History of Höchsmann

WOOD TEC VALUE

WOOD TEC VALUEWOOD TEC VALUE

Mit WOOD TEC VALUE startet das weltweit erste Online-Bewertungsportal für gebrauchte Holzbearbeitungsmaschinen.

Ab sofort ist es möglich, für über 25.000 Modelle auf Knopfdruck einen Marktpreis zu ermitteln. Die automatische Berechnung nutzt die riesige hausinterne Datenbank, in der alle Preise und Maschineninfos aus dem Tagesgeschäft der Höchsmann GmbH zusammenlaufen. Allen Nutzern steht das Portal kostenfrei zur Verfügung!

 

New building hall IV

The third hall building project starts. Immediately next to hall III an further, approx. 4700m²
huge hall is being built. In the future the Höchsmann company ltd. in Klipphausen has over
11.500m² storage area with optimal conditions for loading and deloading, storing, technical
checking and presentation of modern second-hand machines in command.

New building hall IVNew building hall IVNew building hall IV
 

The Höchsmann story as a book

The Höchsmann story as a book

The company is only available on the book market: in its autobiography
"Gegen den Strom der Gestressten" (Against the storm of the stressed ones“
Stefan Höchsmann describes the development of Fa. Höchsmann next to his own live path.

 

Employee development

Employee development

1995: ca 20 employees
2005: ca 35 employees
2016: ca 65 employees

Thanks to modern technology, it’s possible that many of our employees in home office or also on business trips can work without any complications.

 

Purchase division expanding

The division purchase has increased fast in the last years and has to be curbed by the sales representatives.

 

WOOD TEC AUCTION

The new auction portal for woodworking machines WOOD TEC AUCTION goes online.
A great difference to other Online-auctions is, that there’s no minimum price limit.

One of the first auctions was a great disaster, which has ended with the innovative
“flop ad” for the next auction.

WOOD TEC AUCTIONWOOD TEC AUCTIONWOOD TEC AUCTION
 

Employment light

The occupation lamp is developed. It’s an intranet developed by us, through which our employees
communicate their workload each week.

Furthermore the Storage hall and service capacity will be announced, thus external
employees are informed about the occupancy of their colleagues and the halls.

Employment lightEmployment lightEmployment light
 

WOOD TEC PEDIA

WOOD TEC PEDIAWOOD TEC PEDIA

After around 20 months of development, WOOD TEC PEDIA is launched in may 2011.
It’s so far the most profound, clearest and additionally freely usable online-encyclopaedia in the field of
woodworking technology.
At the beginning of 2011 the platform. Since October 2011 WOOD TEC PEDIA is available completely in the English language and as of 2013 the
French translation has been finished; the Spanish translation is in process.
The new auction portal for woodworking machines WOOD TEC AUCTION goes online.
A great difference to other Online-auctions is, that there’s no minimum price limit.
. Has only received around 4500 prospects, 1500 technical texts
(descriptions of manufacturers, building serieses, machine types, innovation) and 450 manufacturers
online – today there’re on the other hand around 14.300 prospects, 11.700 images, 760 manufacturers
and 570 articles with technical texts.

Since October 2011 WOOD TEC PEDIA is available completely in the English language and as of 2013 the
French translation has been finished; the Spanish translation is in process.

 

Total sales on record level

The Höchsmann company ltd. experiences the business year with the highest revenue.
A significant growth has been observed with high-quality machines and plants from the
field of “panel processing” for which customers from all over the world are interested in.

 

Using the halls for machine presentations

Using the halls for machine presentations

Despite the general sense of crisis and dramatic decline of orders on machine manufacturers, the
order situation of Höchsmann company ltd. is stabilising on a slight mediocrity than in the pervious-year
period.
The demand has for high-quality, high-functioning machines has increased.
Fa. Höchsmann never had so many presentation ready CNC-machining centres,
panels sizing machines and other special machines.

 

Farewell to colouring technology

Farewell to colouring technology

The manufacturing of Höchsmann-colouring technology is completely ceased. Produced in
Werk Klipphausen and sold since 1995.:
- 39 flooding plants
- 14 spraying tunnel Type PX
- 16 spraying tunnel Type VX
u.v.a.m.

