Erfurt isn't a big city — 216,000 inhabitants, historic centre in medieval form, a university town. But Thuringia as an industrial whole hosts two very different worlds: precision optics in Jena (Zeiss, Jenoptik), which is the world top for EUV lithography, and a gradually ramping electromobility cluster culminating in 2026 with the launch of the CATL gigafactory for lithium batteries near Erfurt. For an integrator, in 2026 Thuringia is probably the most interesting smaller Bundesland.
Crock dismantling 2019 — our closest Thuringian reference
In Crock (75 km south of Erfurt, near the Bavarian border) in 2019 we delivered `crock-demontaz` — a controlled dismantling of an industrial machine in Thuringia (49 photos in the archive). That's our closest geographical reference for the Erfurt orbit. Crock is a smaller municipality where a manufacturing entity needs a contract of the type "marking + photographic documentation + dismantling with heavy-lift logistics + handover for transport". That's precisely the methodology we developed through the Krauss-Maffei world in Munich, Köngen and Neureichenau — applied to the Thuringian engineering segment.
In Erfurt itself we don't yet operate directly. For a new Erfurt project we bring the Crock dismantling as a local reference plus the broader German industrial orbit (Krauss-Maffei + Uniper + Nolte + Akon).
CATL Erfurt — gigafactory for lithium batteries
CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) is building a gigafactory near Erfurt (Arnstadt-Erfurt) for lithium batteries with a planned capacity of 14 GWh/year. Ramp-up began in 2022, full capacity expected 2026–2027. That's a segment opening specific demand waves for a Slovak integrator — injection-moulding for packaging components (separator, encapsulation), assembly lines for cell-to-module assembly, clean production zones with ESD and particle-clean requirements, structured cabling and IT infrastructure in auxiliary buildings.
For the `industry + automation` pillar we're typologically close via our KraussMaffei + Engel + Wittmann injection experience and via `automotive-injection-line` from Bratislava (Siemens TIA Portal + Ignition SCADA), but specific battery production has its own nuances (NMP solvent handling, electrolyte handling, cell-level ESD protection). For peripheral tasks within the CATL supplier chain (Tier-2 packaging suppliers, assembly equipment, IT and structured cabling) we're operationally ready.
Bosch Solar CIS Erfurt — photovoltaic R&D
Bosch Solar CIS Erfurt is an R&D centre for CIS (Copper Indium Selenide) photovoltaic cells. For an MPIS integrator it's a typologically interesting client via the `smart-buildings` pillar (solar-pv-ess sub-pillar — SolarEdge, Fronius, Huawei, BYD, Pylontech, Victron) — but Bosch Solar is R&D, not a supplier of residential or commercial PV systems. For R&D infrastructure (laboratory fit-outs, structured cabling, IT infrastructure for simulation and characterisation of PV cells) we're deliverable.
Carl Zeiss Jena + Jenoptik — world-class optics
In Jena (35 km from Erfurt) Carl Zeiss Jena (precision optics, EUV lithography, microscopy) and Jenoptik (measurement systems, semiconductor lithography) are based. Together with Schott AG (Mainz) they form the core of German specialised optics, an indispensable part of the ASML EUV system for 5nm and below semiconductor processes. For the `industry + automation` pillar (vacuum technology, ultra-precise assembly, clean production zones) we have a typological match via our `vacuum-mechatronic-de` from Bayern (HV/UHV chambers for the semiconductor industry). That's the reference we'd bring for Carl Zeiss or Jenoptik R&D infrastructure projects.
Opel Eisenach — Stellantis Grandland
Opel Eisenach (45 km west of Erfurt) produces the Opel Grandland and Crossland (CUV / SUV segment) under Stellantis. For `industry + automation` (Sondermaschinenbau, robotic integration, MES rollout) we're typologically close — our references from the Krauss-Maffei world document the injection-assembly know-how. The path to Opel Eisenach runs via the Stellantis audited supplier register, similar to Opel Rüsselsheim in Hesse.
ThürBO + BetrSichV + DGUV V3
Building decisions in Thuringia follow Thüringer Bauordnung (ThürBO). Compared to other German Bundesländer, ThürBO has a relatively flexible regime for industrial fit-outs (Thuringia is actively attracting new-energy and EV investors), but stricter rules for buildings around the historic centres of Erfurt and Weimar (UNESCO-level heritage protection). Electrical installations follow VDE 0100, inspections DGUV V3.
Conclusion — Thuringia as an EV / battery industrial play
Thuringia is opening up for us via the CATL gigafactory ramp-up and the connected Tier-2 supplier chains. That's a segment where our typological match (Sondermaschinenbau, injection moulding, robotic integration, structured cabling) fits precisely. For the Carl Zeiss + Jenoptik orbit we're reachable via the vacuum-mechatronic reference from Bayern. From Prešov Erfurt is about a 10-hour drive on D1 / A4 — weekly accommodation for most projects. For Erfurt itself we don't yet operate directly, but the Crock dismantling from 2019 proves we can really operate in Thuringia.