New DERIX Campus:
Groundbreaking ceremony marks successful start of construction

S. de Mello and A. Prang (StructureLab), S. Derix, M. Derix and M. Steppler (DERIX Group) from left to right in front with spades
with the entire construction team at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new DERIX Campus in Niederkrüchten

With the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony, the DERIX Group, together with the entire construction team, officially kicked off the construction phase of the new DERIX Campus. The expansion of the Niederkrüchten site is a direct response to the steadily growing demand for solid wood construction and marks another milestone in the company’s history.

The new campus comprises a modern, three-storey office and administration building covering 900 square metres and a 700 square metre raw timber storage hall. The expansion of the office space was necessary in particular due to the sharp increase in the number of employees. The aim is to create a working atmosphere that is so inspiring and attractive that employees enjoy coming to the office. Modern working environments, visible wood surfaces, a showroom and spacious presentation areas bring sustainable timber construction to life and showcase DERIX’s innovative products.

‘Wood construction has experienced a real renaissance in recent years because wood as a building material actively contributes to CO₂ binding and thus makes an important contribution to reducing the ecological footprint. Interest in wood construction has grown enormously – and we as the DERIX Group are at the centre of this interest,’ explains Markus Derix, managing owner of the DERIX Group.

Sustainability and circularity are at the heart of the construction project. The entire project follows the directive of reusing materials, avoiding waste and keeping building materials in circulation for as long as possible. The building functions as a raw material store: all components are stored in the Material database madaster. The entire project follows the directive of reusing materials, avoiding waste and keeping building materials in circulation for as long as possible. The building functions as a raw material warehouse: all components are recorded in the madaster material database to enable them to be returned to the material cycle at a later date. Mineral components of the old building are recycled on site and used as backfill material. In addition, 1,200 square metres of land are being unsealed and replanted with trees and wild meadows. Green roofs and a photovoltaic system underline the ecological aspirations of the project.

Innovative construction technologies such as integral timber climate ceilings with clay cores, resource-saving ribbed ceilingsRecycled aluminium windows, solid wood walls made of X-LAM and clay walls are used in the interior. Circular screw connections enable easy reuse of the wooden components at a later date, and leftover wood is used for furniture. For lifts and lighting, DERIX relies on the ‘product as a service’ principle, i.e. instead of light bulbs and lifts, lux minutes and lift rides are purchased and paid for.

‘With the DERIX Campus, we are sending a clear signal for sustainable, circular construction,’ says Markus Steppler, Managing Director of the DERIX Group. “Particularly noteworthy here are our DERIX Carbon Credits:Since May 2025 we have been issuing tradebla CO₂ certificates . This not only makes the amount of CO₂ stored in the wood visible, but also economically usable. In this way, we are making a measurable contribution to climate protection and demonstrating how innovative timber construction solutions and responsible management go hand in hand,” explains Steppler.

The entire construction project will be carried out by an interdisciplinary construction team from the outset. Diese This form of collaboration promotes an efficient construction process, enables the economical use of resources and creates scope for innovation throughout the entire project. The DERIX Group therefore focuses on early exchange and continuous cooperation between all parties involved – a success factor that has already proven itself in numerous projects.

Groundbreaking ceremony at the DERIX Group in Niederkrüchten: Markus Derix (front right) gives a speech to DERIX employees and the construction team.

DERIX Campus – Visualisation