We have always worked hand in hand

A piece of industrial history

The style of the buildings clearly shows that Dr. Oetker in Bielefeld-Brackwede has a long history. This history is even significantly older than that of the company itself. The origins of today's factory lie in the former "Vorwärts" spinning mill of the Bozi brothers. The factory was founded in 1850 and was the first textile factory in Germany to be powered by steam. Therefore, it is a milestone in industrial history, and not only for Bielefeld.

The Bozi brothers' Vorwärts spinning mill in 1860

A railway connection was the nucleus of the Brackwede plant

Due to the challenges of the First World War, company founder Dr. August Oetker took a keen interest in the Vorwärts spinning mill's rail connection. Our company was able to use this for years to ensure the onward transport of its own goods. In 1925, the opportunity arose to purchase the entire connection, including the existing storage barracks – the birth of the Dr. Oetker Brackwede plant.

The spinning mill operated successfully for decades, but the effects of the First World War also sealed the factory's slow decline. Since the year of hyperinflation in 1922, the spinning mill passed through several hands. In 1955, it was finally shut down, and the site and infrastructure were taken over entirely by Dr. Oetker.

The modern plant is created

The old storage barracks were demolished in the mid-1930s and replaced by a new building, which has survived to this day. This building houses, among other things, the offices of the works council and the company medical department. After the Second World War, the rail siding became increasingly less important due to growing truck traffic, although it continued to be used. In 1951, an impressive new building with two striking towers for paper processing and shipping was inaugurated on the site. In the wake of the inevitable insolvency of the "Vorwärts" spinning mill in 1955, Dr. Oetker took over the remaining historic buildings. These were renovated and converted into storage facilities and office space for sales and marketing.

From 1963 onwards, things really progressed on the site. A state-of-the-art production facility, including a silo system, was built. Today, it is called "Sparrenburg" and was expanded in 1997 to include the "Ravensberg" production facility. In addition to the modern bottling halls, a spacious social area was planned. The entire facility was proudly inaugurated in 1965.

Until the early 1970s, the Brackwede plant produced flavors and dessert powders, as well as the then-new baking mixes. These sold so well that a second production site, the Oerlinghausen plant, had to be established. A high-bay warehouse had recently been built in Brackwede, solving the previous space problems. In 1979/80, it was expanded to include another block storage facility, and in 1999, a tunnel section for automated goods transport was added.

Home of Resarch & Development

A large part of the research and development department is located in Brackwede. In 1983, a separate building was designed and built for this area for the first time. Previously, the department was spread across several locations, which made collaboration difficult: Laboratories were originally located on Lutterstrasse and Bunsenstrasse. Packaging development, in turn, was located on Bollbrinkersweg. With the inauguration of the new building, these departments were also brought together spatially. Today, International Marketing, among others, operates in this striking building. In 2017, Research and Development moved into a state-of-the-art building on the southern part of the site.

The new Research & Development Center at the main gate of the plant.

Question: What memories do you have of your first day at Dr. Oetker?

Heidrun: I was only 16 and thought, "What a huge company!"

Thomas: It was great that some colleagues approached me on my first day and said, "It's great to have you here!" This openness helped me a lot; I had rarely experienced that in other companies up to that point.

Steven: There's always someone there to help you. That was important for me, especially in the beginning. I immediately felt at home.

Steven Richter (left) and Thomas Grotta check machine settings. Thomas has been Production Manager at the plant since April 2023. Steven joined Dr. Oetker in 2021 through a staffing agency and quickly transitioned into permanent employment. He has been a machine operator in production since 2022.

Question: Working together is especially important for trainees, isn’t it?

Petra: Absolutely, and the trainers also play a key role in this. That's why I'd like to commend our colleague, Oliver Lachmann. He has been mentoring the trainees for many years, always offering advice and support. He proudly follows their career paths. After completing their training, the food technology specialists work in a wide variety of areas, such as production control, bottling, and logistics.

Petra Hübenthal began her training as a food technology specialist at Dr. Oetker in 2006. She has been a master bottling technician since 2021.

Question: What makes Dr. Oetker special as an employer?

Heinrich: On vacation, I'm sometimes asked, "Where is Bielefeld?" I answer, "Do you know where Dr. Oetker is located?" They immediately respond, "In Bielefeld!" My employer is a flagship for the region. My father also worked here. He felt valued, and that has been passed on to the next generation.

Heinrich Prochnau started working as a machine operator at Dr. Oetker in 1977 and successfully completed his apprenticeship as a lathe operator/milling machine operator while working. Since 1998, he has been responsible for purchasing all spare parts at the plant.

Question: Can you tell us more about your work?

Heinrich: I started by manufacturing spare parts for the production machines. Then I was asked if I could take over purchasing. They trusted me and encouraged my further
development. I now supply all departments in the factory with spare parts.

Heinrich Prochnau is often on the move in production. Here, he consults with his colleague Petra Hübenthal, a filling supervisor. If something breaks on a machine, he takes care of the replacement part.

Question: Lukas, what stages have you already gone through?

Lukas: I began my training as a food technology specialist in 2012. Afterward, I worked in production, including in the mixing center and internal transport, transporting pallets to the machines with a forklift – for example, to Steven, who works on the "Süße Mahlzeit" production machine. From 2021 to February 2025, I was a foreman. Since March 2025, I've been in charge of the mailing department. No matter where I've worked before, everyone here works hand in hand.

Lukas Barrmeyer (left in the picture) remembers his career at Dr. Oetker so far.

Question: How does the collaboration between production and laboratory work?

Heidrun: The lab is the direct production control unit, meaning we receive samples from production, which we test and assess for quality. Silo raw materials are also inspected before they are further processed in production. This is my core area of work, which I oversee together with ten other colleagues. I really enjoy working in a team; everyone is there for each other, and we find solutions together.

Heidrun Martmann-Geydan has been working at Dr. Oetker for almost 40 years. After completing her training as a food technology specialist, she moved to Research and Development at the Oerlinghausen plant in 1989 as a laboratory technician in muesli production. Since 1991/92, she has worked in Quality Assurance in Bielefeld-Brackwede.

Heidrun and Steven meet directly at the machine for quality control.

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