Köppl

Köppl GmbH is a German manufacturer of single-axle tractors (Einachsschlepper) and related attachments for agriculture and forestry, landscaping, and municipal applications. The family business, now led by the fourth generation under Karl Köppl jun., has been based in Entschenreuth, a part of the Lower Bavarian municipality of Saldenburg, since 1896. What began as a village smithy has evolved into a motor equipment factory and a specialist manufacturer of agricultural machinery. From the late 1940s it produced and sold motor mowers and tractors, and today it is regarded as the German market leader in single-axle tractors and attachments. The company was founded when master blacksmith Emil Köppl (1865–1934) took over the village smithy in Entschenreuth through marriage in 1896. He passed the business to his son Karl Köppl sen. (1899–1959) in 1933, who expanded beyond traditional blacksmithing to manufacture engines, bicycles, milk centrifuges, and butter churns, and to sell agricultural equipment. After World War II, motorized equipment production resumed, and from 1948 motor mowers and tractors of its own manufacture were sold through direct sales. Following the early death of Karl Köppl sen. in 1959, his widow continued the business; their son Karl Köppl jun. (born 1942) joined and took over management after completing his master craftsman examination. Mother and son expanded the business, including through agricultural machinery trade, factory representations such as Linde-Güldner, and imports of all-wheel-drive tractors. In the early 1980s, the company's experience with single-axle tractors and tractors was translated into manufacturing. Alongside tractors and special tractors, it increasingly developed and produced its own motor equipment. From 1980 to 2010 it expanded production of its own motor and attachment equipment, and alongside direct sales it added dealer sales through contracted partners. At its centenary in 1996, the company looked back on European-wide sales of over 10,000 motor mowers of its own manufacture. As a specialist operation for agricultural equipment, it now holds numerous patents. Its range includes ten single-axle motor equipment series and one ride-on tractor series, plus around forty attachments for specialized uses. In attachments for single-axle tractors, Köppl is the only manufacturer with German production and a program for mowing, haying, turning and swathing, soil cultivation and care, winter service, and other special purposes. In 2009, about 4,000 motor units were produced and sold, partly to European and other foreign markets such as India, Mexico, and the Philippines. The company employed about 80 workers as of February 2011 and invested around 1.5 million euros in buildings and technology in 2010/2011 to modernize and rationalize production methods, including a 5-axis lathe, a welding robot, and a balancing machine. Senior boss Karl Köppl jun. was honored in 2009 for 45 years as a master craftsman, during which he trained over 100 apprentices, with the Golden Master Craftsman Certificate from the Chamber of Crafts for Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate. With Karl Köppl jun. jun. (born 1969), the current managing director, the fourth generation is now active in the family business.

The history of Köppl begins in 1896, when master blacksmith Emil Köppl (1865–1934) took over the village smithy in Entschenreuth, then an independent village and now part of the municipality of Saldenburg, through marriage. The business performed conventional blacksmith work for farming operations in the region. In 1933, Emil Köppl handed the operation to his son Karl Köppl sen. (1899–1959), who further developed the craft business and began manufacturing engines, bicycles, milk centrifuges, and butter churns alongside blacksmithing, as well as selling agricultural equipment. In the post-war period, the production of motorized equipment was resumed, and from 1948 motor mowers and tractors of its own manufacture were sold through direct sales. After the early death of Karl Köppl sen. in 1959, the business was initially continued by his widow; their son Karl Köppl jun. (born 1942) joined the company and took over management after passing his master craftsman examination. Mother and son further expanded the scope of the business, including in agricultural machinery trade through the takeover of factory representations such as Linde-Güldner and the import of all-wheel-drive tractors. In the early 1980s, the company's previous experience with single-axle tractors and tractors was translated into manufacturing. Alongside tractors and special tractors, it increasingly developed and produced its own motor equipment. The company evolved into a motor equipment factory and from 1980 to 2010 continued to expand the production of its own motor and attachment equipment; along with the direct sales practiced to this day, dealer sales through contracted partners was added. At the centenary in 1996, at which company head Karl Köppl jun. was honored by district administrator Alfons Urban with the district medal for his entrepreneurial achievements, the company looked back on European-wide sales of over 10,000 motor mowers of its own manufacture. As a specialist operation for agricultural equipment, the company now holds numerous patents. Its range currently includes ten single-axle motor equipment series and one ride-on tractor series. In addition to the basic units, Köppl also manufactures around forty attachments for specialized uses. In attachments for single-axle tractors, Köppl is the only manufacturer with German production and a program for mowing, haying, turning and swathing, soil cultivation and care, winter service, and other special purposes. In 2009, a total of about 4,000 motor units were produced and sold, partly to European and other foreign markets such as India, Mexico, and the Philippines. The company, which employed about 80 workers as of February 2011, invested around 1.5 million euros in buildings and technology in 2010/2011 to modernize and rationalize production methods, including the acquisition of a 5-axis lathe, a welding robot, and a balancing machine. Senior boss Karl Köppl jun. was honored in 2009 for his 45-year activity as a master craftsman, during which he trained over 100 apprentices, with the Golden Master Craftsman Certificate from the Chamber of Crafts for Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate. With Karl Köppl jun. jun. (born 1969), the current managing director, the fourth generation is now active in the family business.

