History

1904
Founded by Georg Adam Scheid. Tube manufacture from cast tubes

1927
Became part of "Vereinigte Metallwerke AG, Wien III". Extension to foundry.

1931
Join "Berndorfer Metallwarenfabrik Arthur Krupp Ag, Berndorf". Sheet and strip production comes to an end.

1938
Take-over by "Krupp AG Essen", under the jurisdiction of the German Reich. During the war production restricted to articles essential to the war effort.

1945
Foundry totally destroyed by bombing in the last days of war. Dismantling of all modern equipment and removal of the metal stock by the Russian occupational power.

1955
Administration transferred to the Republic of Austria ( 13.08.1955). Reconsolidation with the Berndorf plant. Repair and refurbishment of plant. Exports restart.

1957 - 1985
Extensive investments resulting in improvement of the works, e.g. extension of the tube drawing plant, lengthening of hall III, pressing plant, construction of the social services building, administration building, shipping hall, construction of 3 housing estates with 14 units, etc.

1985
"Vereinigte Metallwerke Ranshofen Berndorf AG" Group renamed "AUSTRIA METALL AG" from now on.

1987
Official opening of the world's most modern production line for copper tubes by Federal Minister Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Streicher. Completion of the TK 86 project and commencement of full scale production.

During reorganization of the AMAG group the metal-working factory Amstetten became a 100 % subsidiary of the AMAG group under the name "buntmetall amstetten GesmbH".

1989
In June 1989 50 % of the buntmetall Amstetten GesmbH sold to the company Ghidini. In December 1989 a transfer to private ownership took place by means of a management buy-out. Repurchase of the Ghidini shares and take-over of the AMAG shares by 9 senior managers under the direction of Ing. Gerhard Eschner. Enzesfeld-Caro Metallwerke AG, buntmetall amstetten GesmbH, Metallwerk Möllersdorf Handelsgesellschaft mbH and CAROBRONZE GmbH are merged under the new holding company "AUSTRIA BUNTMETALL".

1990
Employee participation in the AUSTRIA BUNTMETALL-group in form of bonus shares.

1992
Erection of an additional production hall for the production of thin-walled, level- wound copper tubes for the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry. Total investment for hall 4: 120 million Austrian Schilling (approx. 7.9 million L sterling).

1993
Official opening of the new copper tube production line by Federal Chancellor Dr. Franz Vranitzky. Production starts of thin-walled, level-wound copper tubes to the most modern production technology. Annual production increased from 25,000 tons to 30,000 tons.

1994
The production of thin-walled copper tubes reached full capacity.

1995
Reconstruction of the pool of our works in co-operation with our employees.

1996
Construction of a new shipping hall / warehouse equipped with the most modern high-rise storage technique. Decision on further extension of the LWC industrial tube production started in 1992.

1997

• Extension of the industrial tube production FRIGOTEC^®. Investment amount 75 million Austrian Schilling. Increase of the total annual production to 35.000 tons.

• Safeguarding the future by quality improvement of SUPERSAN^® copper water tubes for domestic and heating purposes. Based on latest research results the production process is refined.

• Instead of the pre-oxidation process the inside surface of the tubes is vacublasted.

1998
Erection of a new Office Building (Management, Administration, Publicity, Sales, EDP)

1999

• Construction of a new Warehouse VI (additional storage place)

• Installation of an own Nitrogen Treatment Plant, nitrogen generator

• AUSTRIA BUNTMETALL Group is taken over by Wieland Werke AG as a majority-owned subsidiary (75.1 %).

2000
Installation of a new drawing plant in Hall 3 for the production of half-hard copper water tubes.

2001
Installation of a third Schumag-type double winding machine to produce level-wound industrial tubes. Final installation of the shelf system in warehouse VI, equipped with an adjustable shelf system for a space-saving storage of the materials

2002

• Construction of a 20kV switchboard plant which serves as a link with network level 4.

• Warehouse VII, for packaging materials, has been constructed to the south of warehouse VI.

• A tube drawing bench with a capacity of 50 tons has been ordered which will be completed and put in operation in 2003.

2003

• Operation of a new 50 tons drawing machine with rack indexing actuating in the existing production hall 2.

• Installation of a production line in the existing production hall 3 for half-hard copper tubes with integrated induction annealing installation, including necessary ancillary equipment and infrastructure.

• 12-step sand-blasting installation suitable for tubes in lengths in-line with the Schumag PIB drawing machine for half-hard copper tubes.

• Modernisation of the packaging line in hall 3. Installation of an automatic pallet stretcher.

2004

• 12th February 2004: As part of a celebration by the Federal Minister for Economics and Labour - Dr. Martin Bartenstein, buntmetall amstetten GmbH was awarded the accolade: "Training company of national distinction", for exceptional services in apprentice training and apprentice systems.

• In April the quality management system will be re-certificated according to ISO 9001. Initial certification of the environmental management system according to EN ISO 14001, and the safety management system according to OHSAS 18001, will also be carried out.

• On 16th September 2004: buntmetall amstetten is celebrating the company's centenary along with staff, customers and partners of the firm.

2005

• Start of construction of a new cooling system for the 2,500-ton press and the1,800-ton press

• A closed waste water-free cooling system is installed.

• The office building is protected by an alarm system.

• In the northern factory area a wash bay is set up to clean stackers and machine parts.

• A new continuous annealing furnace with jet cooling, of the Ebner brand, is put into operation. Annealing programmes for bright annealing are carried out under inert gas. A maximum annealing capacity of 2,000kg/h is achieved. The maximum oven temperature is 800°C. The continuance of the equipment occurs using a tube length of up to 7m in cycle mode, and about (-11 m) in continuous mode. For special annealing the heating up of the charge can take place in oscillating mode.

• Furthermore, the drawing and straightening machine is modernised and the hall pipe duct moved to Hall 2 (improvement of material flow and increase in performance).

2006

• Current data from SAP R/3 is made available to selected customers on the premium pages on the Internet.

• Detailed planning in production is improved using Quintig optimisation software, thereby optimising conversion times in production.

• The commissioning of a 3 spinner block, type ASB 2200 XS from ASMAG takes place, and Hall 4 is extended westwards by around 500m².

• The metal store and tool store in the western annexe to Hall 1 are rebuilt.

• Eastward extension of storage hall VII by 850m². Track equipment and mobile shelf devices are installed in there. Extension of the store for packaging material and copper rods and profiles.

• A video monitoring system is installed for the entire factory area. An increase in break-ins and thefts has been experienced due to the continuing high copper prices.

2007
Start of construction CONFORM Hall

2008
Porters’ building – new construction
The access area at buntmetall has been re-adapted and at the same time the old office buildings have been demolished. A modern “gate to the world of copper” has been created in Amstetten”. A completely new design has been conceived for the access area with the demolition of the old office building. The porters’ building has been rebuilt and a gate constructed, the weighbridge for lorries lengthened and modernised and a spacious car park for company vehicles has been built. The total investment runs to around EUR 300,000.