 

Financial crisis

Financial crisis

First effects of the worldwide economical crisis are noticeable. The company is receiving
significantly fewer orders.

Crisis meeting with all employees on the 31st October 2008 the situation is deemed critical and
utterly unsecure. Still there is a chance of both supply and demand of second-hand machines
staying stabil and decreasing as they did in previous years, particularly in times of an unstabil economy.
The company secedes from 5 long-year employees due to business-related issues.


In december 2008 the new end-of-the-year review 2008 appears in a new edition of 17.000 copies
with the title “Where does the industry going after the financial crisis?”

 

New Hall III

New construction of an approx. 3200m² big machine hall with a 12,5t crane track and
office-/social rooms. This hall has been designed as a reconditioning and exhibition and storage hall for
the always bigger and more complex machines and exhibition areas respectively.
Since the late 2008, the Höchsmann GmbH has over approx. 6800 m² of appealing exhibition areas.

New Hall IIINew Hall IIINew Hall III
 

Fourth step of consolidation: Shutting down plant production

Due to the persistently unsecure order situation in the field of colouration technology the plant
production is ceased. Simultaneously more capacities for the core business, the trade with
second-hand machines can be obtained through this. Employees of this division are being integrated in the machine department.

 

New EPR system

After twelve years of using the merchandise management system Navision Version 3.56 "Navi blue",
a more reknown, more contemporary system will be put in operation in january 2008.

 

New Website

With only two clicks to a complete machine information. www.hoechsmann.com will be launched after a complete redesign in mid-april.

Simultaneously our new machine catalogue is being published in its strongest edition. Over 35.000 copies are printed in four languages and distributed among the interested woodworkers worldwide.

New WebsiteNew WebsiteNew Website
 

Balloon ride

Balloon ride

The highlight of the annual company outing: on the 9th june 30 employees begin an aviation with six
air balloons into the uncertainty.

 

Plant building

Plant building

Big order: window construction corporation orders 14 spraying tunnels.

A speed version of the spraying tunnel with 40m/min feed rate is developed and produced for a notable roofwindow manufacturer.

 

Arriving together

Arriving together

Company model “arriving together” is being developed and publicised.

 

CNC-technology

Alignment to CNC-technology as most important product group.

 

New building hall II

New building hall IINew building hall II

New construction of a machine hall in Klipphausen with 1600 m². Thanks to the crane track
with remote control, machines don’t have to be moved with forklifts and pallet trucks.

 

Optimization of Website

An innovative data bank marketing of second-hand machines – the Höchsmann infosystem –
takes up business and markets all interesting offers and purchases in a short period of time to
final customers and salesmen. Through this the number of internet visitors increases up to 50%
within a year the average visitor number is 150 hits per day.

The end-of-the-year review „christmas post“ is published for the first time.

 

First spraying tunnel

First spraying tunnelFirst spraying tunnel

Invention of spraying tunnel for the end-grain protection on wooden windows. Upon request of a
paint manufacturer the first spraying tunnel is constructed for the wooden window construction for the
company Pax Bad Laustick which has been developed for applying wood solidifier on single woods.

Meanwhile the second-hand machine business expands with the publication of the fourth
second-hand machine list.

 

Internal change: relocation of the manager

Internal change: relocation of the manager

Stefan Höchsmann relocates his permanent residency from Klipphausen to Bad Hersfeld
and only comes to the company once a month. Mr Tempel replaces the manager as procurist.

 

Third step: Exit from the new machine trade

In favour of the field of the second-hand machines the new machine sale ceases.
Through trips abroad and trade fairs the company has come to attention to more and more
foreign customers.

 

Secret of success

They settle on the company’s philosophy “With righteousness to success”.

 

Second step of consolidation: shutting down the active sales force

Second step of consolidation: shutting down the active sales force

The active sales force (in peak times 6 men) is completely ceased. Instead, the salesmen
work now in the in the back office and wait for second-hand machine customers.
In the middle of the year the tool storage is being dissolved as far as possible and a machine exhibition (Fachmarkt) is organized on the area.

 

Development of more internationality

The first Polis employee is hired. Significance of the exports increases.

 

New flooding plant

New flooding plant

Leopold Höchsmann developes a new flooding plant with moving nozzle technology, witch which the good market position can be expanded further in the field of flooding plants.

