Mankenberg

History

Gustav Mankenberg was born on August 12, 1857 in the town of Wittstock on the river Dosse/Germany as eighth child to the self-employed master blacksmith Johann Friedrich Mankenberg. He learnt the trade of a metal craftsman in Berlin, i.e. a craftsman processing metal objects of any kind by shaping, casting, turning and other processing methods.

On May 1, 1885 he took over the workshop of the brass founder master Wallen in the town of Heide in the federal Land of Schleswig-Holstein and founded the company Gustav Mankenberg. Mr Mankenberg quickly realised the development of the local market and changed the product line to reducing valves for air and carbonic acid tanks, air pumps etc. and additionally opened a samples stock and a sales warehouse at the Roedingsmarkt avenue in Hamburg.

Owing to non-payments caused by an economical slump in the building industry, Gustav Mankenberg was forced to admit a partner from Hamburg to the company in Heide in 1891. However, the co-operation failed.

While the company’s building hardware division remained in Heide, Gustav Mankenberg set off for new horizons in the Hanseatic city of Szczecin and started valve production.

On May 1, 1895, ten years after the company‘s foundation, Mr Mankenberg made a completely new start in the capital of Pomerania. The city is conveniently placed at the mouth of the river Oder as regards transport facilities with good connection to Berlin via the Finow Canal and later the Oder-Havel Canal. That location proved successful as well as the demand from factories and shipyards such as the renowned shipyard Vulcan Werft. In 1904 Gustav Mankenberg had the „Niagara“ patented: a steam trap with a closed ball float made of steel that was welded by means of the autogeneous welding procedure. Today the product range of Mankenberg still includes this steam trap.

Due to the increased requirement for space, Mankenberg relocated to the newly erected factory on the Wiekenberg road in Szczecin in October 1910. In 1912 the eldest son Ewald Mankenberg joined the company. In his capacity as steam expert he boosted the company’s advisory competence.

In April 1919 Gustav Mankenberg transferred the company to his two sons Ewald and Hellmuth. In 1929 the economic crisis began: Inflation and deflation posed new challenges to the company

During World War II the factory in Szczecin continued to fabricate steam valves until the eviction notice was received on March 23, 1945. Their way led the company management to the Hanseatic city of Lübeck.

In the summer of 1945 the company Mankenberg was given permission to resume production in Lübeck.

In 1954 Dr. Ing. Günther Weidner, Hellmuth Mankenberg’s son-in-law, joined the company.

In 1967 the Lübeck-based graduate engineer Hermann Thomsen became head of the technical office. In addition he appeared as associate and solely responsible manager of the company at the beginning of the new decade. In the year 2002 Mr Axel Weidner, Gustav Mankenberg’s great-grandson, became sole managing director of Mankenberg GmbH.

In 2010 Mankenberg GmbH celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Awards

In 2010 Mankenberg was awarded the „Big Prize for Medium-Sized Enterprises" sponsored by the Oskar Patzelt Foundation. Mankenberg's overall development in the course of the previous year, the creation/securing of workplaces, modernization and innovation as well as commitment within the region met with a great response by the jury.

Mankenberg was selected landmark 2011 in the „Germany – Land of Ideas“ initiative. Together with Deutsche Bank the initiative under the patronage of the German Federal President awarded the prize to Mankenberg for its money box rallye project.