The company founder: Christoph Albert Handtmann (1845-1918). Photography around 1900.

The nucleus of the Handtmann Group of Companies: the Bachmühle at Ehinger-Tor-Platz in Biberach an der Riß, since 1873 the headquarters of the Handtmann mechanical workshop and brass foundry. Photography around 1900.

Karl Handtmann (1884-1953), the son of the company founder, steers the Handtmann brass foundry of the time through the difficult times of inflation in 1923, the world economic crisis in 1929 and the post-war years after 1945.

Das Handtmann Armaturenprogramm 1936: Verschraubungen und Hähne aus Messing waren in den ersten Jahren das Haupterzeugnis von Handtmann.

Handtmann classic: a brass keg tapping device as manufactured by the company since 1873. The picture shows an example from the 1920s to 30s.

Photo session with the company bosses: Handtmann staff in 1936, on the left Karl Handtmann and his eldest daughter Carol, on the right with moustache his brother Albert Handtmann.

A new start with aluminium: Handtmann adds aluminium sand casting to its production programme in 1946, demonstrating foresight.

Arthur Handtmann (1927-2018) became the sole owner of the company after the death of his father Karl Handtmann in 1953 when he was just 26 years old. He transformed what was then a craftsman's business into a broad-based company with a global reputation.

The dawn of the economic miracle: Handtmann employees in the 1950s building wooden models for sand casting at the metal casting plant on Fabrikstraße in Biberach.

Aluminium sand casting by hand: from the 1950s, company boss Arthur Handtmann increasingly uses the light metal instead of brass.

Versatile partner to the beverage industry: Handtmann Armaturenfabrik brochure circa 1960

Sales hit: The Handtmann FA 40-70 portioning machine for sausage production built from 1961 marks the breakthrough for Handtmann Maschinenfabrik.

Successful trade fair appearance: Handtmann sells 152 of its innovative automatic filling machines in one fell swoop at the International Meat Industry Trade Fair IFFA 1962 in Munich and surprises the experts.

With the scrutinising eye of the expert: Removing a casting from a mould in the Handtmann metal casting plant, 1960s.

Swabian precision work: Production of portioning machines at Handtmann in 1964

Well-deserved beer for the employees: In 1968 Handtmann Maschinenfabrik celebrates the sale of the thousandth type FA 70 portioning machine. In the middle company boss Arthur Handtmann, on the right the later Managing Director Thomas Handtmann and his sister Ursula.

New building on a greenfield site: In 1968 Handtmann Maschinenfabrik, the valve factory and the administration move to the southern edge of Biberach into a new, spacious company site on Birkenallee, today Arthur-Handtmann-Straße. The foundry follows later.

New location for Handtmann Maschinenfabrik: The expanding business unit moves to the new Biberach-Aspach industrial estate in 2000.

Production of a large propeller made of Lauramid^® plastic at Albert Handtmann Elteka GmbH & Co. KG.

Printed matter: Gearbox housing produced at Handtmann using the die-casting process.

Corporate headquarters: Handtmann, a global technology company with 4,300 employees, is managed from Biberach an der Riß.

The Handtmann company heads of the first four generations from 1873 to 2023 - (from left to right) founder Albert Handtmann and his descendants: Son Karl Handtmann, grandson Arthur Handtmann and great-grandson Thomas Handtmann. After 25 years at the helm, Thomas Handtmann will pass the management on to the fifth generation in 2023.

Generation change: Thomas Handtmann hands over the management of the Handtmann Group of Companies to his son Markus (left) and his nephew Valentin Ulrich in its 150th anniversary year.

Fifth generation: Markus Handtmann (left) and Valentin Ulrich have been the new Managing Directors of the Handtmann Group of Companies since April 2023.

New at the helm of the Handtmann Group of Companies: Valentin Ulrich

New at the top of the Handtmann Group of Companies: Markus Handtmann

Important milestones in Handtmann's 150-year history at a glance.

The Handtmann Light Metal Casting Division: Light metal casting is the nucleus of Handtmann. With turnover of around 597 million euros in 2022, light metal casting is also the Handtmann Group's highest-turnover business division today.

Handtmann Systems Engineering Division: In development and production for the automotive industry, Handtmann Systems Engineering benefits as a full-service provider from the experience and strength of the Group and its decades of expertise in lightweight construction of a wide range of materials

The Handtmann Filling and Portioning Systems Division: Founded in 1954, Handtmann Maschinenfabrik is a leading global manufacturer of process technology for food processing and offers cross-process line solutions from product preparation to packaging solutions.

The HANDTMANN PROCESS TECHNOLOGY: Handtmann Armaturenfabrik has its roots in the valve manufacturing established by company founder Christoph Albert Handtmann. Its products are used in companies that deal with hygienically safe processes, such as the beverage, dairy, food and cosmetics industries as well as in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. on sustainability. In process technology, systems are customised to customer requirements and developed according to the design principles of "Hygienic Design".

The Handtmann Plastics Technology Division: Handtmann has also been active in plastics development since 1968 with Albert Handtmann Elteka GmbH & Co. KG has also been active in plastics development. The business division manufactures complete systems, components, castings and semi-finished products that are used in mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, the packaging and food industries, medical technology, materials handling and the renewable energy sector, among others.

The Handtmann e-solutions business division: The youngest business division within the Group stands for competence and experience in important future technologies in power electronics. One core competence is inverters for converting and controlling electrical energy. The latest solution in this field is a modular system for decentralised generation of green hydrogen.

The company, which has been managed by the founding Handtmann family for 150 years, is decentralised and divided into six business units with autonomous management structures: Light Metal Casting, Plant Technology, Systems Technology, Filling and Portioning Systems, Plastics Technology and e-solutions. At the top of the corporate group, a holding company with an advisory board acts as a management, financing and investment company.

Facts & Figures: The Handtmann Group of Companies at a glance

Handtmann developed the "150 years" logo, which will appear in the anniversary year to complement the company logo, especially for the anniversary.