12. February 2026
Offenbach
The circular economy as the key to the transport infrastructure of the future
Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder, Dr Michael Güntner and Thorsten Hahn at the Circle in Offenbach
When three of the most influential players in German infrastructure construction come together in one place at the same time, it sends a strong signal: Dr Michael Güntner, Chairman of the Management Board of Autobahn GmbH des Bundes, and Thorsten Hahn, CEO of Holcim Germany, showed Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) the future and present of circular infrastructure at the Circle in Offenbach on 12 February 2026. They got specific: how can the circular economy be implemented more effectively in infrastructure construction?
Circle initiator Daniel Imhäuser addressed the Federal Minister with clear figures:
More than 400 million tonnes of building materials are used annually in transport infrastructure construction alone. Around 100 million tonnes of these are recycled and substitute building materials that are returned to the infrastructure. This means that one in four stones used in construction has a previous life – but three out of four stones are still new. While countries such as the Netherlands are at just under 50 per cent, the Circle sees itself as a workspace with more than 100 committed experts from the fields of planning, construction and recycling, with the aim of pooling expertise and increasing the German recycling rate from 25 per cent.
Björn van Deest, Head of Strategic Corporate Development at the SÜLZLE Group, had the opportunity at the Circle to present our sustainable reinforcing steel STOOX PCF Steel to Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder. STOOX stands for reinforcing steel with a clear carbon footprint, a high recycling rate and the use of modern electric steel production. The on-site exchange showed how products such as STOOX can contribute to the transformation of the construction industry.
The focus is on implementing the circular economy in upcoming infrastructure projects with the help of innovative construction products and digital methods. Material flows are becoming more transparent and their CO₂ effects measurable. Demolition and reuse are already being considered in the construction phase of a project. Materials used are recorded in the digital twin of the construction project – the BIM model – as early as the planning phase, and their environmental impact is assessed. Instead of abstract visions, the aim is to implement practical applications today – from planning and model-based tendering to use on the construction site.
For us at SÜLZLE, the Circle – the place for circular construction – is a network in which projects are actively implemented on the path to transforming society into a sustainable one. In concrete terms, this means that recyclable building materials and CO₂ performance will be much more firmly anchored in tenders, evaluation criteria and project decisions in the future. Products such as STOOX are ready for the market – now we need the courage to consistently exploit these opportunities in infrastructure practice.
Images: Circle Hub Offenbach – the place for circular construction
