History

Ansicht aller bisherigen Geschäftsführer der Handtmann Familie

Company
History

The history of the Handtmann Group of Companies

Over five generations, the Handtmann family business has developed from a small, artisan brass foundry into a globally active technology company with 4,700 employees.

We, the Handtmann Group of Companies, are a traditional family business from Biberach, which has been in existence since 1873. As one of the few companies that has continued to exist in Upper Swabia since industrialization, we combine the regional tradition of craftsmanship with innovation and globalization. The roots of the Handtmann family go back to the 16th century, when the bricklayer Michael Handtmann moved from Memmingen to Biberach, where the family has remained deeply rooted in the local economy and society over the centuries. The history of the Handtmann Group of Companies can be divided into five generations:

Generation (1873 - 1918): Christoph Albert Handtmann
Generation (1919 - 1953): Karl Handtmann
Generation (1953 - 1998): Arthur Handtmann
Generation (1998 - 2023): Thomas Handtmann
Generation (2023 - today): Markus Handtmann & Valentin Ulrich

"Alles Handtmann" - The company history from 1873 to 2023. Author: Frank Brunecker

Find out more about the individual generations and the development of the Handtmann Group of Companies below!

1. Generation (1873 - 1918)

1873

The bell foundryman and master mechanic Christoph Albert Handtmann (1845-1918), known by his first name Albert, founds a brass foundry in Biberach in the historic "Bachmühle" building on Ehinger-Tor-Platz. The plot has an area of approximately 1,200 square meters. He begins manufacturing fittings for fruit brandy distilleries, brewhouses and beer storage barrels.

Sicht auf den Firmengründer Christoph Albert Handtmann

2. Generation (1919 - 1953)

1919

After the death of Christoph Albert Handtmann, his sons Karl Albert Handtmann (1874-1951), a master yellow foundryman, and Adolf Karl Handtmann (1884-1953), a businessman, become partners in the company. Adolf Karl Handtmann, known by his first name Karl, modernizes and buys machines. In addition to the company's traditional business with armatures for breweries and distilleries, he starts supplying fitters with taps and annealed cast iron fittings wholesale.

Sicht auf den ehemaligen Firmenbesitzer Adolf Karl Handtmann

1929

Due to the unpleasant odors from the oil furnaces in the smelting plant in the city center, the company is relocated outside the city. The new location is Brühlstrasse/Fabrikstrasse next to the Biberach gasworks. Area of the plot: 6,500 square meters.

Luftbild des ersten Handtmann Standortes in der Brühlstraße in Biberach.

3. Generation (1953 - 1998)

1953

After the death of Adolf Karl Handtmann, Arthur Handtmann becomes the sole owner of the company. Fortunately, Karl Handtmann witnesses the birth and christening of his grandson Thomas Handtmann. Handtmann employees 51 people - more than ever before.

1954

Arthur Handtmann decides to set up his own mechanical engineering business after he was asked if he could build a hand-operated sausage filling and portioning machine. Handtmann Maschinenfabrik is founded.

At the same time, the gravity die casting production process is launched. This process is used for complex applications and is suitable for the series production of casting parts weighing up to 20 kilograms.

Ansicht einer Portioniermaschine für Wurstwaren.

1961

Handtmann starts industrial high-pressure die casting suitable for large quantities and invests in two Fries die casting machines with closing forces of 120 and 250 tons. Three years later, a 400-tons machine is added. The first contact with the renowned German automotive industry is established.

Sicht auf einen Handtmann Mitarbeiter während der Arbeit an einer Druckgussmaschine.

1967

Purchase of company premises on Birkenallee (today: Arthur-Handtmann-Straße), Biberach. In the following years, the various business divisions of the company relocate step-by-step from the Rißstraße to the new company premises.

Ansicht des ersten Produktionsgebäudes in der Birkenallee (heute: Arthur-Handtmann-Straße)

1968

The Handtmann Armaturenfabrik switches from the production of brass fittings to fittings made from stainless steel. 377 employees are employed with sales of DM 18 million

At the same time, Arthur Handtmann enters the plastics development sector with the foundation of Handtmann Elteka. This involves a lactam-based polyamide, which is later known under the brand name Lauramid^®.

