Gelsenkirchen: world market leader in hose production and more!

Von Kl Redaktion

There are places that, despite their challenges, become true pioneers in certain industries. Such an example is Gelsenkirchen, which has reached the top of the world in hose production. In the heart of the city, where you can hear the hustle and bustle of the machines, we meet Sebastian Freith, who is known as a "hose whisperer". "Gelsenkirchen was often referred to as the navel of the hose world," he explains with a smile while the sound of production can be heard around it.

The Norres Baggerman Group, a integral part of this region for 130 years, has established itself as the world's leading manufacturer of hoses. Last year, the company sent remarkable 4.5 million meters of hose to all corners of the earth. Your products are indispensable, be it with the fire brigade, in agriculture or in the food industry. But there is even more to tell: The biggest competitor of Norres also produces in Gelsenkirchen, which further underlines the position of the city in this industry.

advantages and perspectives of the region

Despite the numerous problems that are plagued by Gelsenkirchen - it is one of the poorest cities in Germany - the region also has advantages. Real estate prices here are comparatively low for companies, and the connection to important traffic routes is good. "We are regionally rooted; 200 of our 400 employees work in Gelsenkirchen," emphasizes Albert Cordewener, CEO of the Norres Baggerman Group. He emphasizes that the connection to this city is of enormous importance for the company: "You don't take this away here, Gelsenkirchen is extremely important for us." However,

Gelsenkirchen is not the only place in the Ruhr area that makes remarkable progress. Bottrop is also in the spotlight, especially because of its engagement in sustainable energy technology. It is the city with the highest heat pump density in Germany and comes to the top in North Rhine-Westphalia when it comes to solar roofs.

The success of Bottrops is closely linked to the “Innovation City Ruhr” project, which was launched in 2010. This was the first attempt to extensively renovate an industrial city. Old industries that once determined the image of the city - coal and steel - have made room for innovative solutions. Stefan Heidrich, who works in Bottrop and leads a company for solar and heat pumping technologies, describes the upheaval: "In the past, this was a typical painting city, it was all about coal and steel, everything gray with dust in the air."

A new way for old cities

The transformation bottrops is not only technological, but also a question of identity. The people here have the opportunity to break away from the old structures and to open up new fields of work. The city, which was once known for its coal men, now takes the chance to act as a pioneer in the energy transition. Heidrich tells how he sets up a new system for heat pump technology at the Bottroper Friedel Scheulen and how the city is changing from a gray industrial location to an innovative center.

These stories of Gelsenkirchen and Bottrop show that the Ruhr area is far more than just a space of change; It is a region. It challenges us to rethink the existing clichés and to perceive the complex developments in these cities. Wherever you only saw dust and coal, there are now fresh ideas and new ways. It is proof that positive changes are possible even under the most difficult circumstances.