Zettelmeyer
Coordinates: 49 ° 41 ′ 15.6 " N , 6 ° 33 ′ 32.4" E
The Zettelmeyer Construction GmbH was a German manufacturer of construction equipment . The company, founded in 1897 and bought by Volvo in 1994, was an important and significant employer for the city of Konz and the associated community. The general economic development within Germany is reflected in the almost 100-year history of the company.
General
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Since it was founded in 1897, the Zettelmeyer company has lived through the two world wars, the reconstruction and the recession in the 1960s. Despite several changes of ownership, the company management managed to maintain the location in Konz and to support the labor market in the region. The social commitment of the Zettelmeyer family included, among other things, the above-average social benefits that contributed to the prosperity of the city of Konz in the middle of the 20th century.
The former Zettelmeyer company in Konz is still one of the most important employers in the region.
history
The historical development is divided into three epochs:
From the foundation in 1897 to 1971
From its founding in 1897 to 1971, the company experienced an era of innovation and improvement in the economic situation, which was only interrupted by the extensive destruction of the Second World War.
With the purchase of a steamroller for road construction, Hubert Zettelmeyer founded the Zettelmeyer company in Konz in 1897. The founder drove this steamroller himself until 1899. After that, he devoted himself exclusively to managing the company.
In 1901/1902 the Zettelmeyer couple acquired the first property in Granastraße in Konz and had house number 68 built there as a residential and administrative building. In 1902 the first repair shop was built. Clayton & Shuttleworth from Lincoln in England was temporarily represented as well as the sale of their products (e.g. steam rollers, steam locomotives and threshing machines ). The latter were used in the wage thrust in the Trier region.
Since the procurement of spare parts was difficult, the company's workshop operations were expanded considerably in 1905 in preparation for the construction of the first Zettelmeyer steam roller.
In 1909 an additional design office was set up for the company. In 1910 the first self-designed and built Zettelmeyer steam roller left the factory premises. By 1914, twenty single drum compactors (with around 45 men) were working for the Zettelmeyer company, 14 of which were in-house. In 1913 there were around 110 employees working for the company.
1914–1918: First World War
During the First World War (1914-1918) the trains were subordinated to the imperial army and used throughout the western region.
After the end of the war, all 24 compactors returned to Konz unharmed. The company Hubert Zettelmeyer was 1925 Zettelmeyer- Aktiengesellschaft continued and there were republic far established branches. Until 1929 Hubert Zettelmeyer produced complete compactors with caravans, coal and water wagons. With the invention of the motorized roller, the development of the steam roller was stopped.
Company founder Hubert Zettelmeyer died on June 19, 1930 at the age of 64. After his death, his son Peter Zettelmeyer took over the management of the company. Production of the first diesel tractor began in the early 1930s. The success suddenly and unexpectedly exceeded all expectations: Just one year later, the tractor business accounted for 52 percent of the company's total turnover. The 500th diesel tractor left the factory in 1936. In the course of this, the workforce increased to over 840 employees.
1939–1945: Second World War
With the beginning of the Second World War in 1939 and the bombing of large parts of the factories in May 1944 (the Allies mistook Zettelmeyer for an armaments factory), the company's success story came to an abrupt end.
Between 1946 and 1950, the rebuilding of the production facility began. Regular and permanent production took place again from 1950, and in 1951 the company newspaper “ Die Dampfwalze ” appeared for the first time.
In 1953 the company presented the first lift truck at the Hanover industrial fair . This had a lifting height of 2.80 m, which was considerable for that time, and the mechanical gearbox was developed by Zettelmeyer himself.
Peter Zettelmeyer received the Federal Cross of Merit in 1955 . The Zettelmeyer company built the Riveris dam near Trier together with Philipp Holzmann AG , Siemens Bau and Hochtief . An improvement suggestion system was introduced, according to which an implemented suggestion is rewarded, and productivity has been increased by 130 percent by streamlining work processes. This year the export began on a large scale.
In 1956 the last construction phase of the new factory building was completed. Thus a wide range of construction machines could be produced and offered on the market. For the first time, Zettelmeyer machines were delivered to Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Indonesia and India.
The workforce increased to 1,600 in 1957. The production of diesel tractors was stopped. The spare parts warehouse, final assembly and the testing department were relocated to Konz-Karthaus.
Despite the recession, the Zettelmeyer company was able to offer the broadest range of wheel loaders from a German manufacturer in 1968 . The road construction division was discontinued in 1971 due to unprofitability.
Change of ownership 1975–1990
The Zettelmeyer company got increasingly into financial difficulties and was sold to the IBH company in 1975 . Preparations were also made for the relocation of the plant from the city center of Konz to the Könen district . A large number of machines were delivered to Iraq at that time and a subsidiary was established.
The new managing director of the company Eberhard Röhlich inaugurated the new factory premises in Konz-Könen in 1981, which at that time was the most modern plant for construction machinery in Europe.
The IBH company filed for bankruptcy at the end of 1983 because of financial difficulties resulting from the takeover of the troubled companies Hanomag , Wibau, Hymac and Terex in an increasingly weak construction machinery market. The new owner was the company H. Harms, broker from Hamburg . In addition to wheel loaders, the production of which Harms allowed to continue, hydraulic support struts were manufactured for the mining industry. The company was sold again in 1987. The new owner was W. Eder, owner of the Eder machine factory in Mainburg (Danube) . The production of the Eder wheel excavators (abroad the mobile excavators built in Konz were sold as Caterpillar ) was partially relocated to Konz.
