Foundation-laying ceremony at Materna in Phoenix-West

Growth continues at the Dortmund-based IT company Materna, which now employs more than 3,200 people worldwide. The laying of the foundation stone for Materna’s new headquarters in the Phoenix-West Innovation and Technology Park marks an important milestone. On 15 July 2022, the foundation stone-laying ceremony took place in the presence of numerous invited guests, including Dortmund’s Lord Mayor Thomas Westphal and Dipl.-Ing. Benjamin Sieber, Managing Director of Gerber Architekten. Together with the company’s founders and shareholders, Dr Winfried Materna and Helmut an de Meulen, the time capsule was placed within the symbolic foundation stone. The move to the new Dortmund site is scheduled for early 2024. 

The foundation-laying ceremony at Phoenix-West was attended by the Executive Board and management of the Materna Group, as well as representatives of the companies involved in the construction and other associates.

Modern working environments

The new corporate headquarters will provide more than 1,800 workstations across an office floor area of over 44,000 square metres. The total investment amounts to over 120 million euros. The new building will offer a modern working environment, meet high energy efficiency standards and provide advanced e-mobility solutions for all staff. In addition, covered cycle parking spaces with a cycle station will be available. Dedicated car parks are located on a separate site opposite the new building.

Designed by Gerber Architekten, the building will be an architectural highlight of Phoenix-West. The large entrance hall is connected to the inner courtyard via an integrated landscaped staircase, and the canteen on the ground floor features a separate outdoor terrace. When it comes to modern workspaces, Materna places great importance on creative meeting rooms and areas for interactive collaboration. Furthermore, greater consideration is being given to hybrid working. A green space of approximately 6,000 square metres within the building complex will serve as a relaxation area for staff.

The client for the new Materna headquarters is MMDO GmbH & Co KG. The two founding partners, together with the younger partners from the Materna and an de Meulen families, have established this project company, thereby expressing their close ties to and commitment to the Materna Group, whilst emphasising its value as a family-run business.

“We are investing heavily in staff recruitment and development. This year alone, we aim to grow by a further 500 new employees,” says Martin Wibbe, CEO of the Materna Group. In addition to a varied working environment, attractive office buildings and locations remain important for recruitment and corporate culture – which is why we are also investing in further locations, most recently in Frankfurt and Berlin.

Nationwide, Materna ranks among the top 5 employers in the IT sector (Stern/Statista ranking). The move to the new Materna headquarters in early 2024 marks another key milestone in the company’s “Mission 2025” strategy.