The ground-breaking ceremony on 7 November 2023 marked the official start of the construction phase, which extended over the entire year 2024 and represents another important milestone in the history of the Czech location of umdasch The Store Makers. Originally founded as the shopfitting company Story Design, it has been part of the shopfitting division of the Umdasch Group since 2015.
Historic milestone for the Litomyšl site
Around ten years after the acquisition, the Czech site with its wood, metal and plastic production has established itself as a strong partner for international customers with standardised and multipliable store concepts. These include well-known brands such as the world’s leading car manufacturers, banks and food service companies, who rely on the expertise of the shopfitting specialists, particularly when it comes to international roll-out projects, some of which involve hundreds of stores across Europe. The acquisition has also enabled umdasch The Store Makers to consolidate its position as one of Europe’s leading shopfitting companies. With the recently completed capacity expansion, the company has now strengthened its own production and services in Central Europe.
Increased flexibility and better delivery times
The production area has been increased by a total of 5,000 sq m, doubling the previous wood production. By increasing the level of automation in production, the investment also represents an important step towards digitalisation, which is a core topic throughout the company. “The combination of newly created space and the acquisition of modern machines with a higher degree of automation will have a very positive impact on our production capacity. For us, this is a decisive step towards effective growth,” says Silvio Kirchmair, CEO of umdasch The Store Makers, describing the investment. The location will be even more attractive for future roll-out projects in various retail segments.
The increased in-house production will also increase flexibility for customers. Kirchmair sees this as a significant added value: “Following the expansion, we will be able to optimise our delivery times and handle major Europe-wide projects even better and faster. We expect a further improvement in our competitiveness and the already extraordinarily high level of customer satisfaction.”
Modern working environment
In addition to the additional production units and a new dispatch warehouse, a further 600 sq m have been added on an extra floor to create new community spaces for employees. The construction project also included the expansion and modernisation of the office area. Around 30 workstations for project management, sales and administration have been created in a total area of 250 sq m. In addition, “With the expansion of our production area, we have also invested in modern premises for our employees in order to create a completely modernised working environment for our motivated team in Litomyšl,” says Kirchmair. The company also wants to grow in other respects at the Czech location: umdasch The Store Makers’ second largest site after Leibnitz in Austria plans to create around 30 new jobs and thus employ 260 people. This makes it one of the most important employers in the region.
The construction project also incorporates certain sustainability measures to support the Umdasch Group’s goal of achieving Net Zero in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. An important step in the expansion of the production halls in Litomyšl is the installation of a photovoltaic system on the entire new building, which will be completed later this year. The plant diversity at the site is also being continually expanded: with trees, shrubs and around 10,000 plants, the site will provide space for the biosphere.
Official opening and strategic importance of the investment
The official opening of the new production areas and premises took place on 23 April 2025 in the presence of representatives of the owner family, the Management Board of Umdasch Group AG and the management of umdasch The Store Makers in Litomyšl. The investment in the heart of Europe is important for umdasch The Store Makers in many respects, as CEO Silvio Kirchmair explained in his opening speech: “With the expanded production capacity, we are further strengthening our position among the leading shopfitting companies in the European market. On the one hand, production in Central Europe makes us more flexible; on the other hand, it is a commitment to Europe as a business location and to local value creation.”
On Saturday, 17 May 2025, umdasch The Store Makers invites locals and interested applicants to an open day in Litomyšl. This is a unique opportunity to experience the company up close and take a look behind the scenes. Visitors can look forward to interesting discussions and a varied programme for the whole family.
