Heinrich Karl Rudolf
Heinrich Karl Rudolf was the owner of a sheet metal , metal and zinc ornament factory and building plumbing shop in Pilsen , Bohemia .
history
Heinrich Karl Rudolf, a trained practical plumber , came to Pilsen from his birthplace in Prague in 1875 and took over a small plumber's workshop in Schulgasse, which was connected to a small shop . Like every beginner, he too had to struggle with considerable difficulties, since he was a stranger in his new place of work. But through diligence and perseverance, through hard work and solid service, he managed to overcome all obstacles. Inspired by a lively spirit of enterprise, he gradually increased his business to a significant size. At first he only worked with an assistant, but in the next year 1876 he felt compelled to take on more workers. The first machine, a beading machine , with manual operation was also purchased. After another year, a bending and rounding machine was set up, as the production of various plumbing goods, especially construction work, increased steadily. The workforce also had to be increased accordingly, so that the previous small workshop was no longer sufficient and a work area was added in the same building.
The transition from the old to the new, metric measure, which was used extensively, offered a favorable opportunity for the development of the new company. In addition, the reworking of the old gas meters to size and the production of new gas meters began. The expanded workshop in Schulgasse was no longer sufficient for the steadily increasing business. That is why one of them was rented in Kolargasse. For some time the two workshops worked at the same time. However, the difficulties associated with the local separation soon prompted the two workshops to be relocated to newly rented, more spacious premises on Königsquai, where work was carried out for around 1.5 years.
In order to finally remedy the evils resulting from the repeated lack of suitable workplaces, the owner decided to set up his own premises and for this purpose bought houses No. 73 and 9 at the corner of Ferdinandstrasse and Jungmannstrasse in 1881. The adaptation started immediately. An elegant sales hall was built at the corner of the two streets mentioned. The courtyard buildings were reconstructed and set up as workshops. The steady flourishing of the business, in which in 1883 an own carpentry shop and in 1885 an own locksmith's workshop had been built, meant that in 1887 a new courtyard wing had to be built for the storerooms and the workshops, so that the entire plant area had to be built of 1200 m².
In 1888, the HK Rudolf company was awarded large ornamental and figural works for the construction of the new Sparcasse building in the royal city of Pilsen. The following year, the company took part in the construction of the water pipeline installation for the city of Pilsen, with over 80 workers specifically involved in the installation work. In order to be able to enlarge the carpentry, locksmithing and blacksmithing workshops, the workshop for ornamental and figural work was relocated to the neighboring building that was acquired and adapted for this purpose.
In 1891 several sheet metal, iron and woodworking machines were purchased and a steam engine was installed to operate. Two years later, a separate paint shop with the latest system was built, and in 1898 a large hall with galleries made of iron was built for the plumber's workshops. The whole establishment was modern and functional. In carpentry was seven, in the Schlosser - forging and - installation workshop of a steam engine at 12, worked in the plumbing workshop on 24 machines, most of which by means of 10 hp were operated. Around 1900, around 140 people were employed in the company.
In 1895, after 20 years of existence in Schulgasse, the original shop was also relocated to the company's own house in Zeughausgasse and set up there in such a way that it became one of the largest shops in Pilsen at the turn of the century.
The products of the HK Rudolf company, namely their ice boxes , iron furniture , washing machines , kitchen and bathroom equipment , etc. were not only very popular throughout Austria-Hungary, but also competed successfully with foreign manufacturers. Of the building plumbing work, various ornamental and figural works were to be emphasized, the tasteful and solid execution of which had given the company a good reputation. A special mention deserved of strong copper sheet driven sculptural group " Mercury ", with 4.80 meters height and 680 kilograms weight, which in 1898 was carried out and was placed on the Fodermayer'schen House, corner of School and Reichsgasse in Pilsen. The company had notable achievements in the field of lighting and signaling objects for railways: the solidity of their products prompted the kk Österreichische Staatsbahnen to choose HK Rudolf as their permanent supplier. The company also had an excellent reputation for installing water pipes and doing similar work in this area. In addition to the work carried out on the installation of the city water pipeline in Pilsen, the large water pipeline installed by the company for the cooperative brewery in Pilsen , the city water pipeline in Strakonice , Tetín , etc., should be mentioned.
The company took part in several exhibitions and was awarded first prizes for its products. Heinrich Karl Rudolf was also appointed purveyor to the imperial court .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b H. K. Rudolf . In: Presented by the industrialists of Austria under the high protectorate of His K. and K. Highness of the Most Serene Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Hrsg.): Die Groß-Industrie Oesterreichs . Festival ceremony for the glorious fiftieth anniversary of the reign of His Majesty the Emperor Franz Josef I. Volume 2 . Leopold Weiss, Vienna 1898, III. Metal industry, p. 302 .
- ↑ a b c d e f H. K. Rudolf . In: Presented by the industrialists of Austria under the high protectorate of His K. and K. Highness of the Most Serene Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Hrsg.): Die Groß-Industrie Oesterreichs . Festival ceremony for the glorious fiftieth anniversary of the reign of His Majesty the Emperor Franz Josef I. Volume 2 . Leopold Weiss, Vienna 1898, III. Metal industry, p. 303 .
- ↑ Handbook of the Supreme Court and the Court of His K. and K. Apostolic Majesty . Kk Hof- und Staatsdruckerei , Vienna 1917, p. 517 .