News Release

Stefan Gockeln and his road construction and civil engineering company are laying a large part of the energy infrastructure for the eastern Ruhr region. Always at work: mini excavators and wheel loaders from Yanmar Compact Equipment EMEA.

Stefan Gockeln from Waltrop is an indispensable partner in the expansion of the energy infrastructure in the eastern Ruhr region. With a team of 35 employees, state-of-the-art technology and a wealth of experience, the company specialises in projects ranging from laying new cables and gas pipes to preparing charging infrastructure. Quality and efficiency take centre stage - supported by a strong, diverse fleet of excavators and wheel loaders from Yanmar CE EMEA (Yanmar).

The Gockeln company covers three core areas: road construction and civil engineering; sewer construction; and gardening and landscaping – which accounts for around 5% of total business. The majority of orders come from the public sector, including well-known customers such as Westnetz, Stadtwerke Lünen and DEW21 from Dortmund. The preparation of foundations and securing the power supply for charging infrastructure are also part of the portfolio.

From the horse-drawn carriage to the modern construction site

The company's roots go back to 1908, when Wilhelm Gockeln used horse-drawn carriages to transport building materials. The company has evolved with each generation: from the first lorries in the 1920s to the expansion into civil engineering and road construction in the 1970s to today's specialisation in future-oriented infrastructure projects. Stefan Gockeln has been managing the family business since 2007 and combines traditional values with modern technology.

For the complex requirements in civil engineering and road construction, Gockeln relies on the reliability of its Yanmar machines. The fleet comprises eight wheel loaders and 11 excavators with an operating weight of up to 12 tonnes. The compact B75W and B110W wheeled excavators, which are ideal for use on confined construction sites, are particularly popular.

Compact power: Yanmar in daily use

‘The demands on energy infrastructure are constantly increasing,’ explains Stefan Gockeln.‘A lot of electricity is currently needed and the old cables often can no longer cope with the load. That's why new cables have to be laid. Whether laying inner-city cables or working in sewer construction - the flexibility and robustness of Yanmar machines are unbeatable,’ continues Gockeln. The latest acquisitions - including the SV26 and SV19 models - were purchased at this
year's GaLaBau trade fair and expand the company's range of applications. ‘Yanmar not only offers us robust and reliable machines, but also the best price-performance ratio on the market,’ adds Gockeln.

An important success factor is the decades-long collaboration with the dealer

Tecklenborg, which guarantees the Gockeln company fast and flexible service. Tecklenborg, with headquarters in Werne a. d. Lippe, was founded in 1963 and is run by the second generation. Tecklenborg is a dealer and service provider in the construction and industrial sectors and offers its customers the complete package of sales, rental and its own service across five locations. As a partner of Yanmar, the company is part of a network of over 170 authorized dealers.

Challenges in everyday construction

The company's daily projects are demanding and require precise planning and execution. While around 300 metres of cable can be laid in an open field in one month, inner-city work for 200 metres can take up to two months due to house connections, road crossings and tree protection measures. Laying gas pipes is particularly time consuming: While it takes two months to lay 500 metres of cable, the teams manage a maximum of 100 metres of gas pipeline in the same time.

At the same time, tree protection is now a top priority. ‘In the case of deeply rooted trees, we use suction excavators to expose the roots. This is time-consuming, but necessary to protect the environment,’ explains Stefan Gockeln.

Family business with prospects

The Gockeln family is deeply involved in the business: Stefan Gockeln manages the company with a focus on construction management and office work. His wife takes care of the finances and the next generation is already waiting in the wings. His son, a trained draughtsman with a degree in road construction, brings a breath of fresh air and modern approaches to the company.With a combination of decades of experience, state-of-the-art technology and a clear
vision for the future, Gockeln remains a pioneer in the expansion of energy infrastructure. Supported by reliable partners such as Yanmar and Tecklenborg, the
company is confident about the challenges of the coming years.