Achieving success with vision and proximity to the customers

Back in 1933 Theodor Klaas founded what is now the medium-sized family-run company from Ascheberg in Westphalia. Working firstly as a building contractor, he used all his inventiveness after the Second World War to develop the first inclined lift, which makes work on building sites much easier.

His son Ludger, a trained electrician and master locksmith, joined the firm in 1969. He recognised the tremendous benefits of aluminium as a lightweight material and used it to make the first aluminium crane in 1993, which soon also made its breakthrough internationally. This innovation proved to be a milestone in the company’s history and the basis for developing other special machinery, for example in the field of firefighting technology.

To this day we present ourselves as an efficient machine manufacturer with innovative, high-quality products. This quality promise produces experienced employees, who stand up for the company with plenty of expertise and commitment. Because despite the rapid growth of the company, one thing has remained the same over the years: our appliances are sold by us directly and without middlemen in Germany. And that is how it should stay. Because this personal contact and working together as partners help us to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them into innovative products.

Quality
Made in Germany

Quality has always been a priority at Klaas. That is why we produce the vast majority of components at the Ascheberg plant ourselves and only buy in a few materials. In order to maintain and develop our high quality standard over the long term, a few years ago we decided to set up an effective quality management system, which has been accredited in accordance with the ISO 9001 standard which is recognised worldwide.

This tremendous depth of production not only ensures high-quality products, but also allows us to react quickly and flexibly to the needs of our customers and to market requirements.

	Development ‘From practical experience – for practical application.’ In line with this motto, our engineers, technicians and technical drawers turn our employees’ ideas and customers’ requirements into reality. All design work is carried out ourselves in-house with plenty of expert knowledge and years of experience. The result: innovative work machinery for the widest range of applications.
	Electronics Our electrical engineers configure all the necessary control systems themselves: from the software development and the composition of the hardware components through to assembly, everything is tailored to the Klaas appliances. The proximity to the product and to the customer ensures quick and flexible solutions and a high quality standard.
	Manufacture As a metalworking and engineering company, manual skills are very important at Klaas. With the help of the latest machinery, nearly all the components used are manufactured ourselves at the Ascheberg plant. This depth of production enables high flexibility and independence. Production is managed by several master craftsmen, with quality being continuously checked by our in-house specialist welding engineer.
	Final inspection Quality control and safety checks play an important role at our company: as a consequence, every Klaas appliance is tested in detail and its functions are checked before delivery. In this respect, the whole final inspection team – from the mechanic to the crane expert – is aware of its high level of responsibility towards our customers.
	Service Even after delivery and handover of the products, our customers can count on us: comprehensive instruction and training sessions are just as much a part of what we offer as a reliable maintenance and repair service. All employees at the eight German sites as well as our service partners always endeavour to come up with quick and efficient solutions to problems. Naturally the Klaas service department will also come to you if need be to carry out maintenance or minor repairs.

Give us a call!

Do you prefer a personal conversation? Then don’t hesitate to call us.

Crane Partners is your exclusive distributor/ dealer of Klaas products for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

CRANE PARTNERS s.r.o.

