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History
We have over 100 years of history behind us as a family-owned company steeped in tradition. Here, we would like to present you with an overview of the key events and dates in our story.
From foundation to destruction
(1907 to 1945)
1907
Establishment of Ernst Stenz oHG – iron foundry, metalworking shop and mechanical workshop – by founder Ernst Stenz, born on December 3rd, 1883. The company’s headquarters are located at Grombühlstraße 3 in Würzburg, Germany.
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1919
Ernst Stenz oHG is renamed Franken-Industrie-Werke Ernst Stenz GmbH. During the same year, it begins manufacturing sheet metal goods – predominantly flues and accessories.
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1920
Ernst Stenz is granted a patent for a lead bulb with jointed chamber. Begins manufacturing lead seals, sealing wires and lead-sealing pliers. |
1935
Ernst Stenz is granted a German patent for aluminium seals; from this point on, the company is the world’s only manufacturer of this type of seal. The German Ministry for Economic Affairs is relied upon by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Central Bank, state railway, state postal service, customs authorities and armed forces to obtain the lead required by them exclusively from Franken-Industrie.
1940 - 1945
The company is obligated by the Office of Economic Affairs to manufacture ammunition cases made from sheet steel.
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16th March 1945
On this fateful day, around 85% of Würzburg is destroyed in an air attack. Franken-Industrie does not escape the line of fire, with all of its workshops and buildings incurring serious damage. The company's illustrious development is struck down with a single blow – or so it seems. |
Rebuilding and the post-war years
(1945 to 1957)
1945
Rebuilding of the destroyed factory buildings commences as early as the autumn of 1945. Construction materials, tools and machines are scarce, but with the workforce returning slowly but surely, mounds of rubble are amassed, walls and roofs erected, and damaged tools and machines put back into operation. Company principal Ernst Stenz – then 62 years old – also works side by side with his employees among the debris.
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1950
The rebuilding project is completed.
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1953
With the first exports of aluminium seals to the USA, Franken-Industrie penetrates new territory: this is the first step in expanding the company's activities beyond Germany’s borders.
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1954
A request from Daimler-Benz AG triggers a period of sharp growth in the company’s history. In addition to the products manufactured up until this point, balance weights become a mainstay of the company, later developing into its major sales items. The widening scope of the business to encompass balance weights leads to a departure from operations as a supplier to industry and the establishment of both a heat treatment shop with annealing furnaces and a galvanisation department for galvanising retaining springs. Daimler-Benz’s example is quickly followed by Borgward, Opel, VW, BMW, Alfa-Romeo and Ford.
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1957
The order books show the first export orders for balance weights, from Austria and Switzerland.
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Company development (1958 to 2004)
1959
Balance weights from Franken-Industrie are included in the Würth company’s product range, marking the beginning of a long-standing business relationship with the supplier: today the world’s biggest purchaser and a leading family-owned company.
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7th February, 1963
Company founder Ernst Stenz dies aged eighty. Thanks to a combination of sheer effort, dogged perseverance and business acumen, he was able to break free from the confines of a small handicrafts business and enter the world of industrialisation.
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1964
The highest number of personnel to date is reached, with 152 employees.
1966
The company is successful in winning trading partners for balance weights from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, the USA and Australia. The proportion of total sales attributed to exports rises to 21%.
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1973
The company logo is found to be no longer contemporary enough and is replaced.
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1982
The share of sales attributed to balance weights accounts for around half of total sales.
1991
Export activities for balance weights and lead seals expand towards the north and east, reaching countries such as Finland, Ireland, Hungary, the former Czechoslovakia and Poland.
1992
The S-shaped logo used up to this point is replaced by the F logo. Since 1992, the company’s advertising activities have included participation in motor sports, such as providing sponsorship in the German Touring Car Championship (Tourenwagenmeisterschaft), the Porsche Cup and classic motor sports.
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1995
Technical necessities and the need for more space lead to the construction of a new production hall for balance weights. Two new materials for balance weights are introduced: zinc and plastic.
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1996
Franken-Industrie receives DIN EN ISO 9001 certification.
2000
In order to meet the growing demands of the automotive industry, Franken-Industrie’s management system is certified in accordance with both QS-9000 and VDA 6.1.
2003
Eine Further certification in accordance with ISO/TS 1649:2002 follows, as well as the introduction of lead-free balance weights made from zinc.
Under a new banner (2004 to 2007)
2004
To ensure the survival of the company’s sites, Franken-Industrie is bought by the Wegmann group.
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2006
Production and the company headquarters are relocated to Veitshöchheim near Würzburg to enable continued growth. The company name changes to Franken-Industrie GmbH & Co. KG.
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2007
Franken-Industrie celebrates 100 years of operations.
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2009
01.10.09: Franken-Industrie GmbH & Co. KG joins WEGMANN automotive GmbH & Co. KG. Trademarks Franken-Original and FEco are retained.
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