Knorr-Bremse

Last updated

Knorr-Bremse AG
Company type Aktiengesellschaft
FWB:  KBX
MDAX Component
Industry Manufacturing
PredecessorSüddeutsche Bremsen-AG  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Founded1905;119 years ago (1905)
Berlin, Germany
Headquarters Munich, Germany
Key people
Marc Llistosella, Chief Executive Officer (CEO); Dr. Reinhard Ploss, Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Products braking systems (rail and road)
Revenue€7.15 billion (2022) [1]
€506 million (2022) [1]
Number of employees
31,464 (as of 31 December 2022) [1]
Website www.knorr-bremse.com/en
Georg Knorr (1859-1911) Georg Knorr.jpg
Georg Knorr (1859–1911)
Bruno Kunze (1854-1935) Bruno Kunze.JPG
Bruno Kunze (1854–1935)
Knorr-Bremse GmbH, Berlin (1908) KB Stammhaus.jpg
Knorr-Bremse GmbH, Berlin (1908)
Suddeutsche Bremsen-AG, Munich (1924) with the USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) shortly after its maiden flight Suedbremse 1924.JPG
Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG, Munich (1924) with the USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) shortly after its maiden flight
Knorr-Bremse AG headquarters today, Munich KB Hauptverwaltung.jpg
Knorr-Bremse AG headquarters today, Munich

Knorr-Bremse AG is a German manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles that has operated since 1905. Other products in Group's portfolio include intelligent door systems, control components, air conditioning systems for rail vehicles, torsional vibration dampers, and transmission control systems for commercial vehicles. In 2022, the Group's workforce of over 31,000 achieved worldwide sales of EUR 7.15 billion. [2] [ self-published source ] [3]

Contents

The Group has a presence in over 30 countries, at 100 locations. [4]

On 13 October 2022, it was announced that Knorr-Bremse AG had chosen Marc Llistosella to be a member of the Executive Board and CEO. The appointment takes effect as of 1 January 2023. [5]

History

Foundation

Engineer Georg Knorr established Knorr-Bremse GmbH in 1905 in Boxhagen-Rummelsburg, Neue Bahnhofstraße, near Berlin (since 1920 part of Berlin-Friedrichshain). Its production of railway braking systems derived from a company ("Carpenter & Schulze") founded in 1883. In 1911 the company merged with "Continentale Bremsen-GmbH" to found Knorr-Bremse Aktiengesellschaft (AG). From 1913 onwards, a second manufacturing plant, new headquarters, a heating plant and other annex buildings were erected.

The initial basis for Knorr's commercial success was provided by an agreement with the Prussian State Railways, which at that time had formed the Prussian-Hessian Railway Company, to supply single-chamber express braking systems, first for passenger and later on for freight trains. A compressed-air brake, the "Knorr Druckluft-Einkammerschnellbremse" (K1), along with its derivatives, offered considerably enhanced safety performance compared with traditional systems.

In the early twentieth century, train guards still had to operate brakes by hand, from so-called "brake vans". The first pneumatic brakes were of a basic design, but before long, indirect automatic systems using control valves were developed. See History of rail transport in Germany for an overview.

Expansion

In 1920 the manufacturing plant of the first Bayerische Motoren-Werke AG (BMW, established in 1917/1918) located in Munich, Moosacher Straße, became a subsidiary of Knorr-Bremse, delivering brake systems as Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG for the Bavarian Group Administration, the former "Royal Bavarian State Railways".
There was no further interest in motor engines for aircraft and automobiles. The engine construction and the company name "BMW" were sold in 1922 to financier Camillo Castiglioni to be combined with the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG (BFW, located not far away), establishing the company a second time. For details see History of BMW and BFW/Messerschmitt.

1922 until 1927 the new main manufacturing plant in Berlin at the Hirschberger Straße/Schreiberhauer Straße next to the Berlin Ringbahn was erected, a tunnelled road combined both the old and the new site.

The second main area of activity emerged in 1922, when Knorr moved into pneumatic braking systems for commercial road vehicles. The company was the first in Europe to develop a system that applied the brakes simultaneously to all four wheels of a truck as well as its trailer. The resultant reduction in braking distances made a significant contribution to improving road safety.

A small number of the Swedish light MG35/36 machine guns AKA "Knorr-Bremse machine guns" were also manufactured by Knorr-Bremse for the Wehrmacht during the Second World War.

Re-establishment

The company is relocated at the Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG plant in Munich, the former sites in the eastern part of Berlin being expropriated after 1945.

Timeline

1900Georg Knorr invents Knorr-Einkammerschnellbremse (K1) compressed-air brake for passenger trains.
1905–24Knorr founds Knorr-Bremse GmbH near Berlin. Knorr-Bremse develops air brakes for trains and becomes a major European manufacturer of rail vehicle brakes.

Bruno Kunze and Knorr invent Kunze-Knorr brake, later enhanced to Hildebrand-Knorr brake with Wilhelm Hildebrand.

