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MILESTONES
On 2nd January 1910 Emil Ziehl founded ZIEHL-ABEGG in Berlin Weißensee. This marked the beginning of the blue era, and from these early beginnings the company went from strength to strength. This story of success is founded on Emil Ziehl's pioneering inventions, such as his patented developments in the field of electric gyroscopes and the gyroscopic compass that formed the basis for the external rotor motor developed by Emil Ziehl at the turn of the century. This educated, highly gifted engineer and creative mind achieved worldwide recognition for his developments.
1873
Emil Ziehl, founder of ZIEHL-ABEGG, born 22 May 1873, died 1 June 1939. Fine mind and visionary.
1886
Still in the family's possession: the freehand drawing of the girl done by Emil Ziehl - the origins of ZIEHL-ABEGG.
1897
Emil Ziehl's design drawing of the first external rotor motor – still the foundation for modern drive technology.
1900
Emil Ziehl obtained the principle patent for this electrically driven gyroscope held in gimbals in 1900. Ships, aircraft and moon rockets navigate with this gyroscope to this day.
1909
The ZIEHL-ABEGG factory in Berlin-Weißensee was fitted out for the series manufacture of electric motors with the latest mechanical engineering systems and a rationalised production line.
1910
The light-flooded factory hall (100x20m) in Berlin was equipped with all the latest machinery and technical advances for the complete, end-to-end production of motors.
1918
The company's own exhibition space showing products manufactured by ZIEHL-ABEGG in the factory building in Berlin-Weißensee.
1919
A still existing letter of appreciation from Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin, documenting the outstanding performance even then of the F.-T. high-voltage generators for the Graf Zeppelin airship.
1935
After many years of success Emil Ziehl celebrated the company's 25-year anniversary with his employees, customers, suppliers and local representatives.
1941
Graduate engineer Günther Ziehl took over the management of ZIEHL-ABEGG at the age of just 28. He devoted his life to maintaining and furthering the goals and values passed on and entrusted to him by his father.
1946
Heinz Ziehl, the younger brother of Günther Ziehl, dedicated himself to the success of ZIEHL-ABEGG at Künzelsau. He saw great potential for the ventilation system industry in his father's drawing of the external rotor motor.
1947
Emil Ziehl's invention – the external rotor – remains the basis for ongoing elevator motor developments.
1949
New start, production resumes and development of the external rotor motor begins in rented premises on the first floor of elevator company Stahl in the Schlossmühle in Künzelsau.
1957
For the first time, fans with external rotor motors are developed and produced in Künzelsau. Five years later, the first application for the external rotor in Ex design is filed and published.
1965
Establishment of the Schöntal-Bieringen branch plant with aluminum die casting shop and highly automated production process.
1972
ZIEHL-ABEGG goes international. The first sales office abroad is founded in Sweden.
1985
First developments of mains-powered EC drives.
1987
Introduction of the quality management system according to DIN EN ISO 9001.
1999
Integration of the French company FMV Lamel into the ZIEHL-ABEGG Group.
2001
Transformation of the company into a family-owned stock corporation under the chairmanship of Uwe Ziehl. Still in the same year: The new gearless synchronous drives ZAtop revolutionize elevator construction.
2002
Commissioning of the 15,000 m² production center for centrifugal fans in the Hohenlohe industrial park near Waldenburg. In the next few years: Founding of further sales offices worldwide.
2006
FE2owlet – Unique biomimetic profile takes the world by storm.
2008
Opening of the visionary InVent Technology Centre at the Künzelsau site with its globally unique test chamber for fans.
2011
The Royal League: Cpro ZAmid technology (from left Dennis Ziehl, ZIEHL industrie elektronik GmbH, Peter Fenkl, Chief Executive ZIEHL-ABEGG SE, Formula 1 World Champion Niki Lauda, Norbert Schuster, ZIEHL-ABEGG SE Executive Board).
2012
ZAwheel – Gearless electric in-wheel hub drive for commercial vehicles, with unbeatable efficiency (90%) and emissions (0%) stats, has been successfully developed for the electric urban bus market.
2013
Ground-breaking ceremony for the new 16,700 m2 ZIEHL-ABEGG drive systems plant. The new production site will be located right next to the A6 Kupferzell exit.
