East dockside / Wilhelmsburg industrial and commercial area

Hotspot for sustainable industrial & commercial projects

The east dockside / Wilhelmsburg industrial and commericla area is characterised by its strategic location and diverse development opportunities. In particular, the IW³ project focussing on deep geothermal energy demonstrates the site's potential for promoting the heating transition in Hamburg. By utilising geothermal energy, a sustainable heat supply for commercial enterprises and private households can be realised. The proximity to the port and the favourable connection to the Hamburg port railway offer logistical advantages and help companies coordinate their supply chains more efficiently. Innovative projects such as the state-of-the-art Mach² logistics property contribute to the utilisation of increasingly scarce space in a sustainable, innovative manner. Being a centre for engineering services and featuring large areas that could be developed in the medium term, Wilhelmsburg offers an attractive base for companies from a wide range of sectors.

Here you can view an interactive map of selected industry locations in Hamburg.

Interactive map of the most important industrial locations in Hamburg — © Freiland Hamburg

Key figures

Total size of the location: 99 ha

Companies located here: 151

Gainfully employed individuals: 4,645

Total revenue of all companiess: € 850,035.000

Locational benefits: Wilhelmsburg's hub on the eastern edge of the port

Visualisation of the future boiler house of the geothermal plant in Hamburg Wilhelmsburg — © Visualisierung: Hamburger Energiewerke

Leading projects for the heating transition

As part of the IW³ project, Hamburg Energie Geothermie GmbH uses natural geothermal energy in the Wilhelmsburg port district to supply heat in a climate-friendly way. The geothermal plant, which has two boreholes, extracts thermal water at a temperature of 48 °C from a depth of over 1,300 metres. With a planned heat output of around 6 megawatts, over 4,700 households can be supplied with heat. This capacity is to be increased to over 6,000 households through the use of a multi-stage heat pump system. This geothermal project is a key building block for the heating transition in Hamburg by integrating renewable energies more closely into the city's heating supply system. The implementation of the project will make a decisive contribution to the decarbonisation of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, while also supporting Hamburg's climate targets.

Port railway tracks in the Wilhelmsburg district — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Logistics benefits: proximity to the port infrastructure

The site's proximity to the Port of Hamburg and the port railway in particular offer major logistical advantages. Since it became operational in 1866, the port railway has been connecting ship and rail and today plays a decisive role in freight transport in the port and the European hinterland. With a route network of almost 300 km and around 762 switches, 155 km of which are electrified, the Hamburg port railway is Europe's largest railway port. Every day, around 210 goods trains move more than 5,400 wagons across this extensive network. This infrastructure supports over 160 rail transport companies and moved a total of 46.2 million tonnes of goods in 2024. As an integral part of the intelligent port initiative, the port railway works with the transPORT rail traffic management system, which promotes data exchange and efficiency in rail transport and maps train journeys in a trnasparent manner.

The Mach² logistics property at Reiherstieg Hauptdeich in Wilhelmsburg — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Mach² logistics property by Four Parx

Mach² in Hamburg is the first two-storey logistics property in Germany that allows 45-tonne lorries to operate on the upper floor. This project maximises the use of space through brownfield development and reduces the carbon footprint by 40% compared to the BREEAM benchmark, thus combining environmental awareness with with efficiency. In addition, infrastructure such as e-charging stations and direct public transport access support sustainable mobility. The property, which is geared towards sectors such as aviation, online retail, IT and food, has achieved full occupancy and includes big names such as SatAir, Picnic, JYSK and Bechtle. Mach²'s successful approach has been recognised with the B24 Brownfield Award and the Logix Award.

Building of the "Ingenieurwerk"in the Wilhelmsburg industrial and commercial estate — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Major centre for engineering services

Ingenieurwerk has been active in Wilhelmsburg since 2000 and integrates various engineering services in one place in order to harness interdisciplinary synergies. In this lively quarter of town, experts from engineering, architecture, natural sciences, IT and management contribute their knowledge to offer comprehensive solutions for different projects. Each partner is independent, but they work together efficiently on larger projects, allowing clients to benefit from a single point of contact. One of these partners is UMCO GmbH, which offers compliance solutions for chemicals worldwide. With 80 members of staff in Hamburg and Cologne, the company covers services such as chemicals management and hazardous goods management and provides specialist training courses through its own academy.

