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Arizona Contractor & Community

PFEIFER Celebrates 440 Years of Existence in Rope Technology


Nowadays, the PFEIFER Group is an international employer with more than 30 sites in 19 countries and ambitious growth targets. We belong to the market leaders in the fields of Rope & Lifting, Rope Technology, Lightweight Architecture and Building Systems. We provide high-tech ropes for the biggest cranes, the highest elevators and cables for the most spectacular stadiums in the world. At the same time, we can look back on such a long corporate history that is possibly unrivalled in the industry. The rope-manufacturing company of the Pfeifer family was first officially mentioned on February 13, 1579. Which means that today, we are able to celebrate the 440th anniversary of the company. The ropery was operated as a traditional handicraft enterprise by the ancestors of the Pfeifer company in the Old Town district of Memmingen for generations. Production focused mainly on hemp and natural fibre ropes.

Premium supplier From the 1950s onwards, the former three-man business developed into a modern industrial enterprise. The latest machines were purchased, modern production halls occupied and new employees recruited to mark the beginning of the manufacture of steel wire ropes. This was complemented over the years by additional product segments and business units such as Connecting and Lifting Systems and Lifting Technology. PFEIFER developed into the premium supplier within the industry. Pioneer of lightweight architecture At the beginning of the 1970s, the erection of the Olympic Stadium in Munich was the starting signal in the field of lightweight architecture. Today, we are the only company to offer the entire service portfolio in the sector, and now realize modern designer construction projects all over the world. Internationalization At the end of the 1980s, the company had already expanded to such an extent that it was accommodated in nine different building complexes in Memmingen. Therefore, a generous, modern factory was occupied in Dr.-Karl-Lenz-Straße, which is still the registered headquarters of our Group today. Then, from the 1990s, the increasing international orientation of the company began.

Motivated team All of these accomplishments are attributable to a dedicated team of more than 1600 employees and apprentices, who contribute their wealth of know-how every day to our customers and projects worldwide. This passion and expertise are the driving forces of the traditional company PFEIFER since 440 years.

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