The day took place on Saturday September 21 at the off the road tyre retreading company's Henstedt-Ulzburg facility near Hamburg, and was attended by all the employees and their families.
Also present were Vittorio Marangoni, president and CEO of the Marangoni group, and Matthias Leppert, MD of Marangoni Retreading Systems Deutschland. Both gave speeches in front of the around 250 people attendees.
The event was also attended by the entire European sales force of the Retreading Systems division, and other representatives and executives from Italy. Entertainment included shows and games for children, teenagers and adults. A band also performed at the event whose members included plant manager Joachim Pohnke.
Ilona Gaida, head of finance and human resources, presented various prizes and awards to a number of employees who have distinguished themselves for particular merits or for their seniority in service.
In his welcome speech, Matthias Leppert outlined the crucial steps in the history of the German company, underlining the key role played by two figures who were both present at the event – former CEO Klaus Zimmermann, who led the business in the transition from a family business to an international company, and OVittorio Marangoni, who today represents the new generation that holds the reins of the Marangoni group.
The company was founded in 1919 by Heinrich Ellerbrock, who gave it his name. Initially, the factory manufactured soles for shoes and other rubber items. Despite the difficult conditions of the first post-war period, the business was successful and by the end of the 1930s, already had 65 employees. The factory was completely destroyed in a bombing raid during the Second World War.
The tyre retreading activity began after the factory was rebuilt. The first important customer was, at the time, the British army stationed in Germany. The centrality of the tyre retreading business grew over time and was ratified in 1990, with the acquisition by the Marangoni group. This stage in its history also coincides with the name being changed to Ellerbrock Reifenrunderneuerungs-Technologie. In 1993 the company, in order to expand, abandoned its original location, moving to its current headquarters in Henstedt-Ulzburg. The plant covers an area of 26,500 sq.m., in addition to the 13,500 sq.m. of the logistics centre. The introduction of the manufacture of RINGTREAD precured rings in the early 2000s, began the progressive integration of the products and the related brands with which the two companies operated in their respective markets.
In 2011, the company changed its name to Marangoni Retreading Systems Deutschland.
Matthias Leppert commented during his greeting speech: “The next one hundred years will be increasingly marked by the need to use our planet’s resources in a sustainable manner. This can only benefit the retreading industry, especially for those who - like Marangoni - can boast of the RINGTREAD System, the most advanced retreading technology on the market.”
