HANNS. A Pioneers Magazine

When it comes to talent acquisition, many mid-sized companies face the challenge of competing with large, globally renowned corporations. HOERBIGER is no exception. As a hidden champion in niche markets, the company must work extra hard to capture the attention of top talent. But once you’ve made it to HOERBIGER, you will quickly notice that things are different here.

In October 2021, the Board of Directors of HOERBIGER appointed Dr. Thorsten Kahlert as CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board. Now, three years later, it is the right time for him to review and reflect on the path he has taken so far.

Philipp Baldermann studied Design at the HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd and later founded his own consulting company. He then worked for a mid-sized company in marketing, sales and IT. He joined HOERBIGER in 2015 and has managed the Flow & Motion Control market segment in the Compression Division since 2019. Since 2023 he has been a member of the global management team in the Compression Division.

In 2008, Deublin Company, a member of the HOERBIGER Group, launched its own slip ring development, design, and production line. Slip rings are essential components in an increasingly electrified world. They allow electrical energy, analog signals and digital data to be exchanged continuously between a stationary source and a rotating machine. But how does this actually work? Erich Loacker, Director of Slip Rings at Deublin, explains.

HOERBIGER is committed to setting the bar high with its products and services. The fact that this commitment becomes reality time and time again is proven by the use of HOERBIGER components in space.

With the Hydrogen Compressor Package 500, HOERBIGER, together with its partners, is setting new standards in the hydrogen economy. This innovative compressor system supports the development of a clean infrastructure and accelerates the shift towards emission-free mobility.

HOERBIGER is driving forward the development of hydrogen refueling technology with its Refueling Data Interface (RDI), which reduces refueling times by up to 90%. Going further, the upcoming Vehicle Station Communication Interface (VSCI) aims to standardize the refueling process for medium and heavy-duty vehicles and contribute to the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure.

The emDOC electromagnetic dog clutch by HOERBIGER integrates the benefits of a mechanical clutch with the precision of an advanced electromagnetic actuator, enhanced by a position sensor. This intelligent three-in-one solution delivers wear-free actuation while optimizing space, weight, and cost efficiency.

In our digitally networked world, you might think that closeness is becoming less important in business. Physical closeness might seem to be a relic from a time when sales and service employees still had to travel to reach their customers.

Dr. Bernhard Spiegl has been researching and developing at HOERBIGER since 2001. In 2023, he was appointed CTO and Head of Innovation & Technology of the HOERBIGER Group. Spiegl is overseeing innovation across the Group, as well as group-wide technological collaboration and the expansion and intensification of partnerships with external research institutions.

The energy transition and the fight against climate change have significantly boosted the battery market in recent years. Vehicle batteries for e-mobility and stationary energy storage solutions, known as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), are experiencing rapid growth. These technologies are essential for a sustainable energy future and offer immense economic opportunities. The high growth potential makes the market both attractive and competitive. HOERBIGER is capitalizing on these opportunities with innovative and performance-defining battery components.

HOERBIGER generated sales of 1.416 billion euros in the past fiscal year and has thus grown profitably for three consecutive years. This success confirms the strategic course the company has taken and motivates the 6,174 employees around the world to rigorously pursue their growth ambitions.

HOERBIGER has been manufacturing high-precision piezo valves for demanding applications for over 30 years and is still constantly improving them. But how do these tiny switching controllers actually work? Philipp Baldermann, Head of the Flow & Motion Control Business Unit in Altenstadt, explains.

Innovative sealing system for reciprocating compressors enables high CO₂ savings.

Marine engines that burn fuels with a low flash point pose a potential explosion risk within the exhaust system.

Hanns Hörbiger laid the foundation for today’s HOERBIGER Group in 1895 with the invention of the steel plate valve. The Hörbiger family of entrepreneurs not only contributed to the development of the Group, but also influenced societal, social and cultural development on many other levels.

The increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy has shifted the focus to hydrogen as a key component for a green future. Hydrogen, for example, is of central importance in efforts to decarbonize industrial applications. In addition to established battery technology, hydrogen engines and hydrogen fuel cells could also play a decisive role in emissions-free mobility.

As a long-standing, successful family-owned company and with a foundation as its majority owner, HOERBIGER has a corporate culture that has always included long-term thinking. Sustainable management and future viability are central goals of the Group strategy. This applies not only to the company itself, but especially to solutions that HOERBIGER uses to enable its customers to run their operations in a more environmentally friendly manner.

Agnieszka Zając has been managing the HOERBIGER plant in Bolesławiec since 2015, where 250 employees manufacture performance-determining products for various HOERBIGER divisions. Her focus is on close customer relationships and a culture in which everyone works toward a common goal.

HOERBIGER Corporation of America (HCA) is celebrating its 60th birthday in 2023. Founded in a small suburb of New York City, today the company has more than 300 employees who ensure that the HOERBIGER brand is regarded as a seal of quality and excellence in North America.

Arek Dyrdol heads HOERBIGER Corporation of America since December 2020 and is responsible for the North America region at HOERBIGER. On the occasion of HCA's 60th anniversary, we spoke with him about the recipes for long-term success and the company's plans for the future.

Deublin, the world’s leading provider of rotary unions and part of the HOERBIGER family since 2019, has revolutionized the functionality and performance of rotating systems with its products. Frank Reimold, member of Deublin’s global leadership team and managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explains what a rotary union is and how it works.

Johannes Weinert works on artificial intelligence (AI) in the automotive sector. His goal: to use innovative AI solutions to make production processes holistically more profitable and so increase both the quality and the sustainability of the products.

In 1982, Martina Hörbiger established the HOERBIGER Foundation in Switzerland with the aim of preserving HOERBIGER’s independence and entrepreneurial legacy beyond her death.

Growth. A term that has once again become a persistent topic of discussion in the media – generally as something to be concerned about. High inflation, rising interest rates and a difficult geopolitical situation are slowing economic growth, we read everywhere. “The World Bank lowers its global growth forecast and warns of a possible recession,” claims another headline. And just at this time HOERBIGER is proclaiming a phase of growth – how does that fit together?

In the 2022 fiscal year, the HOERBIGER Group succeeded in achieving the highest sales in the company’s history despite a challenging economic environment. Now the company is setting its course for the future.

A new plant currently being built in Changzhou will unite the production of the HOERBIGER Compression Division and the Safety Business Unit in China under one roof, starting in 2024.

For optimum offroad capability, a German sports car manufacturer relies on a chassis height adjustment system from HOERBIGER for its “Dakar” limited-edition model. HOERBIGER technology makes the car just as dynamic on bumpy sand and gravel roads as on the racetrack.

Iris Schierhuber joined HOERBIGER in May 2022 after holding various positions in international human resources (HR) management. She is responsible for People & Culture in the Compression Division and is a member of the global P&C Leadership Team.

As renewable energy sources become increasingly important, battery energy storage systems provide a stable power supply, mostly using lithium-ion battery technology. The solutions offered by HOERBIGER’s Safety Business Unit protect people and the environment while complying with the associated regulations.

With its automation solutions, the German WEISS Group is one of the world’s leading system suppliers to the automotive industry, mechanical and plant engineering, life sciences and electronics. Its North American subsidiary, based in Willoughby, Ohio, USA, was looking for a reliable, easy-to-install electrical slip ring for car body production tables. WEISS engineers found what they were looking for at Deublin, a HOERBIGER company.

HOERBIGER has been a global player from its very beginnings. Industry leaders around the globe quickly recognized the groundbreaking benefits of Hanns Hörbiger’s steel plate valve, and the company’s founder granted international licenses for the use of this key technology as early as the beginning of the last century.