Martin Herrenknecht, the 84-year-old German billionaire and founder of a major tunneling technology company, has clashed with local authorities in his hometown over a traffic-calming initiative. The dispute centers on the installation of wooden planters along a public road near his company’s main factory in Schwanau, a district in southwest Germany bordering France.

Last summer, the Schwanau parish council placed 20 wooden containers filled with shrubs, bamboo, acers, and flowers along a stretch of road with a 30 km/h speed limit. The planters were introduced to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety. However, Herrenknecht viewed the greenery as a hazard, arguing that it obstructed sight lines for drivers, including truck operators, thereby posing risks to both factory employees and local residents.

In protest, Herrenknecht removed the planters during the night in the autumn, holding them for several days before returning them to the council. He referred to the planters dismissively and criticized the council members, whom he described with a colloquial German term implying ineffectual office workers, suggesting they did not grasp the realities on the ground.

The conflict resurfaced recently when the parish council announced plans to reinstall the planters, this time outfitted with larger reflectors for increased visibility. Herrenknecht responded by threatening to relocate parts of his production operations from Allmannsweier, the town where his factory is located, to the nearby district of Rust. He implied that such a move would reduce local business tax revenues, potentially pressuring the council to reconsider its position.

In an interview with a regional newspaper, Herrenknecht said he respects the decisions of democratically elected officials but emphasized that they should also acknowledge his right to consider relocating his business if necessary. His company declined to comment further on the matter, and the Schwanau parish council did not respond to requests for comment.

Herrenknecht’s company, known globally for its tunneling equipment used in projects such as the Beijing metro, London’s Elizabeth Line, and the Brenner base tunnel through the Alps, employs nearly 2,500 people at the Schwanau site, which is currently undergoing expansion and renovation. The ongoing disagreement highlights a tension between local industrial interests and community-led traffic safety measures.