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Founder Fenja Bierwirth, Image: SWHT/Raveling
Heavy transport permits are a prerequisite for being allowed to move heavy loads over German roads. This is where Bremen-based founder Fenja Bierwirth provides support with her company FEEMAX. She organizes permits, escort vehicles, and plans the routes.
465,000 heavy-goods vehicles were transported on German freeways in 2023. Sometimes oversized, sometimes overlong, sometimes overheavy, sometimes all of the above. Wind turbines from northern Germany to the south, construction machinery from the south to the ports in the north – and each time with prior approval and escort by special vehicles or even the police
An immense amount of planning goes into every single one of these transports. Especially when extremely long components, such as wind turbine rotors, have to be moved: Will the truck, at 90 meters long, even fit around the bend, will it make it down the driveway?
“A new permit is almost always required for every transport, which has to be obtained from the relevant authorities. If it involves several federal states, it becomes even more complex because each state has its own special procedures,” says Fenja Bierwirth. The 32-year-old founded FEEMAX at the beginning of 2024. The company specializes in the organization of permits for heavy transports, route planning, safe transport escort, and construction site clearance (clearing construction sites for heavy transports).
Good preparation and knowledge of the regulations are required before a heavy transport can set off on its journey, Image: unsplash
High demand for heavy transport permits
The logistics expert, who worked as an employee in the heavy goods sector for many years before deciding to become self-employed, feels at home as a founder in Bremen's logistics sector: “I have always been welcomed openly and as an equal by my business partners. That encourages me.”
Although she has only been active on the market for a few months, she can hardly save herself from inquiries. “There is a shortage of skilled workers in medium-sized haulage companies, and sometimes the boss plans routes himself, even though he should actually be doing other tasks. Companies are keen to outsource these tasks. And you need a lot of specialist knowledge to be able to process such permits quickly,” she adds. That is why there are only few competitors.
Another reason is the increasing demand in the wind power industry, which requires heavy transport permits for both the transportation of wind turbine rotors and of cranes. Bierwirth, who also has a crane operator's license herself, specializes primarily in the construction and mechanical engineering industry.
It takes about a week to obtain a permit for a heavy transport and sometimes longer for extra-long parts, such as those used in wind power. “A lot depends on the authorities. Although there are digital tools and approval portals, they still don't work as smoothly as expected. Bremen is already at the forefront, in other regions it takes much longer.”
Personnel wanted to accompany heavy transports
Many orders, few contractors: No wonder that founder Bierwirth is already looking for staff. There are several vacancies on her website, both in the office and on the road.
“In the future, I want to send my own staff on the transports so that my entire service comes from a single source. So far, I have been using external service companies for this. To achieve this, I need drivers for the escort vehicles, who secure the front and rear of the heavy transport or block bridges and junctions.”
Something else is also still missing: the vehicles themselves, mostly vans with special equipment. This is a large financial investment that the founder cannot make alone – which is why she collaborates with an investor now to expand her business.
An enormously fast start for such a young company. But Bierwirth says of herself that she lives for heavy-duty logistics. “My friends know: I don't know any other subject,” she laughs. Her dream is to create a growing company with business partners who are more than just customers. That is why she chooses her clients very carefully and builds a close business relationship with them. “Good service is important to me; I give all my partners an update on the current status every day. I also want to pass this spirit on to my future team.”
Bierwirth in conversation with the State Councillor for Ports, Kai Stührenberg, about current challenges in the logistics sector, Image: SWHT/Raveling
Company founded in Bremen with Starthaus Bremen
While the heavy-goods expert has good industry knowledge, she initially lacked start-up expertise. For this reason, she sought contact with Starthaus Bremen and Bremerhaven in the run-up to the company launch. “Starthaus gave me a lot of support and helped me to develop; I couldn't have done it without them,” she explains. She used the advice from Starthaus to develop her business plan and prepare for bank appointments. She also received a microloan from BAB - Die Förderbank für Bremen und Bremerhaven for her first business equipment.
She is also active in the Female Founders Coffee Club at Starthaus – a network for female founders that enables women to exchange ideas. “I like the scene here in Bremen, it's very open. As a single female founder, you don't know if you're doing everything right, so it's good to be able to talk to others who are in a similar situation. Feedback helps enormously.”
Well equipped, she is now setting about building up her company. Besides wanting a small team, she also has a big vision: “One day I want to be able to use the profits to buy my own wind turbines and operate a small wind farm, that's my dream. In my life so far, everything I've set out to do has worked out, so I'm confident.”
