It does not always have to be urban centers. Even in rural areas, large-scale industrial operations can thrive. In the habberge district, this is represented among other things by the french pipe works in konigsberg, which has been located here for over 100 years and is now a world leader in corrugated pipe production.
"I can only say that my heart swells", said economics minister martin zeil (FDP), who visited the company on friday evening together with junior economists and some political representatives of the habberge district. Of course: the pipe mills (350 million euros in sales in 2011/12) are rooted in the region – that connects and obligates them. And as company owner otto kirchner always emphasizes, he also takes this obligation very seriously. It seems to be more difficult to attract new industrial companies to the countryside. But zeil promised support here.
According to the minister, the energy transition has a key role to play here. Zeil is a self-confessed critic of the energy transition – at least with regard to the speed and manner in which the switch to renewable energies is to be made. For him, electricity is about "affordability and security of supply, and this must be given for the population as well as for the industry. The decisive factor is now, among other things, an accessible network expansion.
Here he fired a warning shot in the direction of potential protest movements seeking to prevent any major projects. Because in order to achieve the energy turnaround, new power lines also had to be built through germany. "We have to pull together", he demanded. He does not think it is responsible for local politicians on the one hand to demand that state and federal politicians "speed up", but on the other hand support the citizens’ initiative against the power line at home. There is still a lot to do, but "I am convinced that we can succeed.
The minister advocated a system for the production of electricity from renewable energy sources, for example, that responds to fluctuations and "rewards those who are able to meet base loads". Martin zeil also declared that the state government would do its best to further improve broadband coverage. Which, by the way, is not so bad in the habberge district.