On April 1, 2025, WATERcontrol officially “launched” its new headquarters in Stuttgart. Kevin Salzer, Head of Sampling, conducted the first audit in the new facilities that day, integrating Stuttgart’s new sample collectors into the company’s internal quality assurance system. Almost simultaneously, colleagues at Alten Flughafen 16b removed WATERcontrol signs from the entrance, main entrance, and parking areas. The relocation is in full swing.

“The relocation is driven by strategic expansion considerations,” explains CEO Marc Vincenz. “Our business has been moving south for many years—10 of our last 12 major clients are located south of Kassel. 60% of our existing customers are in the Southern Hemisphere, and 68% of all facilities requiring inspection are under contract.”

Additionally, several mid-sized environmental laboratories in the south have recently gone out of business, while competition and the density of accredited drinking water testing facilities remain relatively high in the north. The prospects for organic growth are significantly better in the south—a view shared by Dr. Ingfried Hobert, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of WATERcontrol AG and a native of Hesse.

“We have built capacity for 90,000 water samples. Our goal is to fully utilize this capacity in the medium term, and that can only be achieved in the south,” says board member Marcus Pikarek, who is responsible for business development.

Baden-Württemberg is considered the most business-friendly state, particularly valuing a well-functioning medium-sized economy. Steuerberater (tax consultant) Josef Schwägerl from Stuttgart-Vaihingen also welcomed his new clients with warm words. “New business establishments, especially in these challenging times, are always welcome. The prominent Königstraße in Stuttgart is certainly a better address than an old industrial area. I look forward to working with WATERcontrol.”

Customer relationships with the Baden-Württemberg housing industry—alongside those in East Westphalia-Lippe—are the longest-standing and most stable. Many GAS-Control customers quickly became and remained “dual customers.”

It is no coincidence that the last major customer event, which WATERcontrol hosts every two years, was held in Heidelberg. For this year, two tables have been reserved at the Cannstatter Wasen.

The lease at Alten Flughafen 16b in Hanover runs until December 31, 2026, and will now be taken over by GAS-Control GmbH, WATERcontrol AG’s sister company, which has been based in Hanover since 1993. GAS-Control was already subletting several office spaces from WATERcontrol. The primary focus is on affordable expansion space rather than representation.

“For our customers and business partners, essentially nothing changes, as we already operate nationwide within the clients’ building portfolios, have no customer or public traffic in our offices, and primarily communicate with all business partners via phone, email, and the internet,” Pikarek clarifies. “The housing industry expects a hands-on approach. Kickoff and final meetings therefore always take place at the client’s location—or, since COVID, increasingly via web meetings.”

“Culinarily, the move south is definitely a win. I’d much rather eat Käsespätzle and Maultaschen than kale with Bregenwurst,” says gourmet Marc Vincenz, who last visited the office at Alten Flughafen four months ago. “Besides, as the saying goes, a prophet is without honor in his own country. So, onward to new horizons!”