Former plant worker revisits The Tube

For more than 120 years, The Tube, our flagship project in Germany was a cornerstone of seamless steel tube production, serving mainly the oil and gas industry. In 2020, the final pipe was pressed and the historic Dusseldorf pressing plant, established in 1899 by Heinrich Ehrhardt, closed. When we acquired the site in 2021, we made it a priority to preserve its heritage by retaining the original hall and pump house. 

So, we were delighted when, last week, we had a visit from one of the original workers from the plant, 90-year-old Hans Abels. 

Mr. Abels worked on-site from around 1960 until his retirement in 1995. He spent the first ten years in the press shop and later moved to a new construction department.

The team was moved to have the opportunity to take Mr. Abels on a site walk. He was excited to see the old site again after 30 years and even remembered the type designations of the machines in the hall and pump house. 

Wherever possible, we want to honour the history of a pre-used industrial site while sustainably revitalising the area to generate space for local growth and to strengthen the local economy into the future. 

Now, The Tube is a 14-ha industrial and commercial park, has a total of 76,900 sqm of multifunctional space and is leased to customers such as  Pharmaserv, Upway Germany and Woltu, and we are proud we have immortalised some of its original character and historical significance. 

Further information about The Tube can be found at here: The Tube