Panattoni has completed the construction of a production and service facility for Knorr-Bremse in Rzeszów

Panattoni with another production facility tailored to the needs of a global player. The developer's BTS division officially opened the Knorr-Bremse factory – a leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles – in Rzeszów on October 17. The facility will allow for the employment of at least 400 people and serve many European markets.

The opening of the facility took place on the investment site – in the Rzeszów-Dworzysko Economic Activity Zone. In addition to Panattoni representatives, the ceremony was graced by the presence of Members of the Board of Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems: Dr. Peter Radina and Mr. Harald Schneider, Mr. Bernhard Winkler - Vice President of Rail Production KB SfS, Mr. Thomas Rappl - Vice President of Logistics and Service Operations, Mr. Fernando Hazeu – Managing Director of Knorr-Bremse Spain, and Mr. Gianluca Crippa – Chief Operating Officer of Microelettrica Scientifica.

The event was also attended by representatives of the Rzeszów City Hall – Mayor Konrad Fijołek, the Marshal's Office of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Office – Voivode Ewa Leniart, the Rzeszów County Office – Joanna Nieroda – Director of the Science and Technology Park, and other local institutions. The ceremony was also graced by representatives of universities and technical schools from the Podkarpacie region and Kraków, as well as many guests from institutions and associations of the railway industry in Poland, and above all, Knorr-Bremse customers in Poland and Europe.

The hosts of the event were Mr. Jacek Biłas – President of the Board of Knorr-Bremse in Poland and Damian Kasza – Director of the Rzeszów plant.

- „Today's opening is the culmination of several months of hard work, not just on the construction site. We supported Knorr-Bremse at every stage, starting with finding the ideal location – in the Rzeszów-Dworzysko Economic Zone, where we had already carried out investments, which allowed for the optimal execution of the development process. The comprehensive, flexible, and proactive approach of the dedicated Panattoni BTS team made it possible to efficiently bring the project to an end and for Knorr-Bremse to launch another strategic investment with a continental reach,” commented Marek Foryński, BTS Managing Director at Panattoni, on the day of the event.

During the official opening ceremony, invited guests were taken on a tour of the plant. They were presented with three already functioning Business Units: HVAC, which deals with the production of air conditioning systems for rail vehicles along with service available in the future, Power Electric specializing in the production of electrical equipment components for rail vehicles, and a Service Center for pneumatic and hydraulic braking systems for rail vehicles. Knorr-Bremse uses 19,000 sqm of production space and as much as 4,000 sqm of high-standard office space. The space was created in accordance with Knorr-Bremse's guidelines under the supervision of the company's architect, and Panattoni provided, among other things, additional glazing, ergonomic workstations, and windows with a view of the production area.

As part of the facility, Knorr-Bremse will use, among other things, functional and technological rooms inside the hall, including test rooms, industrial paint shops, and spaces where the dry ice cleaning process will take place. Furthermore, Panattoni implemented advanced ventilation systems, high-quality low-voltage installations, a compressed air installation, and adapted the surface for the installation of busbars in the facility. The developer also guaranteed an elevated standard for the exit facade and the lobby.

- „The very high standard of both the production and office parts is the result of Panattoni's deep understanding of Knorr-Bremse's needs, despite the lack of previous joint projects. This is another facility in the BTS division's portfolio that combines very different functions: from research and development, through production, to testing, and also perfectly fulfills a representative function. A facility adapted on so many levels is an ideal foundation for further cooperation,” comments Michał Chodecki, BTS Development Director at Panattoni. – „This is an important investment for Rzeszów and the surrounding area, which will not only provide at least 400 jobs but may also become a kind of business cluster, bringing together subcontractors operating in the region,” he concludes.

Rzeszów attracts international giants. The Rzeszów region has been gaining in importance and attractiveness in recent years. The location is associated with very good access to both low- and highly-skilled workers. Furthermore, it ensures proximity to two international transport routes – the A4 motorway and the S19 road, which is part of the ongoing „Via Carpatia” route – the most important road connection in the eastern part of the European Union. Consequently, more and more companies involved in highly specialized production, including those from the aviation, electronics, and automotive industries, are choosing the Rzeszów region.

In the Rzeszów-Dworzysko Zone, Panattoni BTS has completed, among others, a factory for Phoenix Contact E-mobility, where ultra-modern electric vehicle charging systems are manufactured and tested on 15,000 sqm for global customers and operators of e-mobility infrastructure. A year earlier, Panattoni completed a cross-dock facility for DB Schenker within the zone, which received a positive opinion on innovation issued by the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency.