Offenbach, 20 January 2025 – The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid a visit to the new SAMSON site in Offenbach am Main. During a guided tour, he was briefed on the progress of the MainChange project, which involves a 400 million euro investment by SAMSON to build new headquarters in Offenbach. The Chancellor's visit highlights the importance of lighthouse projects like SAMSON's to safeguard the future of German industry.
Dr. Andreas Widl, Chief Executive Officer of SAMSON AG: "MainChange underlines our commitment to Germany as a center of industry. In times of uncertainty and volatility, this project represents stability for the region, our workforce and their families. Our job guarantee granted until the end of 2028 shows that SAMSON takes its role as an employer seriously. German SMEs require clear and reliable economic policies – today and tomorrow – to create unbureaucratic structures and entrepreneurial freedom to allow companies like us to continue championing 'Made in Germany' branded quality."
Dr. Widl called for faster export licensing to speed up the time-to-market for innovative products and technologies to boost German competitiveness on the global market. He explained: "Excessive documentation and approval processes (such as due diligence obligations in supply chains or ESG sustainability reporting) put a huge strain on our business resources. We would much rather devote our time and energy on innovating and making our business operations truly sustainable."
"Germany as an export nation must focus on its strengths: talent, technology, quality, efficiency, international value chains." Dr. Widl also stressed the importance of a more productive work culture in industrial SMEs, which are renowned for their performance, dependability and responsibility. He declared: "An even shorter working week would weaken Germany as an industrial hub." He explained that Germany needed flexible working hour models to help grow the economy while meeting the needs of the employers and employees in equal measures. Rounding off his comments, Dr. Widl spoke in favor of affordable energy prices and reliable framework conditions to future-proof German industry during the energy transition process.
The German Chancellor's visit to SAMSON underscores the key role of German SMEs: they foster innovation, drive growth and secure jobs in Germany.
SAMSON AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, serves the global process engineering industry market with its innovative products, systems and digital solutions to control all kinds of media. SAMSON valves precisely control the flow of liquids, gases and steam in industries, such as chemicals and petrochemicals, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, energy generation and distribution. Positioners are at the heart of SAMSON's control technology. They continuously adapt the valve position in smart control systems to maximize efficiency and safety in complex processing applications. As of October 2025, SAMSON positioners will be the first products to be manufactured at the new site in Offenbach am Main.
The MainChange project, the largest innovation venture ever undertaken in the history of SAMSON, will shape the future of the company. Due to the restricted expansion potential at the current site in Frankfurt's east end, SAMSON is relocating its headquarters and its 2000-strong workforce. The move to Offenbach am Main, which includes the relocation of the entire factory, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. An ultramodern factory in the city, which combines the latest scientific findings with state-of-the-art technology, is currently being built on a 14.3 ha plot of land in Offenbach. Special attention is being paid to sustainable construction and manufacturing methods for better energy efficiency and resource management.
SAMSON has been a reliable partner of industry for over 117 years. The SAMSON Group employs over 4500 staff members worldwide and manufactures at 17 sites in nine different countries. With its innovative solutions, SAMSON is driving the transformation of industrial automation and setting new standards in efficiency, safety and sustainability.