A conversation with Marten Hiekmann, Managing Director of PASS+CO

Marten Hiekmann, the sixth-generation leader of PASS+CO, took over global operations in 2013. Since then, he has expanded the company into more than 110 countries through strategic joint ventures, establishing PASS+CO as a leading global player in roadside safety equipment, installation and services.

Most road users never notice the steel at the edge of the carriageway — until the moment it saves their life. For Marten Hiekmann, Managing Director of PASS+CO, that moment is the whole point. Vehicle restraint systems are often “the last line of defense against serious injury or death” and the company’s conviction is captured in a single phrase: everyone deserves a second chance.

PASS+CO is a family-owned German company dedicated to one mission: making roads safer. With a heritage dating back to 1852, it is the oldest German manufacturer of steel vehicle restraint systems and has built its reputation on engineering excellence, quality and reliability.

Today, the company develops, manufactures, supplies and installs a comprehensive range of roadside safety solutions — safety barriers, bridge parapets, crash cushions, end terminals, motorcycle protection systems and other vehicle restraint products compliant with European standards such as EN 1317.

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From its headquarters in Wilnsdorf, Germany, it serves customers across Europe and international markets through a growing network of subsidiaries and partners.

More than 170 years on, the products and technologies have advanced significantly, but the core purpose of protecting lives through effective roadside safety has remained unchanged. Today, PASS+CO collaborates closely with road authorities, contractors and infrastructure partners to develop solutions that enhance road safety, promote sustainable infrastructure development and adhere to the strictest international performance standards.

“As mobility continues to evolve, PASS+CO is committed to combining tradition with innovation”, he explains — investing in new technologies, expanding its international presence and delivering safer roads for communities around the world.

Ask Marten about the biggest challenge facing road safety today, and the answer is keeping pace. Vehicles are becoming larger, heavier and increasingly automated; road networks are carrying more traffic than ever before; and road authorities must balance safety improvements with budget constraints and sustainability goals. It matters because roadside infrastructure is so often the last line of defense.

“Every barrier, bridge parapet, and crash cushion must perform as intended when needed most”, he says. “As an industry, we must continue to invest in innovation, rigorous testing and high-quality manufacturing”.

The greatest opportunity for the next five years, in PASS+CO’s view, lies in a more holistic approach to road safety. Infrastructure, vehicle technology and digital mobility solutions are becoming increasingly interconnected, and roadside safety hardware must evolve alongside them. Greater use of data, improved asset management and closer collaboration between manufacturers, engineers, road authorities and policymakers can help identify where investments will have the greatest impact.

The company also expects increasing demand for sustainable manufacturing processes and products with longer service lives, helping infrastructure owners improve safety while reducing environmental impact over the asset lifecycle.

Rather than highlighting a single flagship project, Marten points to the many road safety installations that protect millions of road users every day all over the world — from manufacturing roadside safety products in LATAM to India, to installing safety barriers from Denmark to South Africa and beyond, on highways, bridges, tunnels and complex road networks where reliable performance is critical.

All of its roadside safety barriers are crash tested, resulting in different containment levels, CE certified, and installed to the same norms and regulations. And as one of the last German family-owned and run businesses in the roadside safety branch, PASS+CO believes in providing partners and customers with “a very human, honest and helpful way” to approach solutions for individual markets across the globe.

The approach differs from conventional solutions in the market because, for PASS+CO, road safety is about more than supplying products — it is about delivering complete solutions. The company combines in-house engineering, manufacturing, installation and technical support to ensure consistent quality throughout every stage of a project, while continued investment in research and testing allows it to develop solutions that meet evolving international standards and perform in real-world conditions.

It is a conversation Marten intends to continue in Geneva. The IRF Annual Conference brings together experts from across the global road sector, and he is particularly looking forward to discussions around innovation, infrastructure resilience, sustainability and the future of road safety — as well as the opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships, build new relationships, and contribute PASS+CO’s experience to conversations about creating safer roads worldwide.

The message to delegates is simple: everyone deserves a second chance. Whether a crash results from a momentary lapse in concentration, an error by another road user, or circumstances beyond anyone’s control, forgiving roadside infrastructure can mean the difference between life and death. “No one should pay with their life for a single mistake — whether it is their own or someone else’s,” he says. “Every barrier we produce is built with one purpose: to give people the best possible chance to walk away from a crash and return home safely.”

PASS+CO is generously supporting the IRF 2026 Annual Conference, taking place in Geneva from 16 to 18 November 2026. Learn more about the conference at https://irfofficial.org/irf-2026-annual-conference.

The Full Interview

Tell us about your organisation — what you do, where you operate and what sets you apart?

