United strength: Dirk Wagner & Thorsten von Killisch-Horn

There was much more than met the eye at the groundbreaking ceremony of German pharmaceutical packaging giant Sanner Group’s new global headquarters in Bensheim, Germany in early 2023.

The project’s success was a joint effort between Sanner Group, Goldbeck and DAL Deutsche Anlagen-Leasing (DAL) – and the beginning.

While Sanner Group comes away from the team-up with a doubled domestic production capacity, the state-of-the-art injection molding facility and assembly hall is another success for the power partnership of Goldbeck, a leading German industrial construction firm, and real estate finance specialist DAL.

"We’ve had a long relationship and a very good one," says Dirk Wagner, DAL’s Senior Regional Manager for Large Businesses. "Goldbeck has an excellent track record of success. They keep costs low, they meet deadlines and the quality is consistently high."

And the feeling at Goldbeck is mutual.

"Our relationship is very important," says Thorsten von Killisch-Horn, Managing Director of Goldbeck Südwest. "There’s not simply an alignment of companies, but also of people and cultures. There’s trust, responsibility and a high level of performance."

Strong ties

For years, the two companies have poured their considerable combined experience into projects across the region. The Sanner Group project, the latest joint initiative between Goldbeck and DAL, was a test, but von Killisch-Horn believes a challenging project strengthens the relationship.

"We’re together from the beginning, in the planning phase, to the end, and it’s a big challenge to get there. But that makes the relationship even more special," he says.

A project like the Sanner Group build begins with the client’s ambitions. However lofty they may be, Goldbeck goes to the utmost effort to realize them.

"There’s always a big wish list to work with: How do we work together? What do the production processes look like? How are the logistics organized? What are the sustainability requirements? There are many questions that we solve together with the customer," von Killisch-Horn says.

"And we find ways to make them possible with our systemized building approach, where we produce all necessary components in our own production plants across Europe and deliver all system components just in time to the construction site."

Then it’s up to DAL to provide the economic muscle that can make those solutions a reality.

"Goldbeck needs to concentrate on their business, so it’s up to us to arrange everything behind the scenes, so tax, legal and real estate management," Wagner explains. "Then we work with Goldbeck directly on the construction side."

Mutual respect

It’s not just about what each party brings to the table, it’s also about how well they work together.

"We work with a high level of mutual respect," Wagner says. "You’ll always have problems; there will always be challenges, but I have to say that with Goldbeck, you’ll always find a solution. It may be beyond the contract, but it’s always in the interest of the client, and that’s a rare quality."

Again, respect is a two-way street between the two firms, something both parties find invaluable during a project.

"This level of respect, where every partner in the project is working so closely at a high level, is fantastic," Wagner enthuses.

Sustainability is a fact of life for the construction industry today, which is something Goldbeck prioritizes greatly.

"It’s important for me that sustainability is a focus," von Killisch-Horn says. "The best sustainability is not to use materials in the first place. So we produce resource-efficient projects based on our systemized building approach.

"In the Sanner project we integrated small wind turbines to generate energy for the buildings as well as green roofs for biodiversity. Building excellence is our passion."

The new Sanner Group headquarters building was finalized in early 2025. It’s a quick turnaround for the 30,000-square-meter facility and a testament to the solid partnership that built it. However, the job doesn’t end there.

"We’re constantly talking with Sanner about the future," Wagner says. "If there’s any change in their needs or they have further plans that are beyond what the building is capable of, that’s something we can add to their balance sheet. We take care of everything through constant communication."

A happy client is one thing, but a happy partner at all levels of the business is another. Working right at the coalface, Wagner says that he and his team couldn’t wish for a better partner than Goldbeck. DAL and Goldbeck worked hard to enable Sanner to move into the new production facility in February 2025 as planned and extend its production capacity significantly.

"This kind of partnership is what makes work not feel like work," he reveals. "The best work can be fun, and that’s exactly how this feels."