THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING
Over the past decades, the Düsseldorf-based Tholl Group has developed into a major player in the field of refurbishment and modernisation. The family-run company relies on an end-to-end value chain, its own skilled labour and sus-tainable construction concepts.
Our own craftsmen are crucial to the quality of our work’ – Christoph Tholl (centre) with some of his employees.
Precision meets design – The new Porsche Design flagship store in Düsseldorf's Kö-Bogen was realised by Tholl in just four months.
Originally founded as a painting and decorating business, the Tholl Group can look back on 58 years of company history. The owner-managed family business is now run by the third generation and is firmly rooted in NRW. The focus is on construction in existing contexts - i.e. the refurbishment, modernisation and revitalisation of existing buildings. ‘Düsseldorf offers enormous potential for the Tholl Group. As a top real estate city with a strong economic infrastructure and high purchasing power, Düsseldorf is an ideal starting point for our projects. As a construction company, we offer all services related to building in existing structures from one source - from sustainability consulting and design+build to high-quality fitting and decor and facility management,’ says Managing Director Christoph Tholl.
While many companies are increasingly relying on external service providers, Tholl is proud of its own tradespeople and employees. The company offers all services in-house, from plan-ning and implementation to facility management. Tholl relies on its own craftsmen and skilled labour to avoid interface losses and ensure the quality of the projects. The fact that Tholl trains its own industrial employees also enables a high level of identification with the company and promotes the transfer of knowledge across generations. ‘Our own tradespeople are crucial to the quality of our work. This not only reduces interface losses, but also ensures smooth communication on the construction site,’ says Christoph Tholl.
SUSTAINABILITY AS A CORPORATE STRATEGY
Rising construction costs and regulatory requirements pose challenges for the construction industry. Tholl meets these with proactive planning and long-term partnerships. The company believes that energy-efficient refurbishment is becoming increasingly important for the industry. ‘In view of the scarcity of building space, increasing requirements for new builds and the growing importance of ESG criteria and energy-efficient refurbishment, the redevelopment of existing buildings is coming more and more to the fore - a decisive factor for the city of tomorrow,’ says Tholl. In addition to the refurbishment of existing properties, the integration of new technologies is also a key factor for the future of the construction industry. Smart building technology, digital maintenance systems and sustainable energy supply are some of the trends that the company is actively shaping.
Christoph Tholl, Managing Director
With the founding of Tholl Consulting, the company is increasingly focussing on sustainability consulting and ESG-compliant construction concepts. Projects are analysed from an ecological perspective right from the planning phase in order to facilitate resource-saving and energy-efficient solutions. Tholl certifies construction projects according to recognised standards such as DGNB, BREEAM or LEED. The company also pursues innovative approaches such as Cradle-to-Cradle and urban mining to make building materials reusable and reduce the ecological footprint. Another important element is the reduction of energy consumption during the utilisation phase of the buildings. The focus is on energy-efficient materials, improved thermal insulation and modern building technology. ‘As a member of the Düsseldorf Climate Pact, we actively promote sustainable construction projects and also implement targeted climate protection measures internally,’ confirms Christoph Toll, for whom sustainability means that buildings are not only economically and ecologically viable today, but also in the future.
DIGITALISATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
In addition to craftsmanship expertise, the Tholl Group focuses on digitalisation. The digital twin enables end-to-end networking between planning, construction and facility management. With the digital construction site compass, current construction plans can be accessed from a cloud via QR codes on the construction site in order to make processes more transparent and efficient. Digital planning and documentation systems also allow construction processes to be better controlled. This ensures continuous quality assurance. The company is also breaking new ground in the area of quality management. Tholl is currently working on ISO 9001 certification to ensure systematic quality management.
The Tholl Group has been involved in numerous major construction projects in recent years. These include the revitalisation of listed school buildings, modern office extensions such as the Eclipse building and many years of facility management support at the KÖ-Bogen. Tholl has also made a name for itself in high-quality tenant fit-outs for renowned companies. As a Düsseldorf-based company, Tholl is also deeply rooted in the region. ‘Düsseldorf is the heart of our company history. This is where today's Tholl Group was founded 58 years ago - this is also where I was born,’ explains Christoph Tholl. ‘Even if I didn't choose the location myself, I couldn't wish for a better one.’ •
Text: Karolina Landowski
Pictures: Tholl GmbH