Serial timber and modular construction is currently experiencing remarkable growth across the entire industry. Regardless of company size, massive investments are being made in new production facilities to meet the increasing demand for efficient and sustainable construction methods. This is reflected in various large-scale projects currently being undertaken across Europe.
Nokera, a leading company in this field, plans to produce up to 30,000 residential units per year in Möckern, near Leipzig, from 2024. This ambitious target is part of a broader strategy to further promote modular construction in Germany. By using standardized manufacturing processes and modular components, Nokera can not only reduce costs, but also significantly shorten construction times. These advantages make the company a pioneer in sustainable construction.
Another example is Gropyus, which has invested 300 million euros in Richen to set up a highly automated robotic production facility. The goal is a production that produces an element every 16 minutes. This would enable an annual production of 250,000 m² of gross floor area, with an impressive degree of automation of up to 86 percent being targeted. This increase in efficiency could revolutionize the construction process and is being closely monitored by many in the industry.
Timpla by Renggli also has ambitious plans to produce up to 2,000 modules a year in Eberswalde. This activity reflects a trend in which more and more companies are investing in modular construction in order to respond more efficiently to market needs. Kaufmann Bausysteme is another example of the success of this approach, with the company producing up to 4,000 modules per year at three locations and working on major projects in Berlin and other cities.
In addition, Binderholz has set up a production facility for system construction with b-solution in Hallein, Austria. This facility is designed to make production fast and flexible, which is further evidence of the growing potential and flexibility of serial timber and modular construction.
However, despite these encouraging developments, the construction industry as a whole is weakening. This raises questions about the actual market uptake of the new capacities. Although capacities are being expanded, it remains to be seen whether demand can keep pace with supply. Some critics point out that the focus on automation and cost reduction may rely on assembly lines that cannot readily respond to market changes.
In summary, the current expansion in serial timber construction and modular building is attracting significant investment and keeping the industry on its toes. However, matching the growing production capacities with corresponding market demand remains a challenge. The next few years will be crucial to see how these dynamic changes will play out in the long term.
