Marking 65 years of the tesa Offenburg plant: topping-out ceremony is a milestone in the site expansion

• Site expansion: Added capacity; production in the new building scheduled to start in 2027
• 65 years in Offenburg: More than 2,000 products, from the tesafilm® icon to high-performance adhesive tapes for industrial applications
• Business & sustainability: Around 550 employees; production infrastructure on the path to climate-neutral production

Offenburg/Norderstedt, 7 May 2026 – tesa, an international manufacturer of innovative adhesive tapes and self‑adhesive product solutions, is celebrating the 65th anniversary of its plant in Offenburg in 2026 and, with the topping‑out ceremony for the current expansion, is sending a visible signal about the future of the site. The investment strengthens the competitiveness of production in Germany, creates long‑term prospects for employees and skilled workers in the region, and at the same time underscores the implementation of the Group‑wide sustainability strategy “we do”.

200 million square meters of adhesive tape per year

Sixty‑five years ago, the tesa plant in Offenburg began operations by producing tesakrepp®; in 1962, the first tesafilm® came off the line. Today, the plant in Offenburg, Baden, is one of six production sites worldwide – and as a strategic location in the heart of Europe, it is central to supplying important markets. As a major pillar of production, it manufactures the highest volume of tapes across the group and produces around 200 million square meters of adhesive tape each year. With the well‑known tesafilm® alone, which turns 90 this year, enough tape is produced every year to cover 2,800 football pitches approved for UEFA European Championship matches. In total, around 2,000 products and system solutions run through the coating and slitting lines. Around 70% of production goes into strategic markets such as the automotive and electrical industries. With around 550 employees, Offenburg is also an important employer in the region.

“Offenburg stands for what makes tesa: dedicated people, high expertise, and strong production in Germany. We are strengthening exactly this foundation and our ambition to stay close to our customers and develop solutions together that deliver measurable added value with the site expansion. Investing a double‑digit million amount in the expansion and in the site is a clear commitment to Offenburg and its future,” says Dr. Kourosh Bahrami, CEO of tesa.

Site expansion: strengthening industrial production

In Offenburg, tesa is responding to growing demand for high‑performance industrial adhesive tape solutions, especially for applications in the automotive, electronics, and printing and paper industries (e.g., tesa® 4965, tesa® 4970). A 4,500-square-meter production building is being built on the western part of the site, including adhesive compound manufacturing, a coating line, and storage areas for raw materials and intermediate products. The double‑digit million investment will add capacity, strengthen the site for the long term, and enable solvent‑free, energy‑efficient production. Production in the new building is scheduled to start in 2027.

“For us, the expansion is first and foremost a strategic step to position our production in Offenburg for the future – with higher performance, more modern processes, and a clear outlook for the site. This will enable us to meet our customers’ growing requirements – for example from the automotive, electronics, and paper industries – even better and remain competitive in the long term,” says Plant Manager Holger Rauth.

An employer in the region: prospects for today and tomorrow

With around 550 employees, including 41 apprentices and dual‑study students, Offenburg is an important employer in the region. tesa promotes a culture of trust, a high level of personal responsibility, and lifelong learning, thereby strengthening the site’s attractiveness for skilled workers.

For more than 40 years, tesa has been training aspiring chemical technicians, electronics technicians for industrial engineering, mechatronics technicians, industrial mechanics, and machine and plant operators in Offenburg. In addition, the tesa Offenburg plant offers dual‑study programs in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, industrial engineering, safety engineering, and environmental engineering.

Awards such as “Top Employer”, “Great Place to Work”, and “Employer of the Future”, as well as an average length of service of around 15 years, demonstrate modern workplaces, a positive working environment, and excellent career opportunities.

Sustainability investments become visible

The expansion is part of the global “we do” sustainability strategy. tesa already covers 95% of its worldwide electricity demand from sustainable sources. In Offenburg, a photovoltaic system with more than 13,000 PV modules was commissioned at the beginning of 2025. It generates six gigawatt hours of electricity per year and thus covers around 25% of the plant’s energy demand.

The tesa Offenburg plant is evidence of the company’s comprehensive transformation in the area of sustainability. Overall, tesa will invest around €300 million worldwide in the transformation of its business by 2030. With a CO₂ reduction already achieved of 50% (Scopes 1 and 2), the company is well on its way to climate‑neutral production. With around 5,400 employees worldwide, tesa continuously works on developing more sustainable products and solvent‑free production processes.

• Opening of the plant: 1 July 1961
• Total area: 300,000 square meters
• Number of products: approx. 2,000
• Product examples: tesafilm®, tesakrepp®, tesa Powerstrips®, tesapack®
• Focus markets: industry, crafts, and consumers, around 70% in the automotive and electronics industries
• Total production per year: approx. 200 million square meters (with our classic tesafilm® alone, enough could be produced each year to cover 2,800 football pitches approved for UEFA European Championship matches)
• Employees: approx. 550
• Sustainability: In early 2025, a PV system with more than 13,000 modules went into operation in Offenburg. It generates around 6 GWh per year and covers about 25% of the plant’s energy demand.
• Certifications: Site certified to ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, ISO 9001 and IATF 16949
• Plant Manager: Holger Rauth