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The future is heating up: heat pumps from Höxter are conquering the market!
Stephan Höke and his team in Höxter produce innovative heat pumps and strengthen the local economy through renewable energies.
The future is heating up: heat pumps from Höxter are conquering the market!
Stephan Höke is a young father from Beverungen-Amelunxen and is now facing a new professional challenge as an employee in the “Zur Lüre” industrial estate in Höxter. After previously working as a roofer, he and his 21 colleagues are now working to produce heat pumps of the new “wpnext” generation. Höke emphasizes that he feels comfortable at his workplace and is proud of the newly developed products. The start of production recently took place on January 12th and is a step towards independence from fossil fuels, especially given the current geopolitical situation characterized by the Ukraine conflict.
Stiebel Eltron, the manufacturer of these innovative heat pumps, took a big step in 2022 by acquiring the site in Höxter with four production halls (4,000 square meters in total) and two office complexes (over 500 square meters). This expansion is part of a strategy to move away from Russian gas. Although the initial start of production was planned for the end of 2023, it was postponed due to an expected decline in sales, but it has now been put into action since mid-January.
Growing demand for heat pumps
The demand for heat pumps in Germany has skyrocketed in recent years: in 2024, 69.4% of newly completed residential buildings were equipped with heat pumps as the primary heating source. Compared to the previous year, the market has almost doubled, and the Federal Heat Pump Association expects over 400,000 devices to be sold in 2026. This is a clear indication that renewable energies are very popular and that more and more builders are relying on sustainable heating solutions.
Stiebel Eltron plans to create up to 300 jobs in the long term with production in Höxter. There are currently two shifts running with around ten employees per shift. The company's managing director is optimistic that sales of heat pumps will increase, especially given the increasing use of renewable energies: 73.9% of newly built residential buildings in 2024 were heated predominantly with renewable energies, with the share of heat pumps having more than doubled since 2014.
Market development and outlook
In 2024, we saw a significant decline in overall heat pump manufacturing, which fell to 162,400 units – a decline of 59.4% compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the value of the devices produced remains high at 587 million euros, even if this represents a significant decrease compared to 1.2 billion euros in the previous year. Heat pump exports fell by 40.2% to 480 million euros, highlighting market developments and challenges arising at both national and international levels.
The numbers speak for themselves: the industry is facing upheaval, which is characterized on the one hand by the demand for sustainable energy solutions and on the other hand by geopolitical challenges. Höxter's involvement in heat pump production under Stiebel Eltron shows that local companies are willing not only to observe these changes, but to actively help shape them. And that not only creates new jobs, but also a sustainable contribution to the energy transition.