Ground-breaking ceremony for the extension to the company kindergarten

Lindlar, May 21, 2025.  Today's ground-breaking ceremony marked the official start of the extension to the company kindergarten on the Schmidt + Clemens Group (S+C) site in Lindlar. The internationally active stainless steel specialist is thus setting a strong example for the compatibility of family and career.

The new building comprises around 260 square meters of additional floor space and will expand the existing kindergarten to a total area of 450 square meters. This will provide S+C with space for up to 30 children between the ages of zero and six.

"The offer is aimed specifically at our employees," emphasizes Jan Schmidt-Krayer, Managing Partner of the Group. "I am very proud of our kindergarten project, which has successfully established itself in recent years and is now entering the next stage of expansion."

The investment sum for the extension is around 1.1 million euros. A sustainable building concept in timber frame construction with a green roof is planned, which will contribute to climate protection. Planning permission was granted in March 2025 and the new building is scheduled to open in June 2026.

"For years, we have been observing a political failure to expand nurseries. As a family business, we are now stepping in because we can no longer rely on lip service," emphasizes Schmidt-Krayer. "Anyone who wants to strengthen families must finally create reliable childcare options - we act where others just talk."

When it opened, the S+C company kindergarten was a flagship project in the Oberberg district and is still considered a beacon of family-friendly company policy today.