The Minister-President spoke with Bruno Reufels, CEO of the Niedax Group, mainly about planned investments and new job opportunities at the Hagen site. Another topic was Niedax's role in the expansion of a secure, resilient, and high-performance glass fiber network in Germany, which is now coming to a start.
Bandstahl-Service-Hagen (BSH) is one of two steel service centers within the Niedax Group, alongside Boecker Stahl-Service in Schwerte. In addition to meeting some of the 60 employees and the management team, Minister President Wüst took a tour of the 35,000 square meter production and warehouse facilities to get an impression of the current company premises. These are set to be expanded by 2030 with new, process-optimized production and warehouse facilities on a new 36,000 square meter site.
The Niedax Executive Board led by CEO Bruno Reufels has planned investments in the double-digit million range for this purpose. In addition to the construction of the new hall, the investment will also be used for automation and increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize existing production processes.
Niedax CEO Reufels explains: "We have confidence in our steel service centers in the Ruhr region, which contribute significantly to the Niedax Group's total sales. By purchasing a new splitting machine and using AI-controlled technology, we aim to achieve significantly more efficient processes and double the volume processed. At the same time, we are offering our employees a modern, attractive workplace with state-of-the-art technology."
Both steel service centers play a strategically important role within the company's value chain. This is because steel is not only supplied to industrial companies in various sectors for further processing but is also used primarily for the manufacture of the company's own cable trays, which is still the core business of the Niedax Group.
New subsidiaries will ensure expansion of a resilient data network in Germany
During his visit, Reufels personally informed Minister-President Wüst about the project to build a secure, high-performance glass fiber network in Germany using the cable management systems. The Niedax Group is managing this major project through its newly founded subsidiaries Netz33 GmbH and Niedax Infrastruktur GmbH, together with other partners.
Bruno Reufels emphasized the importance of this project to the Minister-President, which the two steel service centers are also helping to implement: "In the current global political situation, data centers located in Germany that are adequately protected against manipulation are of enormous strategic importance. To this end, we will build a fast and resilient glas fiber network as our contribution to Germany's ‘digital sovereignty’. The establishment of this digital infrastructure will benefit the economy both regionally and nationwide in the long term."
Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, says: “Our economy and the entire state will benefit from this in the long term. This requires a widespread digital infrastructure and engaged companies such as the Niedax Group, which are laying the foundations for this by expanding a secure, high-performance glass fiber network. With the expansion of production at its Hagen site, Niedax is also sending a clear signal for the future of the region. Investments worth millions will create hundreds of new jobs in the coming years. North Rhine-Westphalia is leading the way—on the path to becoming Europe's leading digital and quantum region.”
About Bandstahl-Service-Hagen GmbH
Bandstahl-Service-Hagen (BSH) GmbH has been a subsidiary of the Niedax Group since 2022 and, alongside Boecker-Stahl Service GmbH in Schwerte, is one of two steel service centers within the Niedax Group, both of which are located in the Ruhr region (North Rhine-Westphalia). The two sites process slit strip made from hot-rolled wide strip, cold-rolled strip, hot-dip galvanized steel, and stainless steel. Annual sales currently exceed 225,000 tons, with up to 130,000 tons in Hagen alone.