Visualisation of the Elbinselquartier in Wilhelmsburg — © Visualisierung: IBA Hamburg/moka Studios

Development of new mixed quarters

Folowing the International Building Exhibition (IBA), three new neighbourhoods are currentlytakign shape in Wilhelmsburg: the Spreehafen quarter, the Elbinsel quarter and the Wilhelmsburger Rathaus quarter, offering both attractive housing and new commercial space. The 53-hectare Elbinsel quarter is centrally located and aims to create a diversified neighbourhood where housing, commerce, garden allotments, open spaces and educational and care facilities can coexist. The neighbourhood aims to unite the interests of all stakeholders and create an environment where residents, neighbours, merchants and visitors feel comfortable. Different typologies and architectures, a mix of rental and owner-occupied flats as well as building cooperatives create a lively urban mix. By developing along the canals, the three areas create a landscape axis that is characterised by open spaces.

Impressions from the east dockside / Wilhelmsburg

The premises of Nordische Oelwerke, situated right on the waterfront — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Commercial complex on the eastern edge of Wilhelmsburg harbour — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Nordische Oelwerke factory premises — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

The food supplier Picnic has opened its Hamburg central warehouse in Wilhelmsburg — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Industrial site with loading gates and large lorries — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Site with a large number of containers on a leafy street — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

The Johs Martens forwarding company offers logistics solutions for mineral oil, gas and chemical products. — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Various commercial companies on the eastern edge of the harbour — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Various companies from the automotive sector have their headquarters at Pollhornbogen in Wilhelmsburg — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Knaack Krane has a truck wash and washing facility for cleaning lorries and large vehicles — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Street with stacked conatiners on one side and green spaces on the other. — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Thematic maps of the east dockside / Wilhelmsburg

Infographic on traffic links in the east dockside / Wilhelmsburg industrial and commercial area

Connectivity

The east dockside / Wilhelmsburg provides excellent transport connections. The location is easily accessible by car via the B75, A1 and A255, and both Hamburg's city centre and the port are in the immediate vicinity. In addition, theS3 and S31 S-Bahn lines as well as several bus routes ensure easy access to local public transport. The location therefore offers ideal conditions for companies and their staff alike.

Standard land values

The standard land value is the land value of a fictitious plot of land that is ideal for its surroundings. In the east dockside / Wilhelmsburg industrial and commercial area, the standard land value is between approx. € 380 and
€ 460 per square metre.

Infographic on hazardous operations in the the east dockside / Wilhelmsburg industrial and commercial area

Hazardous operations at the location

Among Hamburg's many companies, there are also some that handle large quantities of hazardous substances, meaning that risks to the neighbourhood cannot be completely ruled out in the event of an incident. There are fewer of these hazardous incident companies at the east dockside / Wilhelmsburg site.

East dockside / Wilhelmsburg: selected company profiles

The Räder Vogel plant 2 in the east dockside industrial area of the port — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Räder-Vogel Räder- und Rollenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG

At the east dockside industrial site, Räder-Vogel operates one of three plants that are located on the Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg. Plant 2 specialises in casting and post-treatment, making it an important link in the production chain. Since 2002, the plant has been producing up to 12,000 wheels and castors a day on an area of 10,000 square metres, ensuring reliable supplies for customers. The production process begins in Plant 1 with the mechanical processing of the raw cores. The metal cores are then transported to Plant 2, where they are thoroughly cleaned and coated with a special bonding agent that ensures a strong bond between the wheel core and the coating. The coating is then applied using a hot casting process. The final post-treatment takes place in the tempering room. Here, the end product is further processed, smoothed and tested under strictly controlled conditions to ensure consistently high quality and durability.

Mankiewicz production facility in the Wilhelmsburg district of Hamburg — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Mankiewicz Gebr. & Co. GmbH & Co KG

Mankiewicz Gebr. & Co GmbH & Co KG operates an important production facility for paint systems at Hamburg's east dockside industrial site. The company has been producing industrial coatings since 1895 and has developed into a leading global supplier that is active in the general industry, aviation and automotive sectors. With over 1,700 employees worldwide, Mankiewicz ensures that consumer and capital goods are protected, enhanced and equipped with additional functions in the long term. The company's products are characterised by the highest quality and are closely aligned with market requirements. Mankiewicz combines tradition with innovation and offers customised solutions and efficient painting processes that are used at 17 locations worldwide. The Hamburg site is a central hub for the continuous development and production of these highly specialised paint systems.

Site of the logistics company Nordfrost GmbH on the east dockside of the port — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

NORDFROST GmbH & Co. KG

NORDFROST GmbH & Co. KG has a majorlogistics facility in the east dockside industrial area. Since it was founded in 1975 by Horst Bartels, the company has developed into a leading provider of frozen food logistics. With a workforce of some 2,200 people at 40 locations throughout Germany, NORDFROST offers comprehensive logistics solutions for the food industry and the retail trade. The range of services extends from transport and warehouse logistics to specialised port logistics, including project shipments and container logistics. These services are characterised by a customer-oriented corporate philosophy that focusses on a straightforward approach and a sense of responsibility towards natural resources. The location in Hamburg is part of the company's efficient port locations that are decisive for NORDFROST's quality of services. With a management that aims for close cooperation and process optimisation, NORDFROST ensures that customers receive optimum services from a single source.

