On the Road to Modernity:
Frankfurt am Main/Ober-Ramstadt, September 7, 2026. The 2026 Industriekultur Rhein-Main Festival, a project of the non-profit Cultural Region FrankfurtRheinMain (KulturRegion FrankfurtRheinMain), officially kicked off on September 4 at DAW SE in Ober-Ramstadt, one of the region’s most significant industrial heritage sites. At the same time, the Cultural Region FrankfurtRheinMain is spotlighting the company as part of its media exhibition project, “FrankfurtRheinMain on the Road to Modernity,” illustrating how closely the history of paint is intertwined with social transformation, democratic development, and innovation.
Founded in 1895, the Deutsche Amphibolin-Werke, today known as DAW SE, is Europe’s largest privately owned manufacturer of architectural paints and one of ten featured filming locations selected for the exhibition project. Through filmed conversations at significant industrial heritage sites, the project highlights how technological innovation, entrepreneurial pioneering spirit, and societal change have shaped the region and continue to influence it today. The Industriekultur Rhein-Main Festival marks the starting point of this interactive digital exhibition, which will continue to grow throughout the coming year through the publication of new contributions and behind-the-scenes insights and will remain permanently accessible online.
As host of the festival’s opening event, DAW SE provided an ideal setting for dialogue among representatives from business, industrial heritage, technology history, cultural administration, and regional development. The event underscored the importance of connecting culture and industry to make the history of innovation visible and to foster discussions about future challenges and opportunities.
“As a company that has been deeply connected to this region for more than 130 years, we are especially pleased to host the opening of the Industriekultur Rhein-Main Festival. For generations, we have developed high-quality surface solutions that enhance and protect buildings. Our ambition is to transform buildings into living spaces that protect, inspire, and connect people. The fact that our PaintBuddy painting robot also serves as the key visual of this year’s festival perfectly reflects the theme ‘On the Road to Modernity.’ PaintBuddy is a prime example of this journey toward modernity: it demonstrates how people and robotics are already working together successfully in the skilled trades today. This is how innovations from Southern Hesse are creating an impact far beyond the region and are already being deployed across many European markets,” said Dr. Jörg Leuninger, Chief Innovation Officer of DAW SE.
Kay-Hermann Hörster, project manager of the Route of Industrial Heritage Rhine-Main and curator of the digital exhibition “FrankfurtRheinMain on the Road to Modernity,” emphasized: “Our media exhibition project is much more than a temporary cultural initiative. Step by step, the exhibition is evolving into a permanently accessible digital showcase of the Rhine-Main region’s industrial heritage. In this way, the stories of these places remain visible and accessible long after individual events have ended.”
The Industriekultur Rhein-Main Festival takes place from September 5 to 13, 2026, and features a diverse program including factory tours, workshops, and excursions by train, boat, and bicycle. Under the theme “On the Road to Modernity,” the festival offers fascinating insights into current developments in fields such as mobility, energy, work, manufacturing, and urban development. The digital exhibition “FrankfurtRheinMain on the Road to Modernity” will remain permanently accessible via the Cultural Region’s website and through QR codes displayed in public spaces, with new content added on an ongoing basis.
“FrankfurtRheinMain on the Road to Modernity” is a project within the framework of WDC 2026. WDC 2026 is supported by the State of Hesse, the City of Frankfurt am Main, and the Frankfurt RheinMain Cultural Fund.
