It is an investment that goes beyond the construction of a hall. Because it answers a question that many medium-sized industrial companies are currently asking themselves: Where will the future of production be created? For GMN, the answer is: in Nuremberg.

GMN Paul Müller Industrie GmbH & Co. KG began the construction of a new production hall for high-precision ball bearings in Nuremberg with a ground-breaking ceremony on May 18, 2026. According to the company, the investment volume of around 28 million euros is the largest single investment in the past 30 years. For the mechanical engineering company, the project is also a clear commitment to the Nuremberg site.

The previous production building dates back to 1932. Almost a century later, the foundation for the next generation of ball bearing production is now being laid at the headquarters on Äußere Bayreuther Straße.

Precision down to the nanometer range

On a gross floor area of around 8,650 square meters, a special building is being built that is completely tailored to the production of high-precision ball bearings. Around 85 employees will work there at full capacity.

The technical requirements are high. To keep even the smallest vibrations at bay, the floor slab of the precision measuring room is decoupled from the rest of the building. Vibrations from the nearby railroad line or neighboring production areas should therefore have no influence on production. Only under these conditions can tolerances in the sub-micrometer or even nanometer range be reliably controlled. Temperature and humidity are also controlled within very narrow limits.

The new production facility also relies consistently on automation. Autonomous transport systems will take over parts of the internal logistics in future and are intended to make production processes more efficient.

Less energy, no fossil fuels

The new building will not only be more precise, but also more energy-efficient. According to the company, the hall is expected to require 15 to 20 percent less energy than the previous building.

Process heat and process cooling are supplied by geothermal energy. The energy concept is supplemented by a photovoltaic system with an output of around 430 kWp and a battery storage system with 200 kW. GMN intends to completely dispense with fossil fuels. Instead, in addition to geothermal energy, the company relies on climate-neutral certified district heating from the Nuremberg energy supplier N-ERGIE.

This concept is intended to meet the requirements of the NH 40 sustainability standard as part of the KfW 299 program. Completion of the building is planned for the end of 2027, with the move scheduled for the first quarter of 2028.

"A historic day for the Kugelmüller"

For the company management, the start of construction marks much more than the start of a building project.

"The ground-breaking ceremony is a historic day for the 'Kugelmüller'," said Michael Lösch, Managing Partner of GMN, referring to the historical name and the company's original product. "It is the culmination of three years of planning under the leadership of Dr. Edgar Verlemann. We are courageous and believe in the future - even in times that are not super sexy. 28 million euros is a strong signal to the industrial location of Nuremberg, to our competitors and to the entire GMN team that made this step possible."

Industrial location Nuremberg under pressure and on the move

Andrea Heilmaier, Nuremberg's economic affairs officer, also sees the project as a signal that goes beyond the company.

"This ground-breaking ceremony is a date that suits the taste of an economic advisor. GMN has been part of Nuremberg's industrial history for 120 years. Our city is an industrial city and should remain so. Times are not rosy - which makes an investment of this magnitude all the more noteworthy. I believe GMN is excellently positioned with promising business areas, courage and loyalty to the location."

The investment comes at a time when many industrial companies are cutting back on spending in the face of a weak economy, high energy costs and international uncertainty. This makes the family-owned company's decision to invest tens of millions in the modernization of its Nuremberg headquarters all the more remarkable.

Family business with global operations

GMN was founded in 1908 and is now managed by the fourth generation. Around 470 employees develop and produce high-precision ball bearings and systems, machine spindles, electric drives, sprag freewheels and non-contact seals exclusively at the Nuremberg site.

Around 45 percent of products are exported abroad. Customers include companies from the mechanical engineering, model and vehicle construction and aerospace technology sectors. GMN organizes sales and service through a worldwide network of representatives and subsidiaries.