With these non-scheduled investments at the Components GmbH in Bernstadt, Saxony, the company sets the course for its continued strong growth:  the investments are for example used for a renovation of the social areas of the approximately 800 employees of the site as well as for the creation of modern office spaces directly above the central chemical laboratory which – built with the help of an investment in the amount of EUR 4 million – was put into operation in February 2020. Already at the beginning of the year, BIRKENSTOCK increased its capacities at the site and invested one million euros in an additional leather production line. Due to the continued increasing demand for BIRKENSTOCK products worldwide, the site currently produces over 100,000 pairs of uppers per business day – more than ever before in the history of the production site.

In the past year, BIRKENSTOCK has strengthened its position as the largest production company and the largest private employer in the southern administrative district of Görlitz – despite the economic challenges the past year had brought with it. “We are aware of our responsibility as a major economic factor in the region. With our investments, we do not only strengthen and enhance our production site, we also increase our footprint in the region”, says BIRKENSTOCK CEO Oliver Reichert. “By modernizing the social areas we want to show our colleagues in Bernstadt that we very much care about their working conditions. At the same time, the investments are a clear commitment to our German sites.” 

The Bernstadt site has a special status within the group of companies, as the manufacture of the uppers and buckles (“components”) produced there differs very much from footbed production and final assembly. While the footbeds ensure the comfort of the products, the uppers and buckles produced in Bernstadt with their materials, colors and craftsmanship significantly shape the style of the BIRKENSTOCK products. Thus, the Bernstadt site is closely linked to the feedback provided by the markets. In recent years, the manufacturing requirements in this area have changed significantly – not least on account of the various designer cooperations (for example with Valentino, Proenza Schouler or Rick Owens). 

Just like all other production sites of the BIRKENSTOCK Group, the Bernstadt site continues to benefit from the ever-growing global demand for BIRKENSTOCK products. It thus does not come as a surprise that the number of employees at Birkenstock Components GmbH located in Bernstadt has almost tripled since 2015. At the moment, around 800 employees work at the Bernstadt site.