1911Georg Knorr dies during reconvalescence in Davos, Switzerland. Foundation of Knorr-Bremse Aktiengesellschaft.
1918–27Kunze-Knorr (KK) automatic compressed-air brake equipped by the Deutsche Reichsbahn on passenger and freight trains.
1920Former BMW plant in Munich becomes a subsidiary, manufacturing braking systems as Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG.
1923Development of air brakes for commercial road vehicles and trailers.
1931–39The Hildebrand-Knorr (HiK) braking system is used for express trains in 17 countries.

By that time 90% of all German lorries in the 7–16 t range are fitted with Knorr braking systems.

1945–53Company headquarters are relocated from Berlin to Munich (former Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG) in Bavaria.

Development and manufacture of braking systems resumed in the western part of Germany, with emphasis on HiK system.

1955Introduction of the Knorr-Bremse mit Einheitswirkung (KE) braking system for passenger and freight trains.
1972 Anti-lock braking system for commercial road vehicles.
1985–93During a difficult phase in the company's development, Heinz Hermann Thiele acquires a majority share and launches a radical restructuring program.

Knorr-Bremse becomes a global player. The AAR DB60 control valve for freight trains gains access to North American market.

1992Pneumatic disc brake for commercial vehicles introduced. Series production begins in 1996.
1999Robert Bosch GmbH merges activities in the electronic brake control sector with Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicle Systems. Knorr-Bremse takes a 60% share, giving it overall managerial control of the joint venture; Bosch retains a 20% share.
2002Knorr-Bremse takes over Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems from Honeywell International Inc., Bendix becoming a subsidiary.

Knorr-Bremse Group achieves sales of EUR 2.1 billion for the first time. Modular braking system for locomotives is introduced.

2004Oil free compressor for railway vehicles. System-compressor with coupling for road vehicles.
2005Centenary of operation.
2016 Vossloh Electrical Systems was acquired. [6]

Products

Rail vehicles

Knorr-Bremse not only produces complete braking systems for all types of rolling stock but also door systems, toilets, air conditioning, couplings and windscreen wipers. In 2000, it purchased British manufacturer, Westinghouse Brakes (formerly the brakes division of Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company Ltd), from Invensys, and subsequently moved its operations from Chippenham to the nearby English town of Melksham, Wiltshire. [7]

Since 2002, Knorr-Bremse has been working on variable gauge systems for more efficient solutions to break of gauge problems.[ citation needed ]

Commercial vehicles

Knorr-Bremse has been developing and manufacturing braking systems for commercial vehicles since 1920, for trucks and semi-trailer tractor units over 6 tonnes, buses, trailers or special vehicles.[ citation needed ]

Control systems

The product portfolio of Knorr-Bremse includes Rail vehicle control systems, Air supply, and control systems, HVAC systems, Driver assistance systems, Digital solutions for rail vehicles, Wheel-slip prevention systems, Vehicle safety systems, and On-board energy storage systems. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messerschmitt</span> German aircraft manufacturer, 1938 to 1968

Messerschmitt AG was a German share-ownership limited, aircraft manufacturing corporation named after its chief designer Willy Messerschmitt from mid-July 1938 onwards, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, in particular the Bf 109 and Me 262. The company survived in the post-war era, undergoing a number of mergers and changing its name from Messerschmitt to Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm before being bought by Deutsche Aerospace in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railway air brake</span> Fail-safe power braking system with compressed air as the operating medium

A railway air brake is a railway brake power braking system with compressed air as the operating medium. Modern trains rely upon a fail-safe air brake system that is based upon a design patented by George Westinghouse on April 13, 1869. The Westinghouse Air Brake Company was subsequently organized to manufacture and sell Westinghouse's invention. In various forms, it has been nearly universally adopted.

Westinghouse may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railway brake</span> Component of railway rolling stock

A railway brake is a type of brake used on the cars of railway trains to enable deceleration, control acceleration (downhill) or to keep them immobile when parked. While the basic principle is similar to that on road vehicle usage, operational features are more complex because of the need to control multiple linked carriages and to be effective on vehicles left without a prime mover. Clasp brakes are one type of brakes historically used on trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franz Josef Popp</span> Co-founder of BMW

Franz Josef Popp was one of three men responsible for the founding of BMW AG and the First General Director of BMW AG from 1922 to 1942.

Vossloh AG is a rail technology company based in Werdohl in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The SDAX-listed group has achieved sales of around €930 million in 2016 and, as of 2017, had more than 4,000 employees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westinghouse Air Brake Company</span> Former American manufacturing company

The Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation was founded on September 28, 1869 by George Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Earlier in the year he had invented the railway air brake in New York state.

