The Rosenbauer Group is the world’s third largest manufacturers of fire-service vehicles and firefighting equipment, based in Leonding, Austria.
Rosenbauer supplies the fire fighting sector in over 100 countries with a wide range of custom fire and rescue apparatus and services. It produces its extensive series of fire fighting vehicles and aerials in three continents, to both European and US standards.
History
Founding and development
The first Austria-wide firefighting enterprise was founded by Johann Rosenbauer in Linz in 1866. Beside manual fire pumps from different manufacturers, helmets, buttons and so on, the company was also selling equipment for fencing, sports and playgrounds. Konrad Rosenbauer took over the company in 1888, a turning point from which it would manufacture its own fire extinguishing equipment. After moving to a larger site, the company traded its name for K. Rosenbauer & Kneitschel, Fabrik für Lösch- und Wehrgerät und Metallwaren.
In 1908, Rosenbauer started producing gas-powered pumps. The first fire truck was built 1918. In 1926, the new Automobilspritzengesellschaft Lohner & Rosenbauer shipped its first vehicle to China. From 1930 onward, Rosenbauer was also able to produce its own two-stroke engines (today, engines are provided by others, notably BMW and Volkswagen).
The company had a production site in Iran, until the fall of the Shah.