Tiefensee: “Kyffhäuserhütte” strengthens the economic location of North Thuringia

Thuringia's Minister of Economic Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, today broke ground on the final construction phase of the "Kyffhäuserhütte" industrial park on the eastern edge of Artern. The fourth and final phase – the so-called "Northern Expansion" – will develop an additional 30 hectares. Upon completion in 2017, the site will encompass a total area of ​​more than 60 hectares. More than seven million euros are being invested in developing the site, with the state providing almost six million euros from funds allocated through the joint federal and state program "Improvement of Regional Economic Structures" (GRW). "The state is investing significantly in the revitalization and expansion of former industrial sites to create favorable conditions for existing businesses and new companies," said Tiefensee. "With the expansion of the Kyffhäuserhütte industrial park, we are strengthening the entire North Thuringian economy and creating space for greater growth and employment in the region." Development of the former industrial site has been underway since 1999. Since then, 17 companies with more than 600 employees have established themselves here – primarily from the mechanical engineering and metalworking sectors, as well as service providers in the fields of education and training, project management, planning, and multimedia/internet. These include, among others, TOWER Automotive Presswerk Artern GmbH, HALFEN GmbH, Stiftung Finneck-Werkstätten, Kyffhäuser Maschinenfabrik Artern GmbH, EURATIBOR eV, and Edelstahlbeizerei Eisleben GmbH. The start of construction was attended by the Minister of Economic Affairs, the District Administrator of the Kyffhäuser district, Antje Hochwind, the Mayor of Artern, Wolfgang Koenen, and LEG Managing Director Andreas Krey. During preparatory work in the spring, archaeologically valuable monuments were discovered, indicating earlier settlement of the site. "Until now, no such archaeological finds were known in this area," said Andreas Krey, Managing Director of LEG Thüringen. The work on these finds has been handed over to the Thuringian State Office for Monument Preservation. The development of the site will now be coordinated so that the excavations and construction work can be carried out simultaneously. The planned development includes not only land leveling but also road construction and the relocation of water, gas, and electricity lines at the site.