On the occasion of the firm’s 75th anniversary the many guests at the festivities were welcomed by a daughter (Ms. Helga Kirschbaum) and a granddaughter (Ms. Ursula Neumann) of one of the company’s founders. That in itself demonstrated how very special this successful middle-market company is. Gregor Alda, one of the general managers at Hans & Jos. Kronenberg GmbH, confirmed this when he said: “The history of the company is not made up of products, facts and figures. Rather it is the story of the people who, with their work, have been the pillars of this company.” This began with founders Hans and Josef Kronenberg, was maintained by their children, shareholders and employees, and continues down to today’s general managers Gregor Alda and Volker Wiersch . But also to be included among all these people are the customers and suppliers who have followed and contributed to the company’s fortunes over many years.
This long and successful road would not have been possible without ongoing innovation and refinement of the company’s door latches, switches and control panels, adapting the product line to meet the market’s newest demands. As a result of its constant efforts to combine quality and progress, Kronenberg is today a partner much in demand by the international elevator industry. Nowadays some 80 employees turn out more than a thousand different products and the manufacturing depth targeted in the company’s operations ensures complete consideration out-of-the-ordinary customer wishes.
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The company was founded in Cologne on November 15, 1932, in a period of heavy economic and political burdens. It most certainly required supreme courage and a sense of purpose to dare to take the bold step toward self employment. Hans and Josef Kronenberg possessed this courage and opened a business devoted to manufacturing and selling electrical switches. With the HJK-1 and HJK-2 limit switches and the patented PZ 1-3 door contact they laid the cornerstone for successful company development. In and around Cologne, the HJK trademark they chose came to be synonymous with “Hätt jod Kontakte” or “has good contacts”.
The good contacts within the family, as well, represented one essential basis for the firm’s success. From the very outset the family members were closely involved in the business and their identification with the firm helped motivate the employees. Thus the company chronicles are closely intertwined with the history of the Kronenberg family.
After the end of World War II a new start was made, with the firm rising from the rubble, so to speak. At the end of the 1940s the production range was expanded and hoistway switches were included in the line. These were joined a few years later by push buttons and illuminated displays. Door latches with safety features to detect faulty closing were developed and patented but they did not make their market breakthrough until some time later. With the relocation to Bensberg in 1957, the company had more room and as a consequence was able to make the transition from individual fabrication to mass production.
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In February 1971 the two founders, Hans and Josef Kronenberg, died one shortly after the other. Their children, Helga Kirsch baum, Hilde Neumann, Marianne Wild and Engelbert Kronenberg, all of whom were active in the company, decided to assume responsibility for continuation of the company. Under the leadership of Engelbert Kronenberg in his role as general manager, expansion into other countries in Europe was launched.
Upon his death in 1979 he was succeeded by Alfred Köller, who successfully introduced additional products in the field of safety switches. In 1986 the shareholders decided to erect the headquarters building still in use today. When Alfred Köller retired from the company in 1988 the family was once again called upon to take the helm. Marianne Wild, Josef Kronenberg’s daughter, assumed the management of the company. Subsequently control panel development moved more into the focus of the company’s activities, the line of push buttons was expanded and dot-matrix displays and LED illumination panels were added to the range.
Toward the end of the last century the company’s business became ever more international and today the export share far exceeds 50 %. As a consequence a worldwide dealer network was established, guaranteeing qualified customer support on site. In the course of these developments the transition was made from a traditional, proprietor-operated family firm to an innovative industrial operation with two general managers. Since 2000 the company has been successfully managed and kept fully focused on corporate goals by two executives – Gregor Alda in charge of commercial affairs and Volker Wiersch for technical matters. Under this duo, too, the development of new products was strongly encouraged . At present handicappedaccessible control elements, equipment to prevent vandalism and components to increase the safety of elevator installers represent focal points in the development work.
Down to the present the firm has adhered to two seemingly contradictory precepts: “tradition” and “progress”. The company’s efforts are always to be oriented on practice and kept close to the customer’s needs. Reliability and excellent service are by no means empty promises but instead pledges fulfilled daily around the world.
The fact that the company still enjoys “good contacts” today was amply confirmed by the more than 200 guests who accepted the invitation to the 75th anniversary celebration on November 15, 2007. Guests congregated in a relaxed atmosphere in a party tent decked out in the company’s colors. Tours of the facilities could be taken in smaller groups under the direction of knowledgeable guides. The town’s mayor, Klaus Orth, expressed his appreciation of the company’s turbulent history and of its significance to the region. Employment at the company was and continues to be secure because the willingness to pursue innovative activities results in novel ideas that are translated into popular products. The family’s clear identification with the company’s fortunes was demonstrated by the presence of four generations at the event.
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One day later, on November 16, a party was held for all the employees and their families. Management and the works council took this occasion to present certificates of recognition to all the employees and retirees who had reached more than 25 years of affiliation with the company.
On both days it was easy to see that this is not just an entrepreneurial family steeped in tradition and pursuing its own mission, but that a community of employees stands solidly behind the products that are so highly accepted by customers on the market. Kronenberg is synonymous with tradition, reliability and quality and that will continue to be the case in the future.
Dr. Peter Lauer
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