"Craftsmanship is an important building block for reconstruction"

Five years after the devastating floods, the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Construction, the WHKT (Westphalian Chamber of Skilled Crafts), and the Cologne Chamber of Skilled Crafts have concluded the state initiative "Skilled Crafts in Reconstruction." In Odenthal, they reviewed their collaboration.

The devastating floods of July 2021 affected approximately 180 municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia. The destruction was extensive. To accelerate reconstruction efforts, the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Construction , the West German Association of Chambers of Skilled Crafts (WHKT), and the Cologne Chamber of Skilled Crafts (HWK) launched the "Skilled Trades in Reconstruction" initiative. The goal was to attract additional skilled trades businesses to the reconstruction effort and provide those affected with easy access to suitable companies. The platform facilitated contact with qualified and reliable skilled trades businesses.

The state initiative was initially limited to June 2024, but due to its great success, it was extended for another two years. The Cologne Chamber of Skilled Crafts coordinated the initiative and has now concluded as planned. However, the seven Chambers of Skilled Crafts in North Rhine-Westphalia will continue to fund the platform and maintain it for future disaster situations. Furthermore, the Cologne Chamber of Skilled Crafts developed a "Guideline for Skilled Crafts Organizations in the Event of a Disaster."

The guide is intended to help in future emergency situations.

Action Guide for Craft Organizations: The action guide for craft organizations in the event of a disaster is available for download here. With this, the initiative presents another key achievement of its work. The guide is designed to support craft organizations in future emergency situations, enabling them to provide rapid, structured, and effective assistance. The platform handwerk-baut-auf.de is kept on standby. In the event of another natural disaster, it could be quickly reactivated and made immediately available. The action guide provides a comprehensive overview of the platform. It also describes which measures have proven effective in crisis management, which structures should be established early in an emergency, and how craft organizations can quickly become operational.

Minister of Construction Ina Scharrenbach (CDU), WHKT President Berthold Schröder, and HWK President Thomas Radermacher met at a kindergarten in Odenthal to learn about the facility's reconstruction and to reflect on the state initiative. "Craftsmanship builds the future: With courage, initiative, and creativity, our trades have been and continue to be a vital component of reconstruction in North Rhine-Westphalia. Even though the state initiative has now officially ended, its impact will extend far into the future," said Scharrenbach.

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"The initiative has hit its mark"

"The figures show that the initiative has achieved its goal: 1.375 active businesses were recently registered on the platform. In 2025, around 136.000 visits were recorded, and the site was accessed approximately 796.000 times in total. With the guidelines, we have also ensured that experiences and knowledge are sustainable and that aid can be provided immediately in the event of similar severe weather events. Together we have come this far, and we will take the next steps together as well."

Schröder added: "Today's visit to the Odenthaler Kobolde daycare center demonstrates what successful reconstruction can look like. Through the 'Crafts in Reconstruction' initiative, led by flood coordinator Marius Siebenhaar, we have connected craft businesses and those affected by the floods over the years and supported reconstruction projects. We thank Minister Scharrenbach and her Ministry for Home Affairs, Municipalities, Construction and Digitalization, the Cologne Chamber of Skilled Crafts, and all other partners for their commitment to reconstruction. Looking ahead, the following remains true: Reconstruction can only succeed if we work together."

Radermacher explained that it's impossible to fully prepare for a situation like the 2021 floods. "However, with the platform and our guidelines, we've created practical tools that allow for faster and more effective action in an emergency, enabling the targeted involvement of craft businesses. We're sharing our experiences with other chambers of skilled crafts, hoping they'll never face a comparable situation. We're grateful to the Ministry for Home Affairs, Municipalities, Construction and Digitalization, which made the 'Crafts in Reconstruction' initiative possible, and to the WHKT for their excellent cooperation."

Source: WHKT

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