September 24, 2015: German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Saxony’s Prime Minister Stanislaw Tillich recently travelled to Glashütte to inaugurate A. Lange & Söhne’s new manufactory building.
Addressed to the 91-year-old re-founder, Mr Walter Lange, she said, “The new beginning was not easy, but you and your companions succeeded in securing the manufactory’s top-tier position among the world’s finest watch brands once again. Eastern Germany’s good reputation as innovative, flexible and modern location is based on success stories like yours.”
The 5400-square-metre production area has a bright and clearly structured façade. The two-part complex harmoniously blends in with its historic architectural surroundings. Slightly inclined, large-format atelier windows assure ample lighting at the workstations. The ultra-modern workshops mean that the watchmakers can enjoy virtually dust-free conditions. The double-skin walk-in facade has a climate-control function. The machines and other equipment used to manufacture movement parts are located in the lower-slung front part of the building. Several departments in which small components are manually engraved and decorated will also be housed in the new building.
“The new building is a response to employment growth in recent years and represents an investment in the manufactory’s future,” said Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid. “The focus,” he added, “was on a modern, energy-efficient building that would offer appealing surroundings and ideal working conditions. This will help us further enhance the quality of our watches and optimise our production processes. All the while, we strive to minimise our ecological footprint and resource consumption.”
Saxony’s largest geothermal energy plant – with 55 downhole heat exchangers extending to a depth of as much as 125 metres – keeps the indoor climate pleasant through all four seasons. The electricity needed to operate the pumps is green. The new Lange manufactory is a CO2-free facility that makes an important contribution to climate change mitigation.