2014
Hannover Messe: Chancellor Angela Merkel visits the ZIEHL-ABEGG stand at the fair.
2015
ZAvblue high-tech fan - energy-saver and high-volume-performer. ZIEHL-ABEGG presents the innovative fan at ISH 2015 which will give a spectacular show.
2016
Main sponsor of the National Horticultural Show in Öhringen: ZIEHL-ABEGG presents blue biomimetic high-tech fans with blue active flowers. The company emphasizes its regional commitment with the ZAwheel bus and its revolutionary drive.
2017
For ISH 2017, ZIEHL-ABEGG presents the revolutionary new ZAbluefin steel impeller to the market. The radial impeller, based on a biomimetic example, offers the benefit of unbeatable fan output with its delicate and extraordinary blade design.
2018
Inauguration of the new hi-tech production site for high-efficiency fans ECblue motors and plastic fans are shown at the Kupferzell site with guests from political and economic sectors.
2020
Expansion of the EC plant in Kupferzell
2021
Change in the Supervisory Board of ZIEHL-ABEGG: Uwe Ziehl hands over the chairmanship of the Supervisory Board to his son Dennis Ziehl. Daughter Sindia Ziehl takes on a mandate as a member of the Supervisory Board.
ZIEHL-ABEGG: The blue age
Actually, a completely different fate was planned for the young Emil Ziehl. Basically, he should have followed in his father's footsteps and worked in the family's blacksmith and carriage shop in Brandenburg. It was his delicate drawing of a girl that convinced his father to send the boy to Rackow's drawing school.
After Emil, who was highly gifted both artistically and technically, graduated from this school, he studied at the technical college. On the recommendation of his professor, Emil began to work as a design engineer at AEG, where after a short time he began to develop electric motors.
After moving to Berliner Maschinenbau AG (formerly Schwartzkopff), he developed the first electrically operated gyrocompass in gimbal suspension, for which he received a patent in 1900. During the same period, he also developed his second groundbreaking invention: the external rotor motor.
It had long been clear to Emil Ziehl that his future lay in the development of outstanding electric motors.
In 1910, Emil Ziehl founded the ZIEHL-ABEGG company together with the Swiss Eduard Abegg. However, Abegg left again in the same year. Since all business papers, signs, etc. were already finished and released, Emil decided to stick to the company name ZIEHL-ABEGG as well as to the company logo that he had designed himself ("Z" with "A" underneath). The blue age began.
Within a few years, ZIEHL-ABEGG became a pioneer of innovative generators. For example, the famous Graf Zeppelin airship was equipped with high-voltage generators from ZIEHL-ABEGG. A letter of appreciation from the airship builder Ferndinand Graf von Zeppelin, which still exists today, documents their highly reliable quality.
After Emil Ziehl's death, his then 28-year-old son Günther took over the management of the company. After the end of the war, Günther Ziehl had to dismantle his entire production and hand it over to the Soviet Union. With his knowledge and some important documents that he was able to save, he managed to escape from the occupation zone.
In 1949, the headquarters of ZIEHL-ABEGG were finally moved to Künzelsau, where the now world-leading high-tech company is still headquartered today. Then as now, ZIEHL-ABEGG's high innovative strength is the key to its success.
With ever new developments, whether biomimetic product designs or innovative drive technology, ZIEHL-ABEGG has been a trendsetter for outstanding technical developments from the very beginning and is always one step ahead of the market. In this awareness of making tomorrow's technology today, with no less demands than "Premium Quality" and "Premium Efficiency", the Royal League was created - a class of its own.
Always be one step ahead of the future.
Over 100 years of ZIEHL-ABEGG, working together with thousands of fantastic employees and with many remarkable successes worldwide. Nevertheless, we have set our gaze on new, innovative goals, and we have already put in place new milestones. We remain faithful to our slogan – always staying one step ahead of the future – and we will continue to present high-tech and great performances from the world's premier league. Keeping this in mind, and with our vision for climate protection, sustainability and the song "We are making our earth a little bluer", we are making this plea. Just for our future and a world worth living in with all its diversity.
