HARTING The Future needs the Past We want to shape the future with technologies for people. Our company history now spans more than 60 years – a reason to be proud, but also an obligation for the future. As in the past, we remain committed to the aim of being more to our clients than a supplier. For us, the decisive emphasis is on enhancing our long-term customer relations and partnerships. With our technologies and innovations, but also on the strength of our quality and reliability, we strive to not only increase customer benefits, but to win the trust of our partners time and time again. We want to “The Future needs the Past” become a global company. Odo Marquard, German philosopher We want to create values for people. Our company goals: We want to ... – increase customer benefit by implementing technological change and progress. – focus our business on growth markets. – design and manage our processes efficiently and sustainably. – act in accordance to “How we treat one another”. – remain an independent family-owned company. Interior view of the new sales building of HARTING Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, in Minden, Germany. Architect: Mario Botta, Switzerland 2 3 The Years Iron “Hofhund” electric fence unit Energy-saving lamp Waffle iron 1945–1950 first products, first successes – motivation in the days of the new beginning On 1st September 1945, Wilhelm and Marie irons and stoves, which she exchanged for bread, Harting established the company, “Wilhelm Harting peas and beans, cooking fat etc. Mechanische Werkstätten”. A small hall measuring The size and number of orders increased steadily, around 100 sq. m in a repair workshop in the town as did the workforce, which grew to 40 within two 1945 of Minden became the company premises. years. By then, the available production space was The first members of staff in Minden no longer adequate. The production range mainly consisted of basic ne- cessities such as energy-saving light bulbs, much sought-after hotplates, electric lighters, twin-plate electric cookers and irons. Marie Harting not only handled the bookkeeping and correspondence, she also cycled all over the place with a rucksack full of 1947 Move to the second company premises: Simeon Bar- racks in Minden, a former military hospital for horses Consequently, in 1947, HARTING with its entire staff moved to the former military hospital for horses at the Simeon Barracks in Minden. There the com- pany kept growing and the plant expanded continu- ously. A laboratory, test workshop and design office were set up, and by 1950 there were already 180 employees. 1945 1947 The first company building in Stiftsallee, Minden, 1945 HARTING‘s first exhibition stand served as office, warehouse, workshop and salesroom Old-timer: the HARTING bicycle at the first ever Hanover Fair 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 The Italian company, PIAGGIO, The pioneer of mass production, George Orwell dies. launches a new type of two-wheel- Henry Ford, dies. Mahatma Gandhi assassinated. The Second World War ends er, the “Vespa”. Reconstruction of Europe begins. People‘s Republic of China is with unconditional surrender. Marshall Plan is inaugurated. First Olympic Games since 1936 Founding of NATO. Ingrid Bergmann marries director, recognised. First free elections. India achieves independence. held in St. Moritz. First German football league since Roberto Rosselini. Potsdam Conference: Germany William P. Oclom flies around the the end of the war. End of the Berlin blockade. Start of the Korean War. is divided. Nobel prize for the German writer, world in 73 hours. State of Israel founded. GDR is founded. Hermann Hesse. HARTING participates in the first The Velcro fastener, the long- CDU wins parliamentary elections Federal Finance Minister, Lud- Atom bombs dropped on ever Hanover Fair. Currency reform: DM 40 for every playing record, the transistor and in Germany. Adenauer becomes Maiden flight of the world‘s first wig Erhard, creates the model Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Commerce starts up. Death of physicist, Max Planck. citizen. the holograph are invented. first Chancellor of the FRG. passenger jet. of the free market economy. 4 5 THE YEARS 1956 Laboratory and testing room for components 1957 Production of regulators for automobile electrics 1951–1960 Demand increases – 1951 Production building 4, a former ammunition depot production grows In 1950 HARTING, now with a staff of 180, moved to the flourish- ing refugee settlement of Espelkamp. Wilhelm Harting – Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Plant, Danziger Straße, Espelkamp-Mitt- 1957 Electromedical unit for short- wald, was the new company address. Several former ammunition wave and high-frequency therapy 1954 “The white house” stores provided premises while a modern plant covering an area of 50,000 sq. m was being built in stages. High-performance drilling and grinding machines, punching machines, turning lathes and turret lathes, guillotine shears, presses etc. were