Leobersdorfer Maschinenfabrik

Leobersdorfer Maschinenfabrik (LMF) is an Austrian engineering company based in Leobersdorf, Lower Austria, south of Vienna, and one of Europe's long-established manufacturers of high-pressure reciprocating compressors. Founded in 1850 as an iron foundry by Josef Berger, the company evolved through turbine and diesel-engine manufacturing into a specialist in tailor-made compressor systems. It describes itself as the leading manufacturer of innovative high-pressure compressor solutions and states that it exports more than 95% of its production worldwide. LMF's product range centres on custom-engineered reciprocating compressors for demanding industrial duties. Key applications include seismic exploration at sea (supplying compressed air to airguns), leak testing of natural gas pipelines, natural gas boosting stations, CNG filling-station systems, PET blow-moulding air supply, industrial gas compression, and large API-standard process gas compressors for the chemical and petrochemical industry. The company also offers pipeline evacuation units designed to eliminate gas losses to the atmosphere, and it markets solutions for alternative energy carriers such as hydrogen and biomethane. The company's history is closely tied to Austrian industrial innovation. Rudolf Diesel worked at the plant in the 1890s to introduce his diesel engine in Austria-Hungary, and Viktor Kaplan, inventor of the Kaplan water turbine, was a design engineer there in the early 1900s. Over the 20th century LMF added compressors (1946), CNG filling stations (1981), API 618 process gas compressors (1985), oil-free air compressors for PET blow moulding (1988), and high-speed compressors to API 11P/ISO 13631 (1999). In 2016 LMF became part of the Kaishan Group, described as the largest manufacturer of rotary screw compressors in China, which broadened its global reach. The company operates as a GmbH, maintains international representations, and continues to serve oil and gas, petrochemical, industrial and alternative-energy customers with engineered high-pressure compression solutions. It celebrated 170 years in 2020 and 175 years in 2025.

Leobersdorfer Maschinenfabrik was founded in 1850 in Leobersdorf, Lower Austria, by Josef Berger, originally a foundry master at the Brück ironworks in Fünfkirchen. Berger first leased the Hödel foundry and machine factory in nearby Hirtenberg before building his own works in Leobersdorf between 1850 and 1853, comprising a foundry, a finishing workshop, a boiler house and an officials' residence. Initial equipment included two turning cranes, two cupola furnaces, two crucible furnaces for bronze casting, three lathes, five vices, a hearth and an 18 kW (25 hp) steam engine. Berger died in 1853 before production could begin, and the business was taken over by his wife and her brother-in-law Josef Hurtz, who held a privileged enterprise for wood gilding in Vienna-Alsergrund and various technical patents. In 1856/1857 the works were expanded with a mechanical workshop, a boiler smithy and stables, and the product range grew to include raw castings, transmissions, equipment for brickworks, mills, sugar factories, rolling mills and railway operations, as well as presses, steam boilers, small steam engines and military projectiles. Ownership changed several times in the late 19th century: in 1871 the company passed to Jakob Neumann (from 1 February 1876 trading as Leobersdorfer Maschinen-Fabrik und Eisengießerei J. Neumann), in 1880 to Julius Hock (Julius Hock und Comp.) and the Allgemeine Depositenbank, and in 1882 to the financier Jakob Rappaport (1840–1886). In 1887 Rappaport's heirs sold the company, then with about 200 employees, to the Hungarian firm Ganz & Comp. under András Mechwart. Under Ganz, the works were modernised and expanded. The imperial and royal Ministry of War placed initial orders for armoured turrets, and water-turbine construction was added, making LMF the first Austrian turbine company. It mainly built axially through-flow Jonval and Girard turbines, also combined as double-crown turbines, later superseded by Francis and Pelton turbines; some LMF turbines were still operating on the Wiener Neustädter Kanal. In 1889 a second workers' house, a workers' dining hall and a bathing facility were built, and further construction enabled the manufacture of railway wheels. By 1891 the site had developed significantly, with new housing for employees, an officials' house, a master's house and workers' houses, plus a factory doctor, a rescue station, a company health fund, a factory fire brigade and a kindergarten. The present Spitalgasse in Siebenhaus recalls the workers' hospital built in 1892. In 1893/94 a factory restaurant and another officials' residence were erected on Südbahnstraße. In 1896/97 the works were extended to the right bank of the Hochwassergraben, and production began of chilled-cast railway wheels modelled on the Griffin works in Buffalo, USA, as well as electric motors, dynamos and the associated switchgear. Industrial sidings were laid between the works and the station, creating a rail connection. At that time 480 workers and 100 salaried employees were employed. On 22 December 1897 Südbahnstraße was electrically lit for the first time from the Leobersdorfer Maschinenfabrik. In 1896/97 the world-famous Munich engineer Rudolf Diesel came temporarily to the works to introduce his diesel engine in Austria-Hungary; however, the Graz wagon factory beat LMF to it, producing diesel engines from 1899, while series production in Leobersdorf only began in 1905. From 1901 to 1903 Viktor Kaplan, inventor of the Kaplan water turbine, worked in the factory as a design engineer. In the 20th century LMF shifted its focus toward reciprocating machinery and compression technology. In 1946 the company extended its rotating equipment portfolio with compressors. In 1978 the first compound compressor units for seismic research vessels were built and supplied. In 1981 the first LMF CNG (compressed natural gas) filling station was installed. In 1985 the first API 618 process gas compressors were launched. In 1988 LMF introduced the first oil-free air compressors for the PET blow-moulding market. In 1999 high-speed compressors were developed in accordance with API 11P/ISO 13631. In 2005 a new concept of pipeline evacuation units to eliminate gas losses to the atmosphere was introduced and patented. In 2007 high-speed compressors were adapted for seismic and mobile applications, and in 2012 an oil-free compound design for seismic application was developed. In 2016 LMF became part of the Kaishan Group, described as the largest manufacturer of rotary screw compressors in China, which boosted its global reach and capabilities. The company is run as a GmbH and, as a globally active enterprise, maintains representations on all continents. In 2012 it generated over €76 million in revenue with 380 employees. It marked 170 years in 2020 and 175 years in 2025.

• 2025

  175 years of LMF.

• 2020

  170 years of LMF.

• 2016

  LMF becomes part of the Kaishan Group.

• 2012

  Development of oil-free compound design for seismic