Pahl and Prof. Burkhard Pahl
It was bitterly cold and we got into a BMW 7 with a C-Netz telephone on the console in the middle. First encounter with H. W. Kocherscheidt and EJOT. After inspecting the dilapidated building, we drove around the building in the heated vehicle for almost two hours and discussed the architecture, preservation options, refurbishment, cooperate identity and EJOT’s brand image. Around noon, a call came asking him to come home for lunch and we got the job. Visits to Eberhard Jaeger in Bad Laasphe, in Berghausen, in the law office followed.
The company buildings were partly brown, beige, grey; some extensions, some new buildings dipped in red paint with white plaster. Table trays, hole punches, coffee pots, chair frames in red, red, red. We got to work and tried an analogy: A car rental company at
2006
The countries Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary and Serbia are supplied from the EJOT Austria warehouse in Voitsberg. Therefore, a capacity expansion of the warehouse is necessary. With this step, 3,170 pallet spaces are made available, so that further sales growth is also possible.
2006
Foundation of Middle East FZE, Dubai. In the emirate of Sharjah directly at the airport, the new company is founded. The construction boom in the Arab Emirates also offers interesting prospects for the Building Fasteners division.
2006
The new plant in China is officially inaugurated. Official representatives of the city and the political party as well as other numerous other guests watch the festive opening ceremony followed by fireworks.
2006
With the foundation of EJOT Iberica S.L. EJOT is also represented on the Iberian Peninsula. The name „Ibérica“ also includes the country of Portugal as part of the Iberian Peninsula.
2006
New building for EJOT Slovakia. The new rented building provides 850 pallet storage spaces as well as new office space.
A “local hero” or “hidden champion” may take a back seat with their buildings in terms of perception and emphasise more qualitative characteristics. The trademark “EJOT quality connects” was already set. For us, this meant transferring the metal, the quality of the connection, the authenticity of the products, and the attitude of the company in the architectural appearance. The ubiquitous RAL tone 3002 – carmine red – was used as an accent colour and only for moving parts such as casements and doors, the white was assigned an accompanying tone, a grey hue and a design level was sought, similar to that achieved by Otl Aicher for and with Lufthansa (note: accent colour yellow, metallic grey and white. Lufthansa has currently eliminated the accent colour yellow, which we would never suggest for EJOT).
Material quality and honesty in the products should be reflected in the brand image and in the architecture. So we used surfaces with a high-quality feel, real wood veneers instead of imitation plastic, sustainable building approaches, e.g. for the EDP expansion in Berghausen with the first cooling ceiling, exhaust air facade and extensive roof greening in South Westphalia.
Drawing of the “In der Aue” site taken on the occasion of the inauguration.
The opportunity for a complete new building did not arise in the first few years. Nevertheless, a legible brand image developed, which was accompanied by the growth (Factor 10) of the EJOT Group, which was copied worldwide (porthole doors, etc.) and further developed.
With the expansion of the locations in Bad Berleburg and Ciasna in Poland, we were able to develop a brand-typical building type for EJOT, consisting of a white envelope surface with elements in graphite grey colour set back at the front.
The building process was characterised by extensions and additions. We were able to significantly improve functional processes, as at the Berghausen and Bad Laasphe sites, and thus an architectural appearance on a small and large scale. This also applies to the transformation of the “old electro-plating shop” at the Bienhecke site in Bad Laasphe into an area for marketing and an oval meeting room – the egg. The heart of the screw production, the automatic high rack warehouse in Bad Berleburg, could then also be dipped in red, given the dimensions of the overall plant. Inside, transparency, visual relationships, working in daylight and flexibility for still unknown processes were to become characteristic and be realised as a prototype in the production hall 4.0. Meanwhile it became not only an attractive place to study and work for employees, but also architecturally interesting for external guests.
Now comes the next step. We will reduce the ecological footprint of buildings and production out of responsibility to the environment and the next generation.
The new construction of the Tec Center in Bad Laasphe will be a pilot project for reduced CO2 consumption, for the use of renewable raw materials, for the re-use of materials (keyword urban mining) with possible interactions in research and development, in the development of new or reusable products and detachable connections.
We are so glad to have been able to help shape the “world of EJOT” and want to continue setting trends in the future. E
2007
Foundation of EJOT ATF Mexico. The new company is based in San Luis Potosí, in north-central Mexico. It is not far from the main locations of the automotive industry Mexico City, Puebla or Querétaro.
2007
Construction of the new logistics center at the Stockwiese site in Bad Laasphe.
2007
With the acquisition of the Holz-Weber hall EJOT creates the possibility to concentrate the Wittgenstein production of the Industrial Fasteners Division at the location "Astenbergstraße" in Berleburg in the long term. In addition to the existing 50,000 square meters of the Astenbergstrasse site, further land with buildings will be added in the immediate vicinity.
2007
EJOT receives the Roswith-OerterPrize of the Christian Democratic Workers’ Union (CDA) and is thus honored for its social commitment.
From humble beginnings. EJOT initially supported TV Buschhütten in its annual regional triathlon events. Later, in 2000, an intensive partnership developed with the support of the triathlon teams, which led to an unprecedented success story: EJOT Team TV Buschhütten has been a national and international leader for years and has acquired a leading international reputation in triathlon sport.
>>Text: Andreas Wolf
The cooperation got off to a promising start in the world of sports: the 1st men’s team celebrated promotion to the 1st triathlon national league in 2001, the 2nd team was promoted to the premier league. Just one year later, relegation to the 2nd Bundesliga made for a sobering experience. Rainer Jung, sports director triathlon at TV Buschhütten, remembers it well: “At the last competition at Lake Breitenau near Stuttgart, the finish area was already dismantled, everyone had already crossed the finish line and the broom wagon was following behind our last athlete. But all the team members, coaches and fans were waiting for him at the finish line to show that we are one team.” At that moment it was clear: “We’ll be back – and next time through the main entrance.” That is the plan and the agreement with EJOT.
In the period that followed, there was intense work on both the sports and management side of things. The teams were strengthened, new partners and sponsors were acquired. In 2005, the EJOT Team TV Buschhütten was promoted back to the 1st Triathlon Bundesliga and four years later became German Team Champions for the first time. As of 2021, the men’s team has won a total of 10 German championship titles, while the women's team has secured 9 German championship titles. In addition, there are numerous titles in the 2nd Triathlon Bundesliga, the NRW League and the Senior League. Another highlight is the German championship title in Team Mixed Relay in Berlin in June 2021: millions of people watched the exciting sprint competition, broadcast live by ZDF, in which the EJOT team competed with top athletes Lena Meißner, Lasse Lührs, Lisa Tertsch and Justus Nieschlag and secured the title in the end.
As important as the successes at the top are, sustainable development and promotion of children and young people with a holistic approach are necessary. Here, too, the people in charge at TV Buschhütten are doing an excellent job. With a well thought-out concept and professional training methods, the triathletes of the future are trained and carefully built up here.
The annual EJOT Triathlon Buschhütten, a sporting showcase for the entire region, shows that the triathlon is not just a brand in South Westphalia. Athletes from Germany and neighbouring European countries flock to this competition, which is as demanding as it is popular, to compete in the first competition of the season at the beginning of May after a long winter break. In addition to hundreds of ambitious amateur triathletes, the international triathlon elite also compete in Buschhütten year after year. Experiencing top stars like Jan Frodeno, the winner of 2019, up close in competition – makes the EJOT Triathlon Buschhütten an absolute highlight for spectators and fans as well.