installed. During these years – the era of enthusiasm for technology – there was already a market for a little luxury. In 1954, Wilhelm Harting was commissioned to build a jukebox. Subsequently, produc- tion of gramophones and portable record players began. In addition, he surprised the market and his customers with 1957 “Prinzess” the 12-record changer, while 1957 saw production of portable record player the first electromedical diathermy units. Production was extended to include: fuel pumps rectiFIers power supply units for plug connectors 1957 Production of the Post OffIce tape recorders began PCB connectors Microswitches 1954 “Symphonie S40” with multi-pole connectors 20 records, the first jukebox 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1957 1959 1960 Revolution in Cuba, in which German car boom. The Warsaw Pact is formed The French return Saarland dictator, Fulgencio Batista, is Death of Josef Stalin. as counterpart to NATO, to the FRG. overthrown by Fidel Castro and This was also known as the Automobile designer, Ferdinand Albert Schweitzer is awarded the Germany wins the football World established in 1949. Che Guevara. “Year of Africa”, as 17 African Porsche, dies. Nobel Peace Prize. Coronation: Elizabeth II becomes Cup in Bern. Six states sign the Treaty of Rome, colonies achieved independence Queen of Great Britain and North- Film idol, James Dean, setting up the EEC. Alaska adopted as 49th federal from colonial power at the same First colour TV broadcast in the First issue of “Bild” newspaper ern Ireland. Germany joins NATO. dies in a car race. state of the USA and Hawaii as time. USA. appears. The laser is invented. 50th. 17th June: The photoelectric cell is developed Death of Albert Einstein, whose A new era begins in the USA The first LP played The transistor radio is developed by Bloody uprising against the SED and rock ‘n‘ roll becomes the theory of relativity revolutionised The working week in Germany is The Hula Hoop becomes popular with the election of John F. 1 at 33 /3 rpm is presented. “Sony” of Japan. regime in the GDR. music of the day. physics. reduced to 45 hours. everywhere. Kennedy as President. 6 7 The Years Launch of vending machines – 1957 – 1962 The “wedding” between The product range expands Picker and HARTING lasted five years 1961–1970 1959 At work: Toolmaking shop 1962 1962 1967 1969 1971 The company founder, Marie Harting takes over the Dietmar Harting (Dipl.-Kfm.) Jürgen Harting (Dipl.-Ing.) The wedding bells ring Wilhelm Harting, died on management of the company joins the company takes up his post for Margrit Kohlhase 23rd February after her husband‘s death and Dietmar Harting When Wilhelm Harting died in 1962, his company al- 1958 ready employed more than 700 staff. After the death of Shoot-stop erase magnet her husband, Marie Harting took over the management for jukeboxes of the company, which she ran successfully and single- In 1957 Wilhelm Harting founded the “Picker mindedly. Five years later, she received support from her & Harting GmbH” factory for X-ray equip- own family when her son Dietmar joined the company, ment together with the proprietor of the followed by his brother Jürgen two years later. well-known American company. The Dietmar Harting, having graduated in Business production range comprised manu- Administration (“Diplomkaufmann”), took re- facture of the successful Picker sponsibility for commercial matters, whilst his X-ray apparatus and diagnostic brother Jürgen managed the entire techni- units, as well as electromedical cal side of the business up to his early 1959 diathermy units from HARTING. death in 1973 at the age of only 32. The first electric cigarette vending machine replaces the human vendor – much to the Another branch of production was 1962 chagrin of many male smokers added, which was to be of decisive Regulator for automobile importance for the company‘s growth. electrics “Electromechanical and electromagnetic components” became known for high quality in expert circles. In 1959, HARTING became the first European company to produce electric cigarette vending machines. At the beginning of the 1960s, HARTING had thus started spe- cialising in electromagnetic devices (lifting, turning and control 1960 solenoids), a wide but scarcely exploited field at that time. 1968 Inside the turning shop Towed vehicle plug and socket for cars 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1967 1969 1970 Astronauts, Neil Armstrong and “Deutschlandfunk” external broad- The Beatles reach the peak of their Germany mourns the death of Edwin Aldrin, become the first First transatlantic flight by a West Berlin hermetically sealed casting service starts up. US President John F. Kennedy assas- fame. Napalm bombs dropped on Vietnam. Konrad Adenauer. men on the moon. Boeing 747. off by the Berlin Wall, built by sinated in Dallas. the GDR. North Sea flood catastrophe The miniskirt takes the fashion Queen Elizabeth II visits Germany. Germany becomes the first Euro- The “Woodstock” music festival Aswan High Dam is completed.