Hörbiger

Starting the new season after the summer break, the Club for Trade Delegates visited Hörbiger Ventilwerke, a global leader in the fields of compression technology, at its recently opened location in Aspern, Vienna's Urban Lakeside.

Helmut Lang, Head of Hoerbiger museum and archives gave the trade delegates a warm welcome and first overviews about the company's business as a global leader in the fields of compression technology, automation technology, and drive technology. Producing valves for compressors, Hörbiger operates in technological niches like key components and services for compressors and gas-powered engines, piezo technology, hydraulic components and systems for industrial mechanical engineering, valve automation and multi market applications and  synchronizer components and systems for a wide variety of vehicle types: "For more than 110 years, the history of Hörbiger has been shaped by people who are committed to performance, by technological pioneering spirit, by demonstrating courage, and by being close to the markets and customers", Helmut Lang told the trade delegates at the brand new building.

"The new building represents our company's research and innovation spirit" said Helmut Lang, guiding the CdH members on the site, a 260,000 square foot development, manufacturing, storage and administrative complex. Here, innovative solutions are developed and tested thanks to the research expertise of the Institute for Production Engineering and Laser Technology of the Vienna University of Technology, with whom Hörbiger closely collaborates.

With the 45-million-euro project, the Swiss Group established one of the first industrial centers in the Smart City. In total, approximately 500 employees from three different locations in Vienna are now consolidated in one shared building, where about 50 people work in three shifts in the valve production. The optimized production operation at the new site provides even greater flexibility to address the multifaceted needs of Hörbiger customers, developing and producing customized small lots, down to one piece.

In 1895, Hanns Hörbiger invented an innovative valve for compressors. Between 1925 and 1945, a total of 171 patents were granted for Hörbiger & Co. for inventions and developments in the field of compressor valves and controls. After the war the company's product range, which until then was primarily comprised of compressor valves and controllers, was expanded by new business segments based on core competencies in the fields of fluid technology and stamping technology.

The Hörbiger steel plate valve overcame all the disadvantages of valve designs that were common at the end of the 19th century. It was a unique selling proposition. Many inventions have fallen into oblivion despite impressive unique selling propositions. Many company inceptions did not remain competitive in the long run despite initial success. Not so at Hörbiger: the company has managed to remain successful over decades. Throughout the company?s history, Hörbiger has repeatedly been a trendsetter, set performance benchmarks with innovations, and changed the rules of the game in the market, what was demonstrated impressively at the Hanns Hörbiger Room - a spot where the soul and spirit of Hörbiger is tangible.

Similar to the other part of the Hörbiger dynasty, the famous actor's family, Hanns Hörbiger and his family always was innovative, extraordinary, revolutionary and pioneering.