The story of 8.2

It all began with the founding of the 8.2 engineering office in Süderdeich by Manfred Lührs on October 2, 1995. The company name was copied from the hexagonal screws with information about the material embossed on their heads. For wind turbines, the most common are 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9.
“8.2 doesn't exist, but 8 and 2 are my favorite numbers,” says Manfred Lührs, revealing the secret of finding the name, “back then I didn't just want to found an office for wind energy technology.”
He therefore deliberately chose a logo for the first expert office that should be remembered. 8.2 has since stood for a group of engineering firms, the first of which was founded in 1995 [by Manfred Lührs].

In January 1997, Manfred Lührs was the first expert for wind turbines to be audited, publicly appointed and sworn in by the Flensburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
When Jürgen Holzmüller founded the 8.2 engineering office in Aurich a year later, there was immediate practical benefit. “I no longer had to travel from Dithmarschen to East Frisia because of individual systems,” says Manfred Lührs looking back.
But that is of course an understatement, because the founding of the engineering office in Aurich meant much more — with the creation of this “node,” the structure of the future 8.2 expert network was already apparent.

Growth therefore does not occur in one place in an ever-expanding structure, but through cell division and dissemination of new cells across an entire region, ideally across Germany and beyond. This is logical, because a decentralized energy supply includes an equally decentralized service structure.
The founding of the 8.2 Network was therefore actually not a time, but a process that began in 1995 and continues to this day. Manfred Lührs and Jürgen Holzmüller, who still embody and further develop the original idea today, became role models for other wind energy experts who wanted to become self-employed as experts and followed the security of the name 8.2. Because it is a good opportunity for many to become self-employed
Because it is a good opportunity for many to venture into independence because the group can provide “newcomers” with assignments.
In the following years, further 8.2 engineering offices were founded throughout Germany. In the first ten years, a network of 14 engineering and expert offices and two publicly appointed and sworn experts was established.

In order to meet the growing requirements, 14 experts strengthened the network in 2006 by founding 8.2 Consulting AG in Hamburg. The new umbrella organization contractually enshrines all engineering firms, promotes internationalization and binds investors and employees to the Group through share investments. This created a stable capital base, which today enables major projects, technical due diligence and offshore wind orders worldwide.

The structure of the joint stock company is not flexible enough to manage the activities of the 8.2 Group; therefore, 8.2 Group e.V. was created as a new umbrella organization in 2014. Today, the association brings together more than 40 offices — from one-person experts to 50-person engineering houses — with expertise in wind, photovoltaics, condition monitoring, storage technology, network integration, QHSE and green hydrogen.

The 8.2 Group is consciously growing organically: Each new, independent engineering or expert office brings fresh know-how to the group. The expertise is in these independent entities, making the network virtually immune to takeovers. Thanks to flat hierarchies, orders can be flexibly distributed to other members during peak loads; specialized teams or experts for extending the lifespan of wind turbines, grid code compliance and ESG-compliant QHSE audits take on their core tasks in a targeted manner. In this way, every engineering firm remains economically independent, while the network as a whole can operate dynamically and scalably.

New offices in Croatia, Sweden, Spain, Poland, Finland and the Philippines expand our international network of experts. In 2024, Lauritz Hamm's management team will initiate the generational change, supported by Ralf Reek and Swen Streiner.

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In the anniversary year 2025, the 8.2 Group brings together over 180 experts in more than 40 offices worldwide. With independent reports and certifications for wind energy, photovoltaics, storage technologies and green hydrogen, it remains a pioneer of safe, sustainable energy.

... and we're still growing!