Invensys Rail Group was a division of Invensys, a UK-based multinational engineering company. It was a designer, manufacturer and integrator of railway equipment, including automation, signalling and controls. The group was headquartered in Chippenham, Wiltshire, and as of 2005, had over 2,750 employees in 14 locations internationally. It operated through four companies:

Westinghouse Rail Systems Ltd was a British supplier of railway signalling and control equipment to the rail industry worldwide. Its head office was in Chippenham, Wiltshire, where it manufactured a variety of mechanical and electrical/electronic railway signalling equipment. It had six other UK offices in Croydon, York, Birmingham, Crawley, Swanley and Glasgow. It also had a number of overseas offices, particularly in the Far East, including Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Track brake</span> Track brake

A magnetic track brake is a brake for rail vehicles. It consists of brake magnets, pole shoes, a suspension, a power transmission and, in the case of mainline railroads, a track rod. When current flows through the magnet coil, the magnet is attracted to the rail, which presses the pole shoes against the rail, thereby decelerating the vehicle.

The New York Air Brake Corporation, located in Watertown, New York, is a manufacturer of air brake and train control systems for the railroad industry worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company</span> Anglo-Australian railway parts manufacturer

The Westinghouse Brake & Signal Company Ltd was a British manufacturer of railroad signs. Founded by George Westinghouse, it was registered as "Westinghouse Brake Company" in 1881. The company reorganised in 1920, associating with Evans O'Donnell, and Saxby and Farmer which merged to form the "Westinghouse Brake & Saxby Signal Company". The 'Saxby' would be dropped from their title in 1935.

Wheel slide protection and wheel slip protection are railway terms used to describe automatic systems used to detect and prevent wheel-slide during braking or wheel-slip during acceleration. This is analogous to ABS and traction control systems used on motor vehicles. It is particularly important in slippery rail conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapp Motorenwerke</span> German aircraft engine manufacturer

Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH was a German aircraft engine manufacturer based in Munich, Bavaria. Founded in 1913, the firm changed its name in 1917 to Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH (BMW). The company later became known as Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG after its engine-production assets and the BMW name were transferred in 1922 to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, which was then renamed to Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and subsequently evolved into the automotive manufacturer known today as BMW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georg Knorr</span>

Theodor Georg Knorr was an engineer and entrepreneur on the field of railroad technology and founder of the company Knorr-Bremse. He is particularly remembered for his role in the development of the compressed air brake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haldex (company)</span>

Haldex AB, also known as Haldex Group, is a Swedish company operating in the commercial vehicle industry. Haldex focuses on brake products, air suspension systems and products to enhance safety for heavy vehicles. The Foundation Brake product line includes brake products for wheel ends such as disc brakes, brake adjusters for drum brakes and actuators. Air Controls comprises products that improve the safety and driving dynamics of the brake system, such as compressed air dryers, valves, ABS and EBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kunze-Knorr brake</span> Automatic train brake

The Kunze-Knorr brake is an automatic compressed-air brake for goods, passenger and express trains. It was the first graduated brake for goods trains in Europe. When it was introduced after the First World War, goods train brakes switched from hand operation to compressed-air in various European countries. The Deutsche Reichsbahn alone put the cost of equipping German goods wagons with Kunze-Knorr brakes between 1918 and 1927 at 478.4 million Reichsmarks. The operating cost savings from faster goods services and having fewer brakemen was assessed by the Reichsbahn at almost 96.3 million Reichsmark annually.

Kiepe Electric GmbH is a German manufacturer of electrical traction equipment for trams, trolleybuses other road and rail transport vehicles, as well as air-conditioning and heating systems, and conveyor device components. Founded in 1906, it was known as Kiepe Elektrik GmbH until 2003, when it was renamed Vossloh Kiepe, following its acquisition by Vossloh AG. Vossloh sold the company to Knorr-Bremse in January 2017, and in May 2017 Knorr renamed it Kiepe Electric GmbH.

Heinz Hermann Thiele was a German businessman and the chairman of Knorr-Bremse AG, a German automobile brakes manufacturer, and chairman of Vossloh, a German transport technology manufacturer. At the time of his death, he had a net worth of $20.2 billion, making him the fourth richest person in Germany; he was also the largest shareholder in the German carrier Lufthansa AG. He was a recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Bavarian Order of Merit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siemens Viaggio Comfort</span> Passenger railcar model

Siemens Viaggio Comfort is a brand of locomotive-hauled railroad passenger cars built by Siemens Mobility. The car was designed in the early 2000s and was based on the earlier Siemens Viaggio Classic railcars. The railcars were first used in 2008 on Railjet, a high-speed rail service in Europe operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Czech Railways (ČD).

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Company Information". ir.knorr-bremse.com.
  2. "Company Information". ir.knorr-bremse.com. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  3. Maudes Capital (24 September 2016). "Haldex AB Bidding War. Get It While You Can!". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  4. "Knorr-Bremse worldwide. | Knorr-Bremse Group" . Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. "Marc Llistosella to Become the New Chief Executive Officer of Knorr-Bremse AG". Knorr-Bremse. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  6. "Vossloh Electrical Systems sold to Knorr-Bremse", www.railwaygazette.com, 21 December 2016
  7. Invensys investor relations news release, 25 April 2000 Invensys Sells Westinghouse Brakes to Knorr-Bremse . Retrieved from the Internet Archive on 30 March 2008.
  8. Company profile and SWOT analysis of Knorr-Bremse AG, published by Platform Executive in February 2024 .