PASS+CO is a family-owned German company dedicated to one mission: making roads safer. With a heritage dating back to 1852, we are the oldest German manufacturer of steel vehicle restraint systems and have built our reputation on engineering excellence, quality and reliability. Today, we develop, manufacture, supply and install a comprehensive range of roadside safety solutions, including safety barriers, bridge parapets, crash cushions, end terminals, motorcycle protection systems and other vehicle restraint products compliant with European standards such as EN 1317.

From our headquarters in Wilnsdorf, Germany, we serve customers across Europe and international markets through a growing network of subsidiaries and partners. What sets PASS+CO apart is our ability to offer the complete lifecycle of roadside safety solutions — from engineering and manufacturing to installation and maintenance — combined with decades of practical expertise and a strong commitment to innovation, quality and customer service.

How has your organisation’s mission evolved over the years, and what does it look like today?

Since our beginnings more than 170 years ago, PASS+CO has evolved alongside the changing demands of road infrastructure and mobility. Although our products and technologies have advanced significantly, our core purpose of protecting lives through effective roadside safety has remained unchanged.

Today, our mission goes beyond manufacturing high-quality vehicle restraint systems. We collaborate closely with road authorities, contractors and infrastructure partners to develop solutions that enhance road safety, promote sustainable infrastructure development and adhere to the strictest international performance standards. As mobility continues to evolve, PASS+CO is committed to combining tradition with innovation. We are investing in new technologies, expanding our international presence and delivering safer roads for communities around the world.

What is the single biggest challenge facing road safety today, and why does it matter?

One of the greatest challenges to road safety today is ensuring that roadside infrastructure keeps pace with evolving mobility trends. Vehicles are becoming larger and heavier and they are becoming increasingly automated. Meanwhile, road networks are carrying more traffic than ever before and road authorities must balance safety improvements with budget constraints and sustainability goals.

This is important because vehicle restraint systems are often the last line of defence against serious injury or death. Every barrier, bridge parapet and crash cushion must perform as intended when needed most. As an industry, we must continue to invest in innovation, rigorous testing and high-quality manufacturing to ensure that roadside safety infrastructure remains effective under evolving conditions.

Where do you see the greatest opportunity for progress in the next five years?

We see the greatest opportunity in taking a more holistic approach to road safety. Infrastructure, vehicle technology, and digital mobility solutions are becoming increasingly interconnected and roadside safety hardware must evolve alongside them.

Greater use of data, improved asset management and closer collaboration between manufacturers, engineers, road authorities and policymakers can help identify where investments will have the greatest impact. We also expect increasing demand for sustainable manufacturing processes and products with longer service lives, helping infrastructure owners improve safety while reducing environmental impact over the asset lifecycle.

Can you point to a project or deployment that you’re particularly proud of, and why?

Rather than highlighting a single project, we are proud of the many road safety installations that protect millions of road users every day all over the world — from manufacturing our roadside safety products in LATAM to India, to the installation of our roadside safety barriers in Denmark to South Africa and beyond. Our vehicle restraint systems have been deployed on highways, bridges, tunnels and complex road networks where reliable performance is critical. In our branch, all products are made the same — all roadside safety barriers are crash tested, resulting in different containment levels, CE certified and installed to the same norms and regulations. As one of the last German family-owned and run businesses in the roadside safety branch, we believe in providing partners and customers with a very human, honest and helpful way to approach solutions for individual markets with our products and services all over the globe.

How does your approach differ from conventional solutions in the market?

At PASS+CO, we believe that road safety is about more than supplying products — it is about delivering complete solutions. We combine in-house engineering, manufacturing, installation and technical support to ensure consistent quality throughout every stage of a project.

Our long history as a manufacturer has given us deep expertise in vehicle restraint technology, while our continued investment in research and testing allows us to develop solutions that meet evolving international standards. This combination of experience, technical capability and customer partnership enables us to deliver reliable, practical solutions that perform in real-world conditions.

What are you most looking forward to at the IRF 2026 Annual Conference?

The IRF Annual Conference brings together experts from across the global road sector, making it an excellent platform for exchanging ideas and learning from one another. We are particularly looking forward to discussions around innovation, infrastructure resilience, sustainability and the future of road safety.

For PASS+CO, the conference is also an opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships, build new relationships, and contribute our experience to conversations about creating safer roads worldwide.

What message do you most want delegates to take away from your participation?

Our message is simple: everyone deserves a second chance. Whether a crash results from a momentary lapse in concentration, an error by another road user or circumstances beyond anyone’s control, forgiving roadside infrastructure can mean the difference between life and death.

At PASS+CO, we believe that no one should pay with their life for a single mistake — whether it is their own or someone else’s. That belief drives our unwavering commitment to designing, manufacturing and delivering roadside safety systems that meet the highest standards of quality and performance. Every barrier we produce is built with one purpose: to give people the best possible chance to walk away from a crash and return home safely. Because everyone deserves a second chance — and every road deserves infrastructure that can provide it.

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