 

Internet presence starts off

Internet presence starts off

www.hoechsmann.com goes online as one of the first second-hand machine platforms for the
woodworking industry.

 

First step of consolidation: Shutting down the sharpening service

First step of consolidation: Shutting down the sharpening service

Because of the economically difficult situation and new perspectives in the second-hand machine trade
the sharpening servise is being shut down. With the first second-hand machine list 05/98 a breakthrough can be accomplished on the marked
in this field.
The manager of the division tools, Herr Tempel, changes over to the machine department.
Herr Uhlemann takes over the management of the plant construction; this department subsequently
experiences an upturn.

 

Legal Seperation

Legal Seperation

The settlement Klipphausen becomes an own company limited. Martin Höchsmann takes over 100% of the shares of the company ltd. Langen, Stefan Höchsmann takes 100% of the shares in Klipphausen, where the new business field second-hand machine trade is discovered and advanced.
Leopold Höchsmann founds his own company in Haunetal at Bad Hersfeld.

 

Second-hand machine trade

The first second-hand machine trade is executed.

 

Competitor from their own company

Competitor from their own company

At the end of 1996 six employees quit on their own and found the Fa. Homatec, which is located in the neighbouring Freital and specializes in the same branch focusing on shaprening services and
tool trade.

 

New building in Klipphausen

New building in Klipphausen

The settlement is grown on approx. 20 employees and rennovates the new building in Klipphausen/Saxony.
The new rooms facilitate a permanent machine exhibition.
The flooding plant construction will be assigned to the settlement Klipphausen from the main building Langen.

 

Invention clipspress

The Höchsmann-clips press facilitates glass bars to be laquerable on the frame without working on them individually.

 

Business separation

Business separationBusiness separation

Stefan Höchsmann hands over his responsibility at the head office Langen and founded a subsidiary in Radebeul/Saxony, which starts off as sharpening service and tool shop.

 

Political turns

Political turns

With aorund 40 emplyees and the drei devisions, machines, plants and sharpenind service/tools, the
company experiences the economical turning point in Germany. On the basis of the high business activity there are not plans for expansion in the East.

 

Innovative flooding plans

Innovative flooding plansInnovative flooding plans

Upon request of a window builder from the Oberpfalz L. Höchsmann developes the flooding plant for windows. Independently, a similar plant is almost simulateneously being built in Denmark.

 

Further inventions

Further inventionsFurther inventions

This year the rollover seal for wooden windows and the electro edge rounder are i.a. invented, which are pioneering as innovations for the entire industry.
The rollover seal had been taken on as “H – Höchsmann seal” into the Stehle catalogue and the edge rounder went around the world and is today still being offered as “radius trimmer” in e.g. India.

 

Special field window plants

Special field window plants

Leopold Höchsmann delivers and installs 80 Okoma-plants at the beginnnig of the 80’s, which have
been equipped with a lot of Höchsmann accessories.

 

Founding a Company Ltd.

Founding a Company Ltd.

The single company is being turned into a corporation limited. Leopold, Martin and Stefan Höchsmann
are shareholders.

 

Entry of the juniors

After his older brother had started as a sales representative two years ago, Stefan Höchsmann now
starts his training as a wholesaler. After a completed training Stefan becomes sales representative
in the field of sharpening service.

 

Inspirationsource Windsurfing

Inspirationsource Windsurfing

Leopold Höchsmann discovers windsurfing. The business effects of his passion shouldn’t be
underestimated: The inspiration of numerous inventions, which facilitates the rollover seal for
wooden windows (s. 1983) and flooding.

 

New Building in business area Langen

New Building in business area LangenNew Building in business area Langen

The company that has increased on 10 employees in the meantime errects a new commercial building.
The relocation also opened new perspectives for the trade of woodworking machines.

 

First Invention

First InventionFirst Invention

The chamfer plane with precutter and the guide for all sawing products turn out to be top sellers.

 

Step to independence

Step to independence

Leopold Höchsmann founds the Höchsmann sharpening service with his wife Brunhilde in the basement
of the Langener housing complex.

 

The career begins

The career beginsThe career begins

The master carpenter Leopold Höchsmann quits his carpenter job and starts as a representative
for Leitz for carpentry tools.

In the same year the thrird son Stefan is born.