Schwarz Group opens €11 bn European digital hub in Bad Friedrichshall

The Schwarz Group, owner of Lidl and Kaufland, is building a new headquarters for its technology arm Schwarz Digits in Bad Friedrichshall, southern Germany. The campus, slated to open on 21 July 2026, will accommodate about 3,500 staff and include a childcare centre, restaurant, fitness facilities and a lake‑side park. Five glass‑clad, honey‑comb‑shaped towers will house a data‑center that represents the group's largest single investment – €11 billion – and the biggest in its history.

Schwarz Digits, initially created to run the IT infrastructure of the group's 14,500 retail outlets, now offers cloud and security services to enterprises and public institutions, aiming to reduce Europe’s reliance on US and Chinese technology. Clients already include the Dutch government, German ministries and the German Football Association. The move follows the group's 2023 revenue of €185 billion, surpassing major German firms such as SAP and Mercedes, and reflects Dieter Schwarz’s vision of a European Silicon Valley.