The WOLFF Story

Der Leitwolf. The leader of the pack.

1854Friedrich August Wolff, a pewterer by profession, foundsan iron foundry in Heilbronn.The first iron casting takes places on 19.8.1854. This is akey date for the continueddevelopment of the aspiringyoung company.

One year before, in a restaurantin Saratoga Springs, New York,the first potato chips are manufactured.

1870Alongside cast iron goods suchas steam engines, rollers, shipbollards and turbines, the youngest son of the companyfounder, Julius Wolff, also develops other new and innovative ideas: his aim is toimprove hoisting machinery andelevators.

1871 The Prussian ChancellorBismarck founds the GermanReich.

1887The son continues what his father Julius had begun:Richard Wolff specializes moreand more in hoisting and conveying engineering. SoWOLFF designs and constructssteam-powered, chain hoist drives for the Neckar shipping.

In 1886, the success of Coca-Cola, which originally startedout as a medicine against tired-ness and headaches, is esta-blished.

WOLFFKRAN Cranesational since 1854

Der Leitwolf. The leader of the pack.

1898Crane construction in Heilbronnbecomes more and moreimportant, though at first withsmall hoisting cranes and notthe “giants” of later years. In1898 the first slewing crane leaves the WOLFF factory inHeilbronn.

In 1896, the first OlympicGames of modern times takeplace in Athens.

1913At the Leipzig trade fair, WOLFFpresents the first quick assem-bly, mobile tower crane in theworld – a real landmark and thebeginning of a success storyfor the “Giants from Heilbronn”.

With assembly line production,Henry Ford reduces assemblytime for a “Tin Lizzy” car from12.5 to 1.5 hours.

1931Jul. Wolff & Co., acting as aGmbH (Ltd) since 1921, consistently consolidates itsposition in the market as leading technological manufacturer of tower cranes.In 1931 they enter the Swissmarket – the beginning of aclose and successful partnership.

In 1927 Charles A. Lindbergh isthe first to fly solo across theAtlantic from New York to Paris.

1938Wolff and Kran (crane) becomeWOLFFKRAN, thereby combining company and product in one name - a namewhich comes to present theultimate in quality and cranesational technology.

VW Beetle production begins inWolfsburg – one of the world’smost built cars.

1944Heilbronn is almost completelydestroyed in the war, includingthe Jul. Wolff & Co. GmbH factory which had been builtover generations.

The German chemist OttoHahn receives the Nobel Prizefor Chemistry in 1944. On May8. 1945, the war ends and reconstruction begins.

1954100-year anniversary of WOLFF.In 1953, the engineering worksAugsburg-Nürnberg A.G. -M.A.N. joins Jul. Wolff & Co.GmbH with 51% of shares.

“The Miracle of Bern”: Germany wins the WorldFootball Championship.

1963With the introduction of thenew and groundbreaking slugbolt connection, WOLFF laysthe foundation stone for modular technology in the construction of tower cranes. A technology which continuesto lead the way today.

The construction of the world’slargest dam, the Aswan Dam, iswell underway. WOLFF cranesare also involved in the rescueof the rock temple at AbuSimbel in 1964.

1975With the new SL series,WOLFFKRAN completes its fullprogramm: WOLFFKRAN nowhas a crane to meet everydemand.

1989The innovative B-series of theWOLFF luffing crane is wellestablished.

With the Fall of the Wall inNovember 1989, the process of the reunification of Germany,until then divided into two,begins.

1992The leader of the pack proves its strength on difficult terrain,too, on the spectacular construction site at the summitof the Säntis mountain inSwitzerland.

One year later, the member states of the EC join to form the European Union, based on the Maastricht Treaty.

1996From now on, every newWOLFFKRAN is equipped withthe cost-effective FU drive.

The world’s first hydrogen-powered car is presented to thepublic.

2000WOLFFKRAN Schweiz is readyto go: this new subsidary growsout of the crane activities ofRobert Aebi AG in 1999. Thus WOLFFKRAN continuesto strengthen its lead on themarket.

Introduction of the WOLFF XXLcrane series: with a jib radius ofmore than 90 m and a liftingcapacity of up to 50 tons, theXXL cranes set new standards.

2005In 2005, Dr. Peter Schiefer andDr. Hans-Peter Koller take overWOLFFKRAN. The new ownersare interested in two things:internationality and innovation.

WOLFFKRAN is active allaround the world - Middle East,Russia, Canada and Australia -with branch offices and newbusiness partners.

2007At bauma 2007 WOLFFKRANshowed a new face - throughthe “Gallery of the Originals“ itpresented ground breakinginnovations: the topless 4517city and 6031 clear and a newluffer generation of the XL class the WOLFF 355 B.

Today2008 WOLFFKRAN opened a new production site in Germany: Luckau in Brandenburg. The addedcapacity will help to meetincreasing demand world-wide. The new luffers (WOLFF 224 B and the “BIG WOLFF“) set new standards for the industry.

WOLFFKRAN International

www.wolffkran.com

WOLFFKRAN AGBaarermattstrasse 6CH-6300 Zuginfo@wolffkran.com

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