lease - sell - service

Contact

+420 604 744 314

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Business address

Mlýnská 326/13
602 00 Brno
Česká republika

1933 In 1933 Theodor Klaas, the father of the current company owner, Ludger Klaas, founds his construction company in the Westphalian town of Werne. He mainly constructs large buildings like schools and churches.
	1947 From the experience of years of heavy physical work in construction, the idea for the inclined lift is born. Theodor Klaas has this made in Werne out of U-rails with a capacity of 150 l.
1954 On 1 January 1954 Theodor Klaas founds his construction machinery factory and develops his first inclined lift. This is presented with great success at the industrial fair in Hanover in April.
	1962 The steadily increasing sales of inclined lifts pushes the production site in Werne to its limits. A new plant is built 17 km away in Ascheberg and the company’s headquarters are relocated there.
1969 After training to become an electrician, Ludger Klaas starts working at his father’s construction machinery factory. Vocational studies and military service leave him little time in the first few years for the company, to which he can fully devote himself again from 1973.
	1972 At the start of the 1970s the first inclined lift is made of aluminium with an extension length of 20 m. This is presented to a wide audience at various craft trade fairs.
1975 In order to meet the rising demand for Klaas inclined lifts, the production area is expanded at the Ascheberg plant.
	1978 Klaas develops its first hydraulic inclined lift with an extension length of 34 m, thus making a significant mark in the market.
1980 The Ziegelboy roof tile lift developed by Klaas creates a genuine revolution on the roof: the accessory made completely of aluminium saves roofers the arduous task of tile throwing on the roof – and hence time and personnel.
	1990 At the start of the 1990s Ludger Klaas starts to develop an aluminium crane. His idea: the quick and labour-saving transport of high loads on the building site and controlling the crane with a class 3 driving licence.
1993 The first aluminium crane is built in this year, thus introducing a new era in the company’s history. The model, set up on a 7.5 t truck, already has a load capacity of 500 kg.
	1994 The aluminium crane presented just one year before manages to break into the market, thus ensuring full order books. As the current location has no room for expansion, the production site for aluminium cranes is moved to the opposite side of Raiffeisenstrasse. Klaas Alu-Kranbau GmbH is founded.
1999 Besides the crane construction building, a new production facility for inclined lifts is built. These are continually developed to meet customer needs for more convenience, safety and reliability.
	2000 The company Iveco Magirus is looking for a partner to develop a new height rescue and extinguishing unit for fire engines. Thanks to its many years of experience in the construction of aluminium masts, the choice falls to Klaas. The first step into a new industry – firefighting technology – is thus taken. A test tower is built on the company premises in Ascheberg.
2003 After a three-year development and construction phase, the first Multistar (then still under the name Octopus) is delivered to China. This combination vehicle, the first of its kind worldwide, can be used both for extinguishing fires and saving people.
	2004 Crane sales are booming and the 1,000th Klaas crane leaves the factory. Due to the high demand for Klaas appliances in the new German states, the Gera subsidiary opens in 2004. Things are also happening at the company premises in Ascheberg: the existing garage for vehicles is extended and a separate external warehouse for accessories is built.
2005 Klaas develops a new aluminium mast profile based on TS rails. This means the weight of the mast can be further reduced, while its strength and stability are increased. Klaas Service- und Vertriebs GmbH is founded with Georg Küter being made managing director.
	2007 A new service hall is built in Ascheberg for the repair and maintenance of customer appliances. The TS profile, which has proven itself in practical terms, is now also used for the trainer cranes.
2008 The company, which now employs 155 people, celebrates its 75th anniversary on 5 April.
	2009 Klaas extends its Germany-wide service network and opens subsidiaries in Tübingen and Wittenberg.
2010 The 2,000th Klaas aluminium crane is sold at the start of the year. In order to be close to customers in the north too, another service and hire station is opened in Hamburg. A new product for fire protection technology is presented to the public: the Klaas AluFiver, a multifunctional elevating rescue vehicle.
	2011 The senior management decides to build a new production hall covering 3,000 m², not least to reinforce the Ascheberg site.
2013 A turbulent year: the company celebrates its 80-year anniversary, the delivery of the 3,000th crane and 20th birthday of the aluminium crane. A service and hire station is also opened in the Munich area. In addition the Tübingen subsidiary moves into a new service building at a new site. An innovative welding process is employed: the aluminium booms are produced in the stir welding method from now on, giving the booms even greater strength and stability. Working with the Austrian company, Empl, an industrial firefighting vehicle is developed with a telescopic articulated mast and water gun.
	2014 The seventh Klaas service and hire station is opened in autumn. It is located in Bad Nenndorf near Hanover.
2015 The Nuremberg subsidiary is founded as the eighth service station. Klaas adds another product to its range: the Theo25 elevating work platform with a working height of 25 m is launched on the market.
	2016 A new office building for service and sales is completed and moved into in May. Five Klaas AluFiver models are produced at the same time and delivered to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Almost at the same time, four new mobile cranes – three of which feature a hydraulic, telescopic fly jib – are launched on the market. New, memorable crane names are introduced with the new models.
2017 The first Klaas crane with hybrid drive is built: a K27-32 RH. It can either be operated with an electric engine or using an auxiliary drive belonging to the truck engine. Two more new appliances are coming onto the market: the Theo20, an elevating work platform with a working height of 20 m, plus the K850 RS, a mobile crane with a hook height of nearly 37 m. Investment in the Ascheberg site: A new high-bay warehouse is being constructed. Up to 180 tonnes of aluminium can be stored in the 24.5-metre high tower – enough material for around 50 cranes. In Kirchheimbolanden a plot of land measuring 3,300 sqm is being purchased. A new Klaas subsidiary for the Rhine-Main/Rhine-Neckar region is expected to be developed here.