1986

The Handtmann Maschinenfabrik establishes its first foreign subsidiary in England for the sale of meat processing machines: Handtmann Ltd. This is followed by additional sales companies in USA (1990), Italy (1991), Canada (1991), France (1997), Brazil (2000), China (2006), Russia (2014), Mexico (2015), Spain (2019), Brazil (2000), Thailand (2021), Netherlands (2021), Colombia (2021) and Poland (2023).

Sicht auf eine Auslandsgesellschaft von Handtmann Ltd

1992

Handtmann acquires Leichtmetallgießerei Annaberg GmbH, which was founded in 1926 by Zschopauer Motorenwerke DKW. A job guarantee for 100 employees and an investment sum of DM 10 million is negotiated with the Treuhand state holding company. Handtmann invests more than DM 40 million by 2004.

Today, more than 20 state-of-the-art high-pressure die casting machines with closing forces of 420 to 4,000 tons are available for the production of aluminium components. High-quality casting finishing and CNC processing are integrated into the fully automated production process.

Luftbild der Leichtmetallgießerei Annaberg

4. Generation (1998 - 2023)

1998

The 125th company anniversary is celebrated. Minister President Erwin Teufel opens the festivities. Arthur Handtmann steps down as Managing Director of all companies and becomes Chairman of the newly established Advisory Board. His son Thomas Handtmann (active in various functions since 1982) takes on the management of the Group of Companies in his place.

In the anniversary year, 1,600 employees are employed and a sales of DM 498 million is generated.

Ansicht auf die symbolische Schlüsselübergabe von Arthur Handtmann und Thomas Handtmann.

1999

The expanding machine factory in Biberach is moved to the new Aspach industrial zone and fitted with state-of-the-art production facilities.

Ansicht des Handtmann Processing Hauptstandortes in Biberach.

2003

Handtmann Systemtechnik GmbH & Co KG is founded in Biberach. Handtmann is thus responding to the increased demands from the automotive industry. It has become necessary to supply automobile manufacturers with components - complete systems - , not just die casting parts.

2005

Founding of the first foreign company to operate a metal foundry: Handtmann Slovakia s.r.o. in Košice. Production for the new foundry starts in 2009.

This is followed by further foreign branches of the metal foundry in Tianjin (China, since 2015) and Kechnec (Slovakia, since 2019)

Luftbild des Handtmann Standortes in der Slowakei.

2020

The Handtmann Group of Companies acquires the Inotec Group with its four locations in Reutlingen, Herzebrock-Clarholz, Hluk (Czech Republic) and Saverne (France). Inotec is a manufacturer of mixing and grinding technology solutions as well as typing, separating and declipping machines for the food processing sector.

2021 also sees the takeover of Dutch mechanical engineering and trading partner Verbufa. Change of name in February 2023 to Handtmann Benelux B.V.

Ansicht einer Maschine aus dem Inotec-Werk.

5. Generation (2023 - today)

2023

Handtmann celebrates the 150th anniversary of the company with employees, family, companions and numerous guests of honor. As part of the celebrations, Minister President Winfried Kretschmann pays tribute to the history of the Group's development. With a symbolic handover of the keys, Thomas Handtmann transfers overall responsibility for the family-owned group to his son Markus Handtmann and his nephew Valentin Ulrich: both have held various positions in the company since 2017. Thomas Handtmann becomes Chairman of the Advisory Board.

Sicht auf die symbolische Schlüsselübergabe von Thomas Handtmann, Markus Handtmann und Valentin Ulrich.

2024

Handtmann acquires the innovative plastics engineering specialist Kegelmann, based in Rodgau-Jügesheim, Germany. Kegelmann counts among the pioneers in plastics engineering with genuine expertise in additive manufacturing and the prototyping of injection moulding tools as well as small and special series production.