Recognition celebrates German-American partnership and North Carolina’s growing manufacturing community
ZIEHL-ABEGG Inc. has received the 2026 North Carolina Gateway Award from the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S., Inc. (GACC South), recognizing the company’s contribution to German-American business and its growing roots in North Carolina.
The Carolinas Gateway Awards celebrate companies and organizations helping strengthen economic and cultural ties between Germany and the Carolinas through investment, innovation, job creation and long-term commitment to the region.
“This award means a great deal to us because it recognizes what can be achieved through long-term partnership.” said Joachim Ley, CEO of ZIEHL-ABEGG Group. “We bring more than a century of German engineering experience to North Carolina while continuing to invest in local manufacturing, jobs and expertise. Winston-Salem is a key part of our growth strategy in North America.”
ZIEHL-ABEGG has operated in North Carolina for decades and moved its North American headquarters from Greensboro to Winston-Salem in 2024. Since then, the company has continued expanding its local manufacturing capabilities, workforce and investment while building deeper relationships across the region.
The recognition also highlights North Carolina’s growing role as a destination for international manufacturers. German companies have a significant presence throughout the Carolinas, bringing together global expertise with the region’s workforce, educational institutions, suppliers and manufacturing heritage.
“This award is something we share with our employees and the community around us,” said Florian Braun, Managing Director – Sales, ZIEHL-ABEGG Inc. “Our employees live here, our partnerships are here and our future is increasingly connected to this region. Winston-Salem and North Carolina is our home in North America, and we are proud to contribute to the region’s manufacturing future.”
ZIEHL-ABEGG has committed a combined $170 million to its Winston-Salem expansion over the last 4 years and expects to continue growing its North American presence in the years ahead.
The 2026 North Carolina Gateway Award was presented as part of the Carolinas Gateway Awards, which recognize organizations contributing to strong and lasting German-American business relationships across North and South Carolina.
About Ziehl-Abegg Inc.:
Ziehl-Abegg, Inc is the North American subsidiary of Ziehl-Abegg based in Künzelsau, Germany. It is headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC with over 660 employees. Additionally, it has 9 sales offices in the US, 3 sales offices in Canada and 1 sales office in Monterrey, Mexico.
Ziehl-Abegg is one of the leading global companies in the field of ventilation, control and drive technology. In the 1950s, Ziehl-Abegg established the basis for modern fan drives: external rotor motors which even today are still seen as state-of-the-art worldwide. Another area of business is electric motors which provide the power, for example, for elevators and medical applications (computer tomography equipment).
The high-tech company has an impressive innovative capability. The company has a global workforce of 5,800 spread between 17 production plants, 30 companies and 117 sales locations. The products, approx. 30,000 in all, are sold in more than 100 countries.
Emil Ziehl founded the company in Berlin in 1910 as a manufacturer of electric motors. After World War II the company’s headquarters were relocated to southern Germany. Ziehl-Abegg SE is not a listed company but instead is family-owned.
For more information go to https://www.Ziehl-Abegg.com/en-us
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Minehart
Ziehl-Abegg, Inc Marketing Manager
Cell +1 (336) 554-3308
Elizabeth.Minehart@Ziehl-Abegg.us
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