Family owned business
TRADITION meets INNOVATION

 

"The wonder blade from Kolbermoor". In 2022 we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the KOHNLE Hartmetall- Werkzeug-Fabrik foundation. We take this opportunity to look back at the extraordinary success story of a company that was founded by Gerhard Kohnle on 1 October 1957. In 1957, at the age of 25, he came from Swabia to Kolbermoor in Upper Bavaria on his motorbike.

Here, following his vision and passion for tool production, he founded a manufacturing and repair business for carbide tools. The entrepreneur made up for his initial lack of means with his enthusiasm and his skills as an all-rounder in his industry. The small company started with one field worker. The production facility consisted of a lathe, a carbide grinding machine and two self-made grinding blocks. But the hard work and quality standards of the young company paid off. The company quickly gained satisfied customers among regional carpenters and smaller companies. The start was made. In 1959 Gerhard Kohnle married. The following year, son Siegfried Kohnle was born. The great success of Kohnle's carbide circular saw blades made it necessary to expand the production facility. So in 1961 Gerhard Kohnle laid the foundation stone for the construction of today's production and administration building in Loholz near Kolbermoor.

What had started in 1957 as a small company manufacturing carbide tools had grown into a respected medium-sized industrial enterprise by 1963, when the company moved into its new premises. More than a dozen employees now ensured production reliability, the highest quality standards and optimal service. The secret of Kohnle's success, however, lay in its innovative spirit. Kohnle placed great emphasis on new product development and optimisation. Numerous patent applications and constant further development have ensured Kohnle's decisive quality lead on the market to this day. The product range also grew from year to year. In addition to the carbide circular saw blades for wood, there were now blades for machining aluminium profiles and circular saw blades for splinter-free cutting on both sides. In 1965, Kohnle presented the special class plastic circular saw blade at the Hanover Industrial Fair. From then on, the saw blade for splinter-free cutting of melamine resin-coated or glued panels on both sides advanced to become the "miracle blade from Kolbermoor". Continuous further development, strict quality management and further trade fair presence at home and abroad brought Kohnle worldwide recognition. The growing demand made it necessary to recruit and invest again. Soon Kohnle was able to produce with fully automatic machines and produce circular saw blades up to 1720 mm diameter for cutting aluminium rolling ingots and billets. This was followed by circular saw blades for PVC processing, processing of bundle metals and saw blades for heavy non-ferrous metal processing on slow-running sawing machines. The first expansion of the production facility took place in 1966. In 1972, it was even necessary to double the factory space, with new buildings for administration, among other things. In the 1970s, the Kohnle carbide tool factory continued its successful course. In addition to circular saw blades for cutting steel and steel profiles, Kohnle developed its own flattening, counter and finally profile cutters for panel doors.From the very beginning, Kohnle has been a family business, which is the reason for the special and cordial atmosphere that customers and friends appreciate and love about Kohnle.In 1978, Gerhard Kohnle's daughter Cornelia joined the company and in 2004, Gerhard Kohnle's grandson Michael joined the management. Thus, Kohnle GmbH uniquely combines tradition and many years of experience with innovation and renewal thinking in one and the same company. With circular saw blades in premium quality that guarantee maximum performance, Kohnle has today become a brand name for first-class carbide tools. "The miracle blade from Kolbermoor" has convinced its customers - far beyond Germany's borders.

 

 

Cornelia Paulacher-Kohnle Managing Director

Michael Kohnle Managing Director