Press Release Federal Tender

On May 11 2026 Federal Minister Katherina Reiche visits Dr. Dietmar Woidke visited the Schwedt industrial location to exchange ideas with representatives from business and politics about current economic and energy policy developments. The focus of the visit is on securing the energy supply new investment impulses and the future prospects for industrial development in the region.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche: Schwedt stands for industrial strength security of supply and the cohesion of an entire region. Especially in geopolitically difficult times it becomes clear how important efficient industrial locations are for our country. Every day PCK employees make a decisive contribution to ensuring the energy supply in northeastern Germany - under conditions that remain challenging. Thats why it is clear: the federal and state governments are on the side of the location. By extending employment security we are giving perspective and security. We want Schwedt for the long term strengthen secure industrial value creation and create new perspectives for the region.

Prime Minister of the State of Brandenburg Dr. Dietmar Woidke: Todays meeting in Schwedt sends the signal: We are not abandoning the region. The PCK is a central pillar of our security of supply and a structure-determining company for East Germany and will remain so in the long term. That is why we will continue to find solutions in cooperation between companies employees as well as the federal state and local authorities to ensure long-term operations. Everyone involved is aware of the outstanding importance of the location.

As part of a tour of the refinery Minister Reiche discussed current challenges and future development prospects with management and trainees.

Employment security extended

In order to further stabilize the location and create reliable prospects for the employees the existing regulations for securing employment at the PCK refinery will be extended by six months until the end of 2026. This is an important signal to the more than 1000 employees of the PCK refinery especially in a situation that continues to be tense and characterized by uncertainty. The federal government state companies and regional players are continuing to work closely together to strengthen the Schwedt location step by step with concrete and effective measures.

350 million euros in funding for Brandenburg eSAF

A central program point is the symbolic handover of a funding decision worth around 350 million euros for the Brandenburg eSAF project by Federal Minister Reiche and Prime Minister Dr. Dietmar Woidke. The joint venture between ENERTRAG SE and Zaffra B.V. The project co-financed by the state aims to produce synthetic fuels based on green hydrogen and biogenic CO2 and thus strengthen the development of regional fuel supply chains.

The Brandenburg eSAF project was selected under the name Concrete Chemicals via the IPCEI Hydrogen. In August 2025 it received a grant notice for 350 million euros (70 percent of which was from the federal government 30 percent from the state of Brandenburg). Implementation at the Rudersdorf location was originally planned. However BMWE and the state government supported the relocation of the project to Schwedt as requested by the companies. At the beginning of April 2026 the corresponding approval for changes was obtained from the European Commission so that the final legal certainty is given for implementation in Schwedt.

The main aim of the project is the large-scale production of around 30000 tonnes of renewable synthetic kerosene (eSAF) annually for the aviation industry. The project is currently the largest project for the production of synthetic fuels in Germany. Sustainable naphtha is produced as a by-product which is used as a raw material for the chemical industry. The start of production is scheduled for 2030.

Visit to the LEIPA Group

In the afternoon Federal Minister Reiche continues her visit to the LEIPA Group. In exchanges with company management and during a tour she finds out about current developments in paper and packaging production as well as investments in sustainable production processes.

Finally Federal Minister Reiche visits a real laboratory of the existing Schwedt startup laboratory which is supported by the BMWE and co-financed by the state of Brandenburg. The startup laboratory is another example of the new beginnings at the location and the increasing connection between industry innovation and start-up dynamics.