ABUS History

2022		Inauguration of the CraneLab as a new research and development centre in Lantenbach for experimental test purposes including an 11m high test rig for wire rope hoists.
2021		Foundation of a subsidiary for sales and service in Austria. ABUS employs 1200 people across Europe. Completion of the administration and ‘KranHaus’ showroom buildings in France and Holland.
2019		Construction of two additional production halls for large series overhead travelling cranes in Gummersbach-Herreshagen. This gives ABUS a total of 60,000 m² of production facility at the Gummersbach-Herreshagen site.
2016		Commissioning of the KranHaus showroom and seminar centre and the associated administrative building.
2015		The cranes of the HB light crane system range are fundamentally revised. Steel sections rolled in one process and aluminium sections extruded in one operation are introduced to the market, followed by numerous additions in the following years. Introduction of the intelligent overhead travelling crane electrics ABUControl. This enables special and safety functions on the crane to be better enhanced. ABUS also relies on standardised software modules for the software development of ABUControl. In addition, the green light is given for the modular wire rope hoist series GM modular. It starts with the GM 1000 size, followed the following year by the GM 800.
2012		Introduction of the ABURemote radio remote control system, thereby setting the trend for standard crane control by radio rather than wired pendant. The EHPK semi-portal crane is launched onto the market. ABUS now offers its customers integrated materials handling solutions for all three crane levels.
2011		Construction of a 15,000 m² production hall in Gummersbach-Herreshagen for large series overhead travelling cranes.
2010		The Z type crab unit is extended to a load capacity of up to 120 t as the largest series hoist worldwide.
2009		Construction of the training workshop in Herreshagen for vocational training of mechanical design engineers and industrial technicians as the first building on the new site.
2007		Construction and opening of the new central administration building in Gummersbach–Lantenbach, where central commercial departments are brought together. Purchase of the industrial site in Gummersbach-Herreshagen as a basis for the expansion of production and administration in the coming decades.
2006–2008		Launch of the modular generation of end carriages for all sizes. The modular generation relies on high-quality, mechanised production with a significant reduction in welded joints.
2006		Foundation of a subsidiary for sales and service in Poland.
2005		Production of the 100,000th wire rope hoist.
2002-2005		IA new generation of ABUCompact electric chain hoists is launched. It starts with the GM2 size, which is supplemented the following year by the GM4, GM6 and GM8. Here, too, the standardisation of individual components and the possibility of combining them is the key to success. Entry into the 100-tonne market segment for electric wire rope hoists.
2001		Foundation of a subsidiary for sales and service in France.
2000		Production of the 100,000th chain hoist.
1999		Introduction of an ABUS electronic load indicator system LIS-SE.
1998		ABUS also opens up the lower load capacity range: The LPK lightweight mobile gantry and the ‘ABUCompact GMC’ electric chain hoist for loads up to 250 kg are launched onto the market.
1997		Foundation of a subsidiary company for sales and service in China (Shanghai). Construction of a 11,000 m² production hall for series overhead travelling cranes in Gummersbach-Lantenbach with a capacity of over 4,000 overhead travelling cranes per year.
1996		Foundation of a subsidiary company for sales and service in the Netherlands. Following increasing European regulation, ABUS launches its own overload protection devices: The load indicator systems LIS-AV and LIS-SM now prevent mechanical overloading of the crane.
1995		The ABUS push button pendant control is introduced. From this point, its operation determines how the ABUS crane is perceived by crane users.
1994		Foundation of subsidiary companies for sales and service in Spain and the UK. The single girder torsion box crane ELS with side-mounted hoist unit is launched. The AZF modular travel drives are introduced and expanded to other sizes in the following years.
1993		ABUS remains successful during the global recession by consistently expanding its standard range of crane components. Meanwhile, the sales network grows: 20 agencies in Germany and around 40 sales partners worldwide market ABUS products. Foundation of a subsidiary company for sales and service in Sweden.
1992 – 1993		ABUS systematically expands its export business and enters into partnerships with distributors in European countries.
1991-1992		ABUS has 550 employees.
1989		Construction of the facility in Marienheide-Rodt to be used as a logistics centre as well as a new production plant for jib cranes and the HB light crane system.
1987		Establishment of new development centre in Marienheide near Gummersbach. The standardisation of crane parts continues to be worked on at this facility - the key to success for ABUS.
1984		ABUS intensifies the development and production of its own crane components: The first generation of ABUS wire rope hoists is introduced, the ABUCompact chain hoist series is launched and the first light crane system kit comes onto the market with the standardised tracks of the HB system.
1982		ABUS employs a staff of 110.
1974		Start of the development of own crane components. The first proprietary product is an end carriage beam with ABUS centre drive type AZ.
1973-1974		ABUS responds to the global recession by increasingly relying on the series production of individual crane components in order to increase cost efficiency.
1965		Construction of the first production hall in Gummersbach-Lantenbach and foundation of the company ABUS Kransysteme by Werner Bühne in Wetter a. d. Ruhr. ABUS employs 20 people.
1964		Production of the first jib crane based on an innovative idea by Werner Bühne, followed shortly afterwards by the first major order for 27 jib cranes.