More speed in the digitization of permits for heavy transports – that is what Goldhofer is demanding from politicians. During the visit of high-ranking representatives of the Bavarian state politics at the Memmingen site, the company made it clear: Bureaucratic hurdles slow down projects and burden the industry. As Goldhofer reported after the meeting, it advocated for standardized, digital procedures and offered its participation in pilot projects. At the same time, the manufacturer presented its latest solutions – including fully electric tractors and investments in modern logistics.
Goldhofer AG received top political representatives at the company headquarters in Memmingen on July 17, 2025. Guests included Bavaria's Minister of Transport Christian Bernreiter, the CSU parliamentary group leader Klaus Holetschek, and Memmingen's Second Mayor Margareta Böckh. The central topic of the exchange was the challenges in approval procedures for large
and heavy transports, especially in cross-border projects such as the "Südlink" power line. Goldhofer made it clear that current practice leads to delays and urgently needs to be reformed.
Company presentation and product range
Goldhofer used the visit to present itself as a manufacturer of specialized transport solutions for goods with extraordinary dimensions or weights. The company, with around 1,000 employees, operates in two business areas: Transport Technology and Airport Technology. The product range extends from heavy-duty modules for transformers to wind blade transporters and cable drum transporters for large projects such as power lines. In the airport sector, Goldhofer is represented by the fully electric aircraft tractor "Phoenix" E. This model can move wide-body aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of up to 352 tons at up to 32 km/h on the apron.
“We stand for innovation.
We stand for premium. We stand for added value.” emphasized Matthias Ruppel.
The company is entirely owned by a foundation and has experienced significant growth in recent years. Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, revenue has nearly doubled. For the current fiscal year, revenue of over 300 million euros is expected. To meet the increased demands, the Memmingen site has been expanded – including a modern logistics center and highly automated production.
Discussion on approval processes for heavy transports
Following the company presentation, Volker Schmidt led a discussion on the legal framework for large and heavy transports. Challenges in cross-border projects were particularly discussed. The "Südlink" power line, for which around 5,000 transports of cable drums are required – each requiring approval in different federal states with sometimes varying interpretation of the regulations – served as an
example.
State Minister Bernreiter explained: “For us, it was important to establish a focus government for each topic in transport, where experts are united, and competence is concentrated.”
Bavaria already plays a central role in this area. The responsibility for heavy transports in the Free State is concentrated in Regensburg. According to State Minister Bernreiter, a digital approval process is already in planning to speed up and simplify procedures. The necessity for further digitalization and the reduction of bureaucracy was also emphasized by state politicians.
Dialogue between industry and politics
The company Goldhofer expressed its willingness to actively participate in pilot projects for process simplification. The exchange underscored the importance of a constructive dialogue between medium-sized industry and political decision-makers. The self-responsibility and innovative capacity of medium-sized companies were highlighted as potential foundations for faster and more practical