Production hall and premises of Kranvermeitung Knaack GmbH in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Knaack-Krane GmbH

At their Wilhelmsburg site, Knaack-Krane offers a comprehensive range of crane hire and heavy-duty logistics services. The company supports projects across a wide range of sectors, including heavy industry, the port sector, ship assembly and wind power construction, and develops customised solutions for each application. With a modern fleet of cranes with lifting capacities from 30 to 750 tonnes, Knaack-Krane can reliably realise even the most demanding transport and lifting tasks. The company works according to ISO and SCC-certified standards in to fulfil the highest quality, safety and environmental requirements. Whether in heavy-duty expedition, bridge construction or infrastructure, Knaack-Krane stands for utmost flexibility, precise planning and efficient realisation. Thanks to its Europe-wide operations, the company combines local expertise with international experience. Special emphasis is also placed on eco-friendly working methods and operations at height, particularly in wind turbine construction, where safety and precision are top priorities.

Premises of Nordische Oelwerke with large oil tankers — © Manufacturing Cities/Kai Michael Dietrich

Nordische Oelwerke Walther Carroux GmbH & Co. KG

Nordische Oelwerke Walther Carroux GmbH & Co KG specialises in the distillation of fatty acids and the production of glycerine. Since its foundation in 1921 by Emil Carroux, the company has developed from an importer of crude palm oil to an experienced manufacturer that extracts its products from plant-based raw materials such as sunflower seeds and soya beans. With almost a century of experience, the family-run company, now in its fourth generation under the management of Thomas Carroux, fosters long-standing trading relationships. The production processes at the Wilhelmsburg site have a strog focus on sustainability, utilising technological advances to maintain environmental responsibility. The purity and quality of the fatty acids and glycerine produced are continuously monitored in the in-house laboratory to ensure that all products are precisely matched to customer requirements.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

At its Wilhelmsburg site, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies operates a major production facility specialising in sealing solutions. in 1997, Freudenberg acquired the Merkel sealing company, which was struggling economically at the time, thereby securing around 400 jobs. Ever since then, Freudenberg has continuously invested and equipped the plant with modern machinery to manufacture seals for demanding applications. The plant is known for the production of special seals used in large-scale projects such as ship propulsion systems and tunnelling machines. These highly specialised products are not mass-produced, but are often tailored to specific customer requirements. The site in Wilhelmsburg benefits from a combination of local expertise and international experience thanks to its integration into the Freudenberg Group, which is active in 60 countries worldwide. This makes it possible to develop and offer innovative solutions for the automotive industry, renewable energies and electromobility.

Disclaimer

Note on area sizes: The industrial and commercial area referred to in the key figures indicates the gross area according to the maps displayed. These include different proportions of water areas, transport areas and green areas. Therefore, it is not possible to make a direct comparison between the individual locations presented on these pages, e.g. in terms of workforce per hectare.

Note on employment figures: Information on the local workforce is mostly provided by the German Federal Employment Agency. In some cases, figures are not broken down by individual company branches and locations, i.e. aggregate employment figures are provided instead. In such cases, the statistical business register does not include more detailed figures. Moreover, please note potential limitations of data collection e.g. in terms of minimum thresholds. As a result, the figures provided should be regarded as approximate figures that are intended to provide general guidance only.

Note on revenue figures: These figures are based on the tax returns of the companies as of 31 December 2024. In some cases, figures are not reported for each individual branch, but only for the relevant group of companies. These values are subsequently broken down on a case-by-case basis. Moreover, tax reports may be updated following a longer period of time. Therefore, the figures provided are intended to provide general guidance only.

Note on standard land values: The map provides information on standard land values for use in production/logistics. The relevant values were converted (i.e. standardised) to a plot size of 1,000 square metres or a value-related floor-area ratio of 1.0, respectively. Both the lowest and the highest standard land value in the building block are provided. The map aims to serve as a reference and is not suited for determining the actual value. At BORIS.HH you can view an interactive standard land value map of Hamburg. The website offers detailed information on standard land values in Hamburg and lets you convert the standard land value to account for individual property characteristics. All values displayed refer to the reference date of 1 January 2025.

Note on hazardous operations: Locations of establishments pursuant to §3 para. 5a of the German Federal Immission Control Act (BimSchG) in the jurisdiction of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Further metadata / publication / created on 30 September 2014.

Sources: Standard land values: Geoportal Hamburg / hazardous operations: Geoportal Hamburg / key figures: business register of the Northern Germany Statistical Office / definition of “undertaking”.