Incorporation into the Volvo Group in 1990
The VME Volvo Group bought into Zettelmeyer. Zettelmeyer Konz has been integrated into the Volvo Construction Equipment department (see diagram in Chapter 4). In 1990 VME Volvo took over 25 percent of the former Zettelmeyer company. In 1991 the restructuring of the existing company began (introduction of " Kaizen "). With these changes, shortened work routes, improved workflow, the optimization of production and the redesign of production were aimed for. These innovations also included the introduction of the new and improved assembly line, which made mix construction possible according to customer requirements (instead of the usual series production).
The changes within the company were not yet completed in 1992. The reorganization of customer service was imminent. In addition, a new and improved IT system was introduced (AS 400 - just-in-time system).
1994 Volvo took over 100 percent of the existing company in Konz-Könen. However, the factory premises remained in the possession of the previous owner W. Eder, Eder Maschinenfabrik, Mainburg / Donau. 1997–1999 Zettelmeyer was certified according to ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 9001 (quality). Renaming of the entire product range to Volvo.
The managing director Eberhard Röhlich retired in 2000. His successor, Robert Kramp, took over the management of the company.
In 2004 the assembly line for crawler excavators was built and part of the production for Europe and the USA was relocated from Korea to Konz. After Volvo took over 100 percent of the existing company in 1994, the company’s site was sold to the company owner. Until then, the site still belonged to the former owner W. Eder, Eder Maschinenfabrik, Mainburg / Donau. This extremely successful year ended for the company as the best business year for Zettelmeyer / Volvo in its entire existence.
In 2005 many and extensive changes were made. This included, for example, the expansion of prefabrication, welding, painting, etc. with the aim of producing 4,000 excavators a year.
Zettelmeyer's social commitment
Peter Zettelmeyer established a close social network as early as the 1950s. His strong ties to the Catholic Church and his friendship with the then Bishop of Trier meant that he campaigned for charitable purposes in the region around Trier.
Voluntary Social Benefits in the 1950s
The 1951 Christmas bonus was a basic amount of DM 24, plus DM 3 per year of service, DM 10 for the wife and another DM 10 per child. The Zettelmeyer relief fund for emergencies was set up, e.g. B. In the event of death, the worker's family received vacation pay for the rest of the year. A company pension scheme was set up.
If production was well utilized, “ potato money” was paid out to the workers in the autumn . There were regular oral vaccinations against polio and regular TB examinations. A works canteen was set up.
Works associations in the 1950s
- Zettelmeyer sport fisherman
- Bowling club
- Choral society
- Music band
Foundations and sponsorship
- Lebenshilfehaus Konz: Peter-Zettelmeyer-Haus
- Folklore and open-air museum Roscheider Hof . The museum dedicated a special exhibition to the Zettelmeyer company in 2002.
- Eintracht Trier
Emergency assistance
During the flood disaster in Holland in 1953, two sand conveyors were made available free of charge. From 1957 the company had its own fire brigade with a car, and its members received first-aid emergency training.
Volvo location conc
With the takeover of the entire Zettelmeyer Baumaschinen GmbH in 1991 and the subsequent purchase of the entire factory premises, Zettelmeyer was fully integrated into the Volvo Group.
The Volvo concern
This diagram shows the position of the Konz plant within the Volvo Group.
See also
literature
- The steam roller: magazine of the Hubert Zettelmeyer Werksgemeinschaft, Konz . No. 1.1951 - 43.1971 [?] , ZDB ID 609612-8 .
- Operating manual of the company Hubert Zettelmeyer: Maschinenfabrik u. Iron foundry, construction company . [Writer: Gretel Jardon]. Conc 1964.
- Paulitz, Udo: German tractors: From Allgaier to Zettelmeyer . Heel, Königswinter 2001.
- Ulf Böge, Baumaschinen Jahrbuch 2013 , Podszun Verlag Brilon, 2012, page 5ff, ISBN 978-3-86133-655-6
Web links
- Literature from the Hubert-Zettelmeyer-Maschinenfabrik in the catalog of the German National Library
- Entry on Zettelmeyer steam roller in the database of cultural assets in the Trier region .
Individual evidence
- ↑ S. Lendle: In the beginning was the steamroller , in: steamroller , issue 13/1957, p 21
- ↑ OV, in: steamroller , issue 1/1951, page 3
- ↑ OV, in: steamroller , issue 7/1953, page 8
- ↑ OV, in: steamroller , issue 14/1955, p 2
- ↑ OV, in: steamroller , issue 18/1956, p 48
- ↑ J. Hemgesberg in: steamroller , issue 19/1957, p 11
- ↑ F. Treinen, in: Steam roller , Edition 35/1964, pp 41
- ↑ a b O.V., Volvo Showroom, Volvo Niederlassung Konz
- ^ OV, in: Volvo Gazette , edition 9/1997, p. 18
- ^ S. Janssen, in: Volvo Gazette, Edition 10/1998, p. 2
- ^ OV, in: Volvo Gazette, edition 14/2000, p. 5
- ^ H. Kramp (managing director Volvo Konz), works meeting 4/2005
- ↑ H. Acker, in: steamroller , issue 31/1962, p 68
- ^ The Zettelmeyer company. ( Memento from September 12, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) (Museum information on an exhibition from April 14 to December 22, 2002 about the Zettelmeyer company)
- ^ OV, in: Volvo Gazette , Edition 6/1996, p. 23
- ↑ OV, in: steamroller , issue 19/1957, p 2Ff
- ↑ Graphic: Andreas Weber