The FSM Group celebrates the topping-out ceremony for the expansion of its production areas at its site in Hennigsdorf. At a time when many other automotive suppliers are attracting attention with staff cuts and site closures, the FSM Group is investing a total of approx. 10 million euros in the expansion of its plants in Hennigsdorf and Nauen.

FSM Stamping produces sophisticated components for the automotive and household appliance industries as well as for railroad technology. From the safety part to the system assembly, automated production processes guarantee the fulfillment of complex customer requirements. FSM Stamping combines the decades of experience of FSM Syscomp GmbH and FSM Motec GmbH with a focus on the large-scale production of stamped and formed parts and the required know-how in tooling and automation technology. With its approximately 300 employees, FSM intends to continue growing. A total of around 5,000m² of new production space will be created by the beginning of 2021, thus creating new jobs and securing existing ones.

FSM looks back on an 85-year history and was part of Flamm GmbH from Aachen until 2019. Together with the Berlin-based ANDREAS & PEIFFER group of companies, the long-standing managing directors Thorsten Ladwig and Dirk Ermster then dared to take the step into self-employment. In retrospect, this was a bold move, as the automotive business in Germany was already weakening at the end of 2019. With the Corona Lockdown in April and May 2020, production came to a virtual halt. “That’s when we started thinking about whether our investment plans still fit in,” says Thorsten Ladwig. However, it helped us that we have two other mainstays in the form of the rail and household appliance industries. Our customers recognize our innovative manufacturing solutions with new orders that are fulfilled with efficiency advantages over competitors. “We also benefit from the fact that our door lock components, seat structure parts and battery box covers are not affected by the structural change in drive technology,” adds Dirk Ermster.

Brandenburg’s Minister President Dietmar Woidke and District Administrator Ludger Weskamp also praised FSM’s positive development during their visit to the topping-out ceremony in Hennigsdorf. It shows that in Brandenburg, in addition to the large investors, medium-sized companies such as FSM can also hold their own and continue to develop. In his speech, Woidke said: “Even though there is currently a lot of talk about the Tesla factory in Grünheide, medium-sized companies like FSM Stamping in Hennigsdorf are and will remain the backbone of our economy. I congratulate you on your courage to invest in a forward-looking way in these difficult times. I am sure that one day you will look back and say: That was the right decision!”

Ludger Weskamp said: “It is not for nothing that the business location Oberhavel is one of the economically strongest regions in eastern Germany. We in Oberhavel are very proud of our traditional and at the same time innovative companies. FSM Stamping is an excellent example of this. I wish the entire company every success for the construction of the new production areas and for its further development.”