• 2011

  Company employs about 80 workers; invested around 1.5 million euros in modernization in 2010/2011.

• 2010

  Awarded GaLaBau Innovation Medal for 2-wheel tractor Hydro Luchs LHR2 with Easy-drive system.

• 2009

  About 4,000 motor units produced and sold; Karl Köppl jun. honored with Golden Master Craftsman Certificate for 45 years of service.

• 2008

  Awarded Agrarfuchs 2008 at Agraria in Wels, Austria, for onboard computer on Hydro Compakt Comfort; awarded öga novelty prize in Switzerland for Hydro Compakt Comfort.

• 2006

  Awarded GaLaBau Innovation Medal for 2-wheel tractor Hydro Compakt with active turnaround steering.

• 2004

  Awarded GaLaBau Innovation Medal for 2-wheel tractor Hydro Luchs with active turnaround steering.

• 2003

  Awarded Bavarian State Prize for an economically quiet bar mower with counter-rotating top blades.

• 2002

  Awarded GaLaBau Innovation Medal for 2-wheel tractor type 514 LS with Ökus clutch.

• 1998

  Awarded GaLaBau Innovation Medal for 2-wheel tractor Hydro-Athlet.

• 1996

  Company celebrates 100th anniversary; Karl Köppl jun. honored with district medal; over 10,000 motor mowers sold Europe-wide.

• 1994

  Awarded GaLaBau Innovation Medal for 2-wheel tractor 4K 514 LS with powershift reversing transmission.

• 1993

  Awarded Bavarian State Prize from the Bavarian Ministry of Economics for the variable oscillating drive.

• 1992

  Awarded GaLaBau Innovation Medal for motor mower with vibration-free KWO/KWA double-blade drive and KFD fine-cut bar.

• 1980

  Company begins expanding production of its own motor and attachment equipment, evolving into a motor equipment factory.

• 1959

  Karl Köppl sen. dies; his widow continues the business, and son Karl Köppl jun. later takes over management.

• 1948

  Production and direct sale of motor mowers and tractors of own manufacture begins.

• 1933

  Emil Köppl hands the business to his son Karl Köppl sen.

• 1896

  Emil Köppl takes over the village smithy in Entschenreuth through marriage.

German market leader in single-axle tractors and attachments; only manufacturer with German production and full program for single-axle tractor attachments.

• Single-axle tractors (Einachsschlepper)

• Motor mowers

• Attachments for mowing, haying, turning, swathing

• Attachments for soil cultivation and care

• Attachments for winter service

• Ride-on tractor series

• Hydro Luchs

• Hydro Compakt

• Hydro-Athlet

• 4K 514 LS

• 514 LS

1. 1Köppl official websitekoeppl.com
2. 2Köppl (Unternehmen) – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Köppl – Wikidatawikidata.org