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DeutschLangendorf – Vehicle manufacturing since 1889
The history of the company Fahrzeugbau Langendorf goes back just to the year 1889. At that time the grandfather of the present owner of the company, Heinrich Langendorf, founded a forge with horse shoeing and vehicle manufacturing in Waltrop.
In 1892 he bought the house Waltrop, Hochstrasse 29, with the forge from the former wood merchant Nierhoff. It was agreed to take over all horse shoeing and forge works of the sawmill. It was called blacksmith’s and vehicle manufacturing forge because it dealt not only with the horse shoeing but also with the manufacturing of carriages with wooden wheels and ironwork as well as of vehicles for the agriculture.
His eldest son Bernhard, born on 24 April 1889, learned from his father the forging craft and after having passed his examination for master craftsman’s diploma he took over the forge in 1914.
Besides the usual forging works Bernhard Langendorf continued also dealing with the vehicle manufacturing. He managed his forge with great skill and hard work, because despite war, world economic crisis and its inflation, he was able to maintain the business.
His youngest son Heinrich, born on 21 Mai 1924, followed in his father’s footsteps. He learned the forging craft, passed his examination for master craftsman’s diploma after the end of the war and finally took over his father’s business in 1950. The company name from then on was: Fahrzeugbau Bernhard Langendorf und Sohn.
Due to the increasing motorization Heinrich Langendorf had to adapt to the changed needs of agriculture and industry with regard to the vehicle manufacturing. He enlarged the forge workshop accordingly and equipped it for the trailer manufacturing.
With the help of his father, three journeymen and an apprentice he began producing agricultural trailers with pneumatic tyres. In the beginning the trailers were equipped with a coach-box because not every farmer possessed a corresponding tractor and so was able to move these trailers also with horses. Gradually these vehicles were improved and continuously developed as well as equipped with a two-/three-way side tipping device. Finally in 1952 the first 16 tons tipping trailers with speeds up to 80 km/h particularly for public roads were finished.
1950: The time of post-war reconstruction in the Federal Republic of Germany and its economic upswing led to an enormous demand for the produced vehicles. Soon the existing capacities were no longer sufficient so that Heinrich Langendorf raised a factory building of 30 x 30 m and enlarged the office rooms. Hans Dehling was employed as plant manager; Georg Dahm was the first salesman.
His wife Auguste Langendorf, too, supported him in word and deed at any time. She took over all commercial works of the vehicle manufacturing company which meanwhile had increased to 24 men.
1956 Heinrich Langendorf developed a low-bed trailer the rear swing axles of which swung out automatically. He took out a patent on the invention of this low-bed trailer at home and abroad and these patents helped Heinrich Langendorf on the road to success as respected vehicle manufacturer.
Many building contractors showed great demand for this vehicle so that soon it was sold with success and the swing low-bed trailer was known throughout the whole FRG and even far beyond the national borders. In the end this development created the basis for further activities of Heinrich Langendorf.
In the year 1960 the first production halls and office buildings were built on Bahnhofstrasse 115, the present production site. At that time the site included already 10,400 m². Early 1960 Langendorf already employed 60 employees. Now they were able to meet the necessary requirements of the commercial vehicle industry. Since 1960 Langendorf developed intensely into the specialist for tipping vehicles, low-bed trailers and special vehicles.
The early seventies were characterized by the development of the special semitrailer with loading crane and grab, the “stone transporter”. Despite generally bad economic predictions Heinrich Langendorf proved his entrepreneur’s instinct and in 1970 decided to enlarge the production halls and the construction offices. To round off the production area, an up-to-date paint shop was built on a newly purchased site.
The years 1980 to 1990 were characterized by spacious expansions and new buildings extending the production site to 47,000 m².
In the late nineties the new generation entered the company Langendorf. The management was passed to Heinz-Bernd Langendorf.
Continuing extending the activities, the used vehicle business was expanded, too, leading to the foundation of the Langendorf Trading GmbH by Heinrich Langendorf and the sales manager Bernd Böse in 2001. Langendorf Trading concentrates exclusively on the used vehicle business regarding tipping vehicles, low-bed vehicles and special vehicles, tractors etc.
Due to the economic problems in the construction industry accompanying this branch of business since the second half of the nineties, a new organization of Langendorf took place at the end of 2002. The product range was cleared up to the essential sectors tipping vehicles, Innenladers and low-bed trailers, the export business was intensified. The management was taken over by Heinz-Bernd Langendorf together with the sales manager of many years’ standing Bernd Böse.
The foundation of the Langendorf Service GmbH was part of this new organization taking care of the service for Langendorf vehicles as well as for all other brands at the locations Waltrop and Potsdam.
The following years were characterized by a continuous expansion of activities abroad with concentration on the East European countries. Until today a multitude of new business partners and agencies has helped to increase Langendorf’s export share to approx. 50 %.
A consistent working on the market in East Europe resulted 2005 in the foundation of a plant in Medias/Rumania. On one hand this plant underlines the presence of Langendorf on the market in East Europe; on the other hand the position as one of the leading specialists in the vehicle manufacturing is strengthened.
