The Invisible Structure: Innovation in Construction
Interview with Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Brunecker, Managing Director of Swietelsky-Faber GmbH
Germany's largest structure is almost invisible – it is the network of pipes and structures of our underground infrastructure, which ensures functioning supply and disposal services for millions of people every day. Under the direction of Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Brunecker, Swietelsky-Faber GmbH plays a crucial role in maintaining and future-proofing this network. With cutting-edge technologies and trenchless rehabilitation methods, the company maintains the pipeline network, thereby contributing to the sustainable protection of the environment.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Brunecker, Swietelsky-Faber GmbH is a market leader in trenchless pipe rehabilitation. What makes your company special?
Jörg Brunecker: Market leadership does not guide us in any way. We are guided by our corporate goals, which are firmly anchored in customer and employee satisfaction, high quality of execution, sustainable economic operations, and the highest degree of workplace safety. Our strength lies in the combination of technological innovation, sustainability, and a clear social responsibility. Since our establishment in 2001, we have specialized in trenchless pipe rehabilitation and rely on state-of-the-art technologies such as robotic methods and UV light curing of resins. These methods are not only efficient but also particularly environmentally friendly. Our goal is to achieve maximum results with minimal resource usage while simultaneously improving people's quality of life.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you concretely implement sustainability?
Jörg Brunecker: Our philosophy is based on a clear vision: sustainability is not just a goal, but the guideline that determines our actions at all levels. Our work protects bodies of water by analyzing, repairing, and renovating defective pipelines. This actively contributes to the purification of drinking water and the proper disposal of wastewater. Additionally, we are continuously working on optimizing our energy efficiency. To this end, we conduct regular audits and use sustainable building materials as well as energy-optimized processes.
Wirtschaftsforum: What significance does environmental protection have in this context?
Jörg Brunecker: Environmental protection is the core of our work. We dedicate ourselves to the sustainable preservation of Germany’s ‘largest structure’, namely the underground infrastructure of supply and disposal networks. Through our activities, we not only contribute to resource conservation but also to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Our technologies enable trenchless rehabilitation, which drastically reduces energy consumption and avoids unnecessary construction work. Another aspect that is particularly close to my heart is the promotion of innovations. Here, I would like stronger support from politics – be it through funding programs for new technologies or tax incentives for investments in sustainable construction methods. For example, approval processes for new, sustainable building materials could be accelerated to bring innovations to the market more quickly.
Wirtschaftsforum: Another important point is your employees. How do you support them?
Jörg Brunecker: Our employees are the cornerstone of our company. We currently employ 350 skilled workers from 26 nations and place great emphasis on a good working environment. Our industry is highly technical and offers extremely exciting tasks. We work with vehicles that are equipped with the latest technology and offer solutions that range from robotics to digitalization. Yet our sector lacks visibility and a positive image—both industry and politics need to take action here. We are working specifically on this, among other things, through cooperation with universities and educational institutions. As a training company, we invest in the further education of our employees at all levels. Our goal is to attract talented young people and increase the overall appreciation of the industry—from apprentices to engineers.
Wirtschaftsforum: What challenges do you face, and how does your company deal with them?
Jörg Brunecker: The recent crises have had massive effects, but only affected us as a system-relevant company to a limited extent. Our task to maintain the infrastructure remains indispensable even in difficult times. This makes our industry very resilient to crises. One of the biggest challenges is the shortage of skilled workers. The work in our industry is highly specialized and offers many exciting tasks, but is often not perceived as attractive. In addition, rising material prices and disrupted supply chains make work more difficult. Nevertheless, we have been able to manage these challenges well so far – thanks to the partnership cooperation with customers and suppliers.
Wirtschaftsforum: What does the future look like for Swietelsky-Faber GmbH?
Jörg Brunecker: We will continue to intensify our focus on sustainability and digitalization. The use of artificial intelligence will further increase our efficiency. The implementation of Building Information Modeling is also becoming increasingly important for us in order to better document and optimize the entire lifecycle of construction projects. We will continue to fulfill our social responsibility. As a member of ethics management for the construction sector, we actively oppose discrimination.
Wirtschaftsforum: To conclude: What personally drives you?
Jörg Brunecker: I'm motivated by the opportunity to do something truly meaningful with our work. We create sustainable solutions and improve people's quality of life. It's great to see how innovations that we push forward can make a real difference – both for society and the environment.