RÖHM GmbH

Foundation

RÖHM was founded in 1909 in Zella-Mehlis, Thuringia by Heinrich Röhm. Its first product was a two-jaw drill chuck. In 1910 the first patent – improved drill chucks – was filed. Export business started the same year. Due to the influences of World War I production came to a standstill and resumption turned out to be difficult after the end of the war. In 1926, RÖHM started the production of key-type drill chucks. It was the first company in Germany to do so. The following years the manufacturing plants were modernized and extended. Between 1939 and 1940, a 40m conveyor belt for the production of drill chucks was put into service. Therefore, for the first time, a company produced precision tools in mass production and RÖHM was said to be the most modern and efficient factory of its industry.

World War II and Reconstruction

In 1945, the company, which by then employed 1400 people, was occupied by the Americans and Heinrich Röhm was evacuated to Heidenheim an der Brenz with his family. The new rulers in East Germany occupied the intact factory and turned it into a nationally-owned company. In 1946, the family moved to Sontheim/Brenz, where Heinrich Röhm decided at the age of 63 to reconstruct his company with the support of his sons. Without capital and without a plot of land the company was set up again from scratch. First of all, children's toys were made from plywood and wood waste in a leased carpentry. With the production of rock drills a change was made again to the business of metal machining. The same year, land was purchased and a barrack was constructed in order to reconstruct the RÖHM factory. The production, which started the following year, once more involved key-type drill chucks. Former clients supported the reconstruction by showing trust, placing orders and demanding the resumption of the past product range.

Internationalization and Extension of Production

With the foundation of the branch factory in Dillingen/Danube, it was possible to meet the constant increase in demand for products Made by RÖHM. The following years RÖHM extended its production capacity by 100 workplaces per year. In the mid-1950s, there was a trend towards power-operated systems. RÖHM therefore invested into the field of power chuck technology and allowed further growth. Foreign distribution and service establishments in England (1959), Denmark, Brazil, Switzerland (1960), Italy (1969), the USA (1978), France (1979) and Spain (1985) were founded. In 1980 the RÖHM site in St. Georgen was founded, especially for the field of clamping mandrels. In 1984 Günter Röhm took over the management of the RÖHM GmbH. Further activities abroad followed. The establishment in Great Britain became a one hundred percent subsidiary, the USA-establishment was renamed ROHM Products of America (RPA) and the Swiss establishment was taken over by the RÖHM GmbH.

Development after 1990

Contemporaneously to the internationalization and the associated development of distribution and service establishments there was an additional orientation towards special applications, which still represent one of the company’s biggest strengths. Since 1995, the RÖHM group has been certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001. There was further internationalization. The foundations of RÖHM Slovakia, RÖHM India and RÖHM WEIDA Machinery China (Joint Venture) took place in 2007. Therefore, RÖHM is present all over the world. In 2008, after 99 years at the helm, the management of the RÖHM family business was passed to the external Managing Director Dr.-Ing. Michael Fried. Due to the sale of the arms division to UMAREX, RÖHM henceforth concentrated on its core competencies. Today RÖHM employs 1500 people. The company has an export share of approximately fifty percent in its German production.

Sontheim

The reconstruction of the RÖHM factory took place in 1946 in Sontheim/Brenz. Since then, Sontheim is the company’s headquarter. Since 2001, there is an 8570 square meter production hall and in 2009 a 55 m long and 12 m high automated warehouse for small parts with 11,000 bin locations was built. Therefore, the company satisfies the trend towards ever shorter life cycles and tight target deadlines. The gate constructed in 2008 handles the movement of persons and goods.

Dillingen

The site in Dillingen/Danube was founded in 1953. The 1650 square meters productionhall was constructed in 2007 and contains two turning and milling machines, which are adapted to RÖHM’s special requirements. The machines enabled the processing of parts of up to four meters in diameter and 25 tons in weight. Due to a net weight of 108 tons the machine required a foundation of 180 tons of iron and steel. The Dillingen site mainly produces lathe chucks, machine vices and special clamping equipment for turning and milling machinery as well as for machining centres.

St. Georgen

The St. Georgen site was founded in 1980. It is a small, yet accomplished high-tech forge. In addition to standard clamping mandrels, mechanical or power-operated mandrels, sliding jaw mandrels and hydraulic mandrels for its customers for clamping workpieces in drill holes or inner contours are developed as tailor-made solutions for a wide range of different requirements.

Manufacturing bases abroad

Distribution and service establishments abroad

Additionally, there are more than 40 agents all over the world.

Products

Industries

RÖHM customers mainly include companies of the following industries:

Education

Every year, around 25 training positions are made available in the Sontheim and Dillingen/Danube plants. Apart from classic trade and technical professions, commercial training is also offered. Furthermore, it is also possible to achieve a high qualification by studying at the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University.