Top Investments of the Year 2025 in Thuringia

In 2025, Thuringia again proved its attractiveness as a business, investment and tourism location that attracts investors and also offers good conditions for expansion for those companies that are already operating in the Free State and want to expand here. LEG successfully accompanied numerous projects. The most important investment projects are presented briefly below.

N3 Engine Overhaul Services, the joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and Rolls-Royce, is significantly expanding its site at “Erfurter Kreuz” – Thuringia’s largest industrial area – through a comprehensive development project. The centerpiece of this initiative is the construction of a state-of-the-art logistics center, considered the largest subproject within the company’s “xDREAM” growth program. The goal is to increase capacity to the overhaul of up to 250 Rolls-Royce Trent engines per year. The fully automated high‑bay warehouse system, measuring 123 meters in length and 26 meters in height, will intelligently manage all logistical processes and will even allow the storage of particularly large engine components. Commissioning is planned for 2027. In addition, new production halls, an expanded cleaning facility, and modernized canteen and office areas are being built. A total investment of around 150 million euros is planned, creating up to 200 new jobs.

Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine on the test bench. | © N3 Engine Overhaul Services

The Thuringian company Bauerfeind has also made a strong commitment to its home region. The long‑established family business is investing around 30 million euros at its headquarters in Zeulenroda, focusing on modern buildings, intelligent conveyor technology, and highly automated warehouse solutions. With 2,500 employees worldwide, including 1,500 in Thuringia, the company underscores its role as a reliable partner for high‑quality medical aids and health products. These products are used primarily in orthopedics, phlebology, and rehabilitation—such as braces, orthoses, and insoles, as well as specialized sports products designed for professional athletes. As a partner of the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan, the company is already preparing for its sixth assignment supporting Olympic athletes.

Siemens AG has also maintained a strong presence in Thuringia for many years. In 2025, the company expanded its production of switchgear for energy utilities and industrial customers. Key location factors – such as proximity to the A4 motorway, access to public transportation, and excellent cooperation with the site owner, the State Development Corporation of Thuringia (LEG) – led to the decision to establish the new site in Gotha. Siemens currently employs around 580 people in Thuringia. Its subsidiaries manufacture vacuum components, X‑ray tubes and detectors for medical and industrial applications, as well as system solutions and components for the automotive industry.

A major step toward the future is being taken by MetraLabs GmbH, a specialist in mobile service robots. In direct proximity to TU Ilmenau, the company is building a state‑of‑the‑art office and production complex for the development and manufacturing of mobile service robots used in retail, industry, culture, and research. In 2007, MetraLabs launched the world’s first interactive shopping robot. Today, the company focuses on robotic solutions for inventory and transport tasks, as well as interaction and advertising.

Kyocera Fineceramics Europe GmbH – a subsidiary of the Japanese Kyocera Group – is driving further growth in the microelectronics sector. The company has established operations in the Erfurt‑Southeast microelectronics hub to expand its wire‑sawing technology with modern systems for the high‑precision cutting of brittle‑hard materials. This strengthens its application expertise in key markets such as semiconductor manufacturing and testing, while enabling the development and production of advanced ceramic components. Kyocera’s environmental technology division – responsible for exhaust air scrubbers and neutralization systems – is also located in Erfurt.

A milestone for Thuringian research: High‑precision sensors developed by the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz‑IPHT) in Jena are part of the current IM‑2 lunar mission, launched toward the Moon’s south pole on behalf of NASA at the end of February 2025. These sensors are designed to deliver ultra‑precise temperature measurements under extreme conditions. They rely on the thermoelectric effect, use highly efficient compound semiconductors, and are exceptionally resistant to temperature fluctuations, mechanical stress, and radiation – and have already proven themselves on missions such as ROSETTA, Curiosity, and InSight.

Thuringia is not only an innovative business and technology hub, but also a federal state offering a high quality of life and strong tourist appeal. A prime example is the Thuringian Forest with its famous Rennsteig hiking trail and the recently completed “Hohe Sonne” hotel project. Here, a regional investor revitalized an old property and transformed the former grounds of a baroque hunting lodge into the Hohe Sonne Forest Hotel & Restaurant , featuring 34 comfortable rooms, a sauna, a rooftop terrace, as well as a restaurant and beer garden. This tourism project of supra-regional significance is located directly on the Rennsteig and near the legendary Drachenschlucht (dragons gorge) – between the UNESCO World Heritage Wartburg Castle in Eisenach and Hainich National Park.

LEG supported these projects throughout many stages of its development, providing guidance and hands-on assistance—just as it does for other investment, settlement, and expansion projects as a full-service agency and strong partner for investors and companies. These successful activities help drive further initiatives. With Thuringia’s many positive location factors at the heart of Germany and Europe, and with the dynamic growth of its economic and technological potential, the conditions for continued expansion are excellent. 

Please do not hesitate to contact LEG’s investor service team to answer any questions you may have about investing in Thuringia