Maria Borgmann
In recent decades, the Emsland, once known for being economically underdeveloped, has turned into an economic heavyweight. To a great extent, this transformation has been shaped by people such as Maria Borgmann, who belongs to the management team at Hölscher Wasserbau and is Vice President of the Emsland, County Bentheim and Osnabrück Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She has a clear vision for the future.
An unexpected journey back to the Emsland
Maria Borgmann’s life journey could have taken her far from home. After training with the Sparkasse Emsland, she moved to Munich with her husband, where she worked in the banking industry. But life brought her back to the Emsland, although at the time this was the result of a personal blow. It was the sudden death of her father that brought her back in 1990 to join the family company Hölscher Wasserbau in Haren.
“At that point in time, I never questioned the decision to come back,” Borgmann recalls. “It was necessary to take responsibility for the company, a chal-lenge which I accepted. Without hesitation.” This was followed by an intensive journey, which took her from office clerk to managing director. Today, after 35 years at Hölscher Wasserbau, she works with her brother Heinz Hölscher to run a successful company with regional roots and an international presence.
It wasn’t hard for her to return to the Emsland. “Right from the start, it felt like coming home,“ she says. “Losing my father naturally influenced the decisi-on, but there was never any doubt that we’d come back. The Emsland was and is our home, and it felt right to be here again.” This strong bond with the region is a central aspect of her work and her commitment.
The Emsland as economic motor
The Emsland has changed significantly in recent decades. “The Emsland used to be seen as economically under-develo-ped, but today it is a role model rural district,” says Borgmann with pride. The region has succeeded in building up a positive image and establishing good framework conditions. There is a low rate of unemployment, and the region is attracting in-creasing numbers of people who want to live and work here.
“There’s no standstill here,” emphasises Borgmann. “The Ems-land is constantly evolving all the time. We face up to the challenges and use the right levers to safeguard progress.” She puts a particular emphasis on the mix of sectors that makes the Emsland economically resilient. Companies from different sectors, starting with industry, the building trade
and commerce, via technology and tourism, through to tradi-tional skilled crafts businesses, make the Emsland popular with young talents and skilled workers.
Close networking between the companies supports the eco-nomic dynamic of the Emsland. “The way companies here co-operate and share is unusual,” explains Borgmann. “We have a strong community based on mutual support and reciprocal learning.” In particular, Maria Borgmann also emphasises the role played by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Emsland business association, which support this network. “They create platforms for sharing, offer support when it comes to implementing new ideas, and are important partners for bringing business and politics together.”
Training and skilled workers: investing in the future
Training young people is one of Borgmann’s key priorities. Hölscher Wasserbau received the CCI award for training quality. Maria Borgmann is convinced that training is the key for recruiting and keeping skilled workers in the long term. “We set great store by ensuring our trainees learn not only professional skills but also values such as responsibility, commitment, and treating each other with respect,“ she says.
But it goes beyond training in her own company. Borgmann sees it as the duty of the whole region to attract young people. “Many young people go away to study or gain initial professional experience, but a lot of them come back again afterwards. The Emsland offers a high standard of living,
particularly for young families. This is something that we should use and expand.”
The challenge of not just training young people but keeping them in the region in the long term is not an easy undertaking. “It is important to offer attractive employment opportunities, but it is just as important to give young people prospects going over and beyond the job itself,“ emphasises Borgmann. “It’s a case of creating surroundings where they feel at home and see a future. For me, this includes affordable housing as well as a good infrastructure, healthcare and good universities.”
Challenges and visions for the future
Despite all the successful achievements, there are also challenges. One of these is the transition to a sustainable economy. Borgmann sees great poten-tial here, particularly in the energy and water management sectors. “The Emsland has always been a prominent location for the energy sector. We are currently turning into an important hydrogen location in Germany and Europe, which is something that needs to be expanded even further. These projects not only strengthen the local economy, but also make a significant contribution to the energy transition and to safeguarding Germany’s com-petitiveness,” she says.
Water neutrality is another important issue. “As a company in the construction sector, we have a strong lever. Our aim is to achieve water neutrality by 2030. That means we return at least just as much water into the aquifer as we extracted in the first place, after treating it, of course,” explains Maria Borgmann. She and her company also support Emsland rural district in balancing regional water consumption, in order to achieve water neutrality on this level as well. “We are working on methods that will allow us to take a sustainable approach to our water resources,“ she explains. “This is a central point for the future of the region.”
For Maria Borgmann, putting the focus on sustainability is both an economic and also a social obligation. “As a family company, we take a cross-gene-rational approach and consider it our responsibility to protect resources and preserve them for future generations. We are therefore investing in new technologies and working closely with other companies and institutions to find innovative solutions.”
Commitment and responsibility
Borgmann’s commitment goes way beyond her role at Hölscher Wasserbau. As Vice President of the CCI and a member of the business association board, she advocates the economic development of the Emsland. “It is important for me to have my fingers on the pulse and to be actively involved in developments,“ she says. What is her driving force? “For me, it’s a case of making sure that the Emsland continues to become established as a success-ful business location, and also making the region an attractive place to live for future generations,” explains Borgmann. “We have a strong community here, and if we all work together then we can achieve a great deal.“
Borgmann’s daily activities offer plenty of opportunities for collaborating with other senior executives and decision-makers. It is particularly her work in the various entities and committees that gives her the possibility of having a direct influence. “This is where the points are set for the future,” she says. “Here I can contribute my experience and know-how, working together with other actors on decisions for our region.”
The Emsland on the move
Maria Borgmann has deep roots in the region and, at the same time, is open to change and innovation. She makes a contribution to ensuring that the Emsland not only continues to appeal to business but also remains an attractive place for many people to live. Yes, there are challenges to be faced, but Borgmann sees the Emsland as being fit for the future with the right mix of tradition and innovation.
For Borgmann, the key to success is the close bond between business, politics and community that shapes the Emsland. “We must continue to work together closely and use our strengths, while facing up to the new challenges at the same time,“ she says. “If we do that, there are no limits to what we can achieve.”
Hölscher Wasserbau GmbH
Sie sehen gerade einen Platzhalterinhalt von Standard. Um auf den eigentlichen Inhalt zuzugreifen, klicken Sie auf den Button unten. Bitte beachten Sie, dass dabei Daten an Drittanbieter weitergegeben werden.
Mehr Informationen
