In November 1999 the HATLAPA Uetersener Maschinenfabrik looked back on their 80 years' history at their original location still.

The anniversary was celebrated together with customers, suppliers, business friends and agents from all over the world.

From the small workshop founded by the engineer Max Hatlapa at Tornescher Weg in 1919, a company has developed whose products are to be found on all the Seven Seas.

In 1920 already the first diesel-driven cargo winches for motor coasters were supplied.

Small Diesel locomotives and mobile electric generators were included in the manufacturing programme. The continuing growth of HATLAPA was overshadowed in 1939 by the death of the owner and founder, as well as by the outbreak of the Second World War. The production was determined by the armaments industry during those hard times. The company was lead by Johanna Hatlapa, the wife of Max Hatlapa. Winches for submarines, steering gears and emergency generators were produced.

After 1945, many German industrial plants were threatened by demolition or dismantling. The eldest son, Hans-Heinrich Hatlapa, returning home from captivity, succeeded in preventing dismantling of the factory. As shipbuilding in Germany was forbidden then, plant protection sprayers, machinery for the building industry and diesel-driven locomotives were manufactured. As from 1952 the Allied Forces loosened the production restrictions for the shipbuilding industry. Winches and compressors could now be offered for the use on board ships. HATLAPA won a reputation world-wide through their product innovations and extended their trade connections to the farthest corners of the earth. From the beginning of the seventies licence agreements were concluded with companies in the Argentine, Brazil, Great Britain, Indonesia, Japan, Yugoslavia and Korea, some of which still exist today.

The development of the company was determined by the prevailing economic conditions. The expansion to include steering gears, cranes and transverse thrusters in the seventies was followed by the construction of industrial plants in the eighties to compensate the decline in European shipbuilding accompanied by efforts towards the offshore industry.

Since the mid nineties the main focus has been turned to the shipbuilding industry, whereby HATLAPA regards themselves as competent partners of shipyards and shipowners likewise. Winches, compressors and steering gears are sold world-wide, supplemented by the corresponding services such as commissioning, repairs and maintenance. 42 agents in 35 countries and subsidiaries in Singapore, Shanghai, Great Britain and Cyprus guarantee constant presence on location.

The purchase of the winch, steering gear and crane division from KGW leads yet to a synergetic completion of the present HATLAPA product range.

The annual turnover of HATLAPA Uetersener Maschinenfabrik exceeds 60 Mio €, whereby the export share, depending on the line, is more than 80 %.

HATLAPA, as a manufacturing and service undertaking lays great value on the training of young people. 36 apprentices in 7 different occupations represent almost 15 % of the total of 252 employees.

Uetersen, 11.12.01 -- Dr.-Ing. Alexander Nürnberg

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