28/09/2022 - News COPA-DATA expands in Salzburg by opening second office building

Automation software developer, COPA-DATA has expanded its headquarters in Salzburg and is celebrating the opening of its second office building in the Maxglan district. With a clear commitment to the location and innovative building management, the entrepreneurs behind the zenon automation software want to set new standards in sustainability.

A meeting place in the cyberspace age

Shortly after the application for the new building was submitted in March 2020, the first lockdown hit as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. "Just like that, we had to switch to an almost 100 percent remote work from home setup. Our head office, which had been crowded just a short time before, was suddenly dark, gloomy and empty," recalls Phillip Werr, a member of COPA-DATA's management team.

Despite the positive flexibility of remote working, Werr is convinced that a shared workspace will still be needed in the future, as a space for meeting and creative exchange: "The social component, the togetherness, is an essential part of our lives. Every workplace is also a living space - where we spend a large part of our day."

To effectively implement these requirements for a modern working environment in a new building, the architects' office Halle 1 was brought on board. Having set urban planning standards in Salzburg with the Perron development at the main train station and the Neue Mitte in Lehen, among others, it was the perfect partnership. Architect Gerhard Sailer was adamant that the new building should, "convey in its external appearance the objectivity, precision, value and functionality that customers of COPA-DATA also expect in software development." It has become a place that enables innovative thinking through diversity and open space.

An inspiring place to work

The four-story low-energy building with its 120 modern workstations offers plenty of space for deep work and flexible cooperation. A panoramic roof terrace as well as a communal kitchen with access to the 135-square-meter garden terrace, well-equipped kitchenettes and spacious lounge areas invite casual conversations between colleagues. The ground floor - a coworking area with a central auditorium - serves as a social meeting place and encounter zone for customers and employees. A well considered working environment coupled with the high quality of life offered by the city of Salzburg, makes COPA-DATA an attractive employer. Consequently, the company is seeing more and more highly qualified people from abroad applying for roles.

For Governor Dr. Wilfried Haslauer, COPA-DATA is an important partner when it comes to expanding the IT and innovation location: "COPA-DATA has played a key role in Salzburg's development into one of Austria's leading centers for technology. The new building is evidence that the successful history is being continued and that sustainability goes hand in hand with technical innovation."

Independent through energy data management

Accelerated by the current energy crisis, every company faces the challenge of becoming more independent from fluctuating prices and external energy suppliers. Sustainability has always been a concern for the company's founder and CEO Thomas Punzenberger: "Our basic attitude is what drives our commitment. What we do, we do with conviction. And usually before anyone else." The building's energy efficiency and sustainability are forward-looking. With the zenon-based application for the company's own building B.A.S.E. - Building Automation Smart and Easy - the generation, purchase and consumption of energy can be prioritized, distributed and monitored according to demand.

Forward-thinking and award winning

COPA-DATA's efforts to continuously innovate are being noticed. Earlier this year, the company was classified as a "Unicorn" by international consulting firm i5invest - valued at more than $1 billion. In May, an independent jury named COPA-DATA the best family business in Salzburg. In the competition for the best apprenticeship company in Salzburg held by the Chamber of Commerce, the IT company reached the final three - out of around 250 applications.