The Knorr brake AG with seat in Munich is the company-prominent upper company Knorr brake of the company. Knorr brake is the manufacturer of brake systems for rail and commercial motor vehicles, leading world-wide. Further product fields are on board systems for rail-mounted vehicles such as door systems and air conditioning systems, in addition platform door systems as well as for diesel engines.

World-wide the Knorr brake company employs more than 12,000 coworkers (at the end of of 2005). The company turnover amounted in the year 2005 to 2,7 billion EUR.

History

Establishment and ascent in Berlin (1905-1920)

In the year 1905 engineer George Knorr in Boxhagen Rummelsburg (today Berlin Lichtenberg) created the Knorr brake GmbH, into which he already brought one 1883 created enterprise for railway compressed air brakes. Business basis formed the introduction of the compressed air brake K1 developed by it with the passenger trains of the Prussian-hessian state railway administration. The Knorr brake GmbH was converted 1911 under admission of the Continentale brake GmbH into the Knorr brake AG.

Diversified company (1920-1985)

After the First World War with the introduction of the Kunze Knorr brake also goods train traffic was changed over by the hand to the continuous compressed air brake enterprise. 1923 introduced Knorr brake for the first time compressed air brakes for commercial motor vehicles. After the world economic crisis Knorr brake introduced the Hik brake in the European rail traffic and advanced the conversion of the German commercial motor vehicle industry to compressed air brakes. End of the 1930er years were equipped 90% all German truck by 7-16 t with Knorr brake assemblies.

The Knorr brake AG developed between the world wars under the direction of Johannes Philipp Vielmetter to the largest brake building contractor of Europe. From affiliation of further enterprises a diversified company with approximately 20,000 persons employed resulted.

• Starting from 1920 the Bavarian engine works AG (BMW) in Munich were a subsidiary company of the Knorr brake AG. The engine department was again sold 1922 including the company name to a group of investors. Munich subsidiary companies firmierte until 1985 as South German one brake-gnaw. On the working area is today the master seat of the Knorr brake AG.

• Starting from 1921 the Knorr brake AG took part in the citizens of Berlin machine tool factory Carl hate & Wrede GmbH. The follow-up enterprise hate & Wrede GmbH is today as part Knorr brake of the company a prominent manufacturer of for diesel engines.

• 1926 were acquired the controlling interest at the engine works Mannheim AG (MWM), the engine construction of the company Benz & Cie stationary from the department. the automobile pioneer Carl Benz had come out. With the sales to the Humboldt Deutz AG (KHD, today Deutz AG) in the year 1985 Knorr brake separated again from the engine section.

• The steel plant in Volmarstein at the Ruhr, integrated after co-operation of many years 1938, adjusted 1997 the enterprise.

After the end of the Second World War citizen of Berlin was dismantled the parent plant. The Knorr brake AG was expropriated. The South German one brake-gnaw in Munich continued production in West Germany. The 1946 created and Knorr brake GmbH shifted to Munich took over development and selling of brake systems later. The Knorr brake AG was converted 1960 into a limited partnership (kg).

The reconstruction in the west flowed 1955 into the internationally successful introduction of the Knorr Einheitsbremse (KE) for rail-mounted vehicles. The range commercial motor vehicle brakes lost against it after the Second World War at soil. Also into the 1960er the business field pneumaticspneumatics pneumatics established stagnated to years, and the building of diesel engines began to write years high losses to end of the 1970er.

Concentration and expansion since 1985

1985 introduced an owner change the concentration of the fastened company on the product ranges of brake systems for rail and commercial motor vehicles. The Knorr brake GmbH and the South German one brake-gnaw 1985 on the again created Knorr brake AG were fused. The Knorr brake kg was liquidated. Were sold or adjusted the diesel engine and machine tool manufacture (both 1985), pneumaticspneumatics pneumatics (1993) and the cast steel (1997).

1993 took place the Divisionalisierung of the company. Since that time the business fields of systems for rail and commercial motor vehicles are noticed by separate societies. A strong expansion in both segments followed the concentration on the core ranges. By the assumption of important manufacturers particularly in the USA and the structure of a global production group Knorr brake grew to the offerer of brake systems, leading world-wide, both for rail-mounted vehicles and for commercial motor vehicles. The company turnover rose between 1987 and 2005 continuously from 311 millions EUR to 2,7 billion EUR.

Important steps of the expansion (S = rail-mounted vehicles, N = commercial motor vehicles):

Company structure and owner

The controlling Knorr brake of the company is made by the three regions Europe, America as well as Asia/Australia. The operational business is arranged divisional. The Knorr brake AG regards 100% of the capital of the Knorr brake of systems as rail-mounted vehicles GmbH and 80% of the capital of the Knorr brake of systems for commercial motor vehicles GmbH. At the latter Robert Bosch GmbH is involved with 20%.

Knorr brake is since the establishment in the year 1905 owner-its own enterprise. The 1985 again created Knorr brake AG are not quoted like the predecessor company of the same name. The company capital is in the possession of the family of the chairman of the board Heinz Hermann Thiele, which took over the company 1985 and since that time leads.

Product history and business fields

Introduction of important products for commercial motor vehicles (N) and rail-mounted vehicles (s)

Important business fields and label names

• Brake systems for commercial motor vehicles (Knorr brake, Bendix)

• Brake systems for rail-mounted vehicles (Knorr brake, New York air Brake, Westinghouse Brakes)

• Door systems for rail-mounted vehicles (IFE innovation for Entrance of system)

• Climatic systems for rail-mounted vehicles (Merak)

• Platform door systems (Westinghouse platform screen doors)

• for diesel engines (hate & Wrede)

Literature

Franz Ludwig Neher, fifty years Knorr brake. Berlin/Munich 1955.

Manfred Barthel, Kraft and Sicherheit. 75 years Knorr brake. Duesseldorf/Vienna 1980.

Helmut Engel (Hrsg.), location Berlin east cross. Historical Knorr brake. Industrial complex in the change. Berlin 2000.

Helmut Engel (Hrsg.), location Berlin Marzahn. Historical Knorr brake. Industrial complex in the change. Berlin 2001.

Manfred Pohl, security on rail and road. The history of the Knorr brake AG. (English expenditure: Safety roofridge by Road and Rail. The History OF Knorr brake AG.) Munich 2005.

Articles in category "Knorr brake"

We found here 7 articles.

Related Websites

We found here 3 related websites.

• Knorr Brake Corporation Company History
  By then the work required that the first "official" Knorr Brake Corporation facility in the US be established in Rockville, Maryland. ...


• Knorr Brake Corporation Pneumatic Products
  Wheelslide protection electronics are built into the brake control system. Primary control with the dynamic ... Knorr-Bremse and New York Air Brake Corporation.


• Knorr Brake Corporation Web Template
  The Knorr Brake Corporation of Westminster, Maryland is committed to comply with and continuously ... Knorr Brake Corporation is ISO-9001 Registered. ...