The Aachen Rothe-Erde industrial site is facing significant change. The closure of the long-established Continental tire plant at the end of 2022 was accompanied by the loss of numerous jobs, but at the same time opens up the opportunity to develop the entire inner-city industrial area in a future-oriented manner. With the "Vision2025+ model location for urban production Aachen Rothe Erde" project, the city of Aachen is pursuing the goal of transforming the entire industrial area into a sustainable production location that is compatible with the city. The aim is to attract companies, start-ups and spin-offs from the production, environmental, circular economy and energy sectors, thereby creating synergy effects.
The project is supported by 97.5% funding from the state of NRW and the federal government and is intended to strengthen the long-term resilience and competitiveness of the location.
WERK.STADT ROTHE ERDE – The Earth for New Creations
With the new WERK.STADT ROTHE ERDE brand, one of Aachen’s most significant industrial sites is taking on a clear vision for the future. The brand represents the transformation of Rothe Erde into a modern hub where manufacturing, craftsmanship, innovation, and urban life converge.
Rothe Erde combines key location advantages: its central location, excellent access to bus, train, and highway networks, and a direct connection to the Vennbahn Bike Path. At the same time, its designation as an industrial zone remains in place—an important foundation for manufacturing companies and industrial value creation right in the heart of the city.
This development comes at just the right time. Aachen, too, is facing a growing shortage of commercial space. Demand for suitable locations for businesses is high, while new development sites are in short supply. The Rothe Erde site therefore offers an opportunity to tap into existing potential and further develop an established industrial location in a way that ensures its future viability.
The guiding principle behind WERK.STADT ROTHE ERDE captures this vision perfectly. The name deliberately bridges two worlds: “WERK” stands for production, innovation, and value creation, while “STADT” represents the urban context. This is where production, development, and work will continue to take place in the future—right in the heart of Aachen.
The new brand is complemented by the tagline “The Earth for New Beginnings.” It stands for a new beginning, innovation, and a willingness to rethink the status quo. A historic industrial site is being transformed into a hub for modern production, new technologies, university spin-offs, and innovative companies.
The new corporate design brings this identity to life and gives the site a distinct profile. It builds brand recognition and reinforces the perception of Rothe Erde as a forward-looking location for urban production.
The development of WERK.STADT ROTHE ERDE is part of the “Vision 2025 – Model Site for Urban Production in Aachen Rothe Erde” funding project, which is supported by federal and state structural change funds. It exemplifies the vision of urban, innovative, and sustainable industrial value creation in Aachen.
WERK.STADT ROTHE ERDE – Soil for new creations.
Event: “WERK.STADT Rothe Erde – Soil for New Creations”
An important discussion on the future of the site will take place as part of the event “WERK.STADT ROTHE ERDE – The Earth for New Creation” on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Stranghalle Rothe Erde, Philipsstraße 2, 52068 Aachen. The focus will be on the future of urban production, innovative approaches to the development of commercial and industrial sites, and the question of how existing sites can be sustainably redeveloped and utilized for new technologies, businesses, and jobs. Insights from business, academia, and politics will shed light on the opportunities presented by industrial transformation and the role of Rothe Erde as a future hub for innovation and production.
Here you will find the program, travel information, and the option to register by August 18, 2026.
Martin + Joel Jochum
Vision2025+ Model location for urban production Aachen Rothe Erde
Many people and communities in the Rhenish mining area are affected by structural change, with traditional industries and trades increasingly giving way to new forms of production. This is a development that Aachen cannot escape. In September 2020, Continental AG announced the closure of its tire plant at the Rothe Erde industrial site by the end of 2022. Due to the associated job losses, around 1,800 people were faced with the challenge of finding subsequent employment quickly.
The city of Aachen quickly recognized this incision as an opportunity to shape the change that was taking place, as the industrial area, which is excellently integrated into the city centre, offers great potential for successful inner-city development in future-oriented fields and sectors, particularly in view of the shortage of commercial space that prevails in many places. The loss of traditional jobs offers the opportunity to create new, secure and long-term replacement jobs in the manufacturing industry.
The city of Aachen has launched the "Vision2025+ Model location for urban production Aachen Rothe Erde" project to make the most of this opportunity. As part of this project, a forward-looking development strategy for the location is currently being worked on under high pressure, which is intended to transform it into a model location for urban production. In concrete terms, this means integrating the production and processing of material goods into the city in a sustainable way and focusing on the needs and challenges of our time.
The industrial character of the location is to be reinterpreted with a special focus on attracting companies, start-ups and spin-offs from the production, environmental, circular economy and energy sectors, with the aim of creating solutions that are as long-term and future-proof as possible for the benefit of employees. Intelligent solutions for an environmentally friendly and economical energy supply and an optimally developed digital infrastructure are fundamental to attracting companies from these sectors and innovative production methods. The overarching goal of the development strategy is to increase the agile transformation of the location and to help strengthen its resilience in the context of international competition.
By pursuing as comprehensive an approach as possible, the city wants to ensure that the historic Rothe Erde business location develops in a targeted manner towards a secure future that will ultimately benefit the entire city and the local population.
As part of the project, the city of Aachen is supported in this endeavor with 97.5% funding from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the federal government.
Availability of space at the Rothe Erde site
City of Aachen
As part of the Rothe-Erde location development, the city of Aachen offers companies tailor-made options for relocation and expansion. The newly acquired municipal property at Eisenbahnweg 50, with an area of around 24,000 square meters, provides hall and office space in various sizes. Thanks to its urban location, the property has excellent connections to public transport, the cycle network and the nearby freeway junction.
Become part of this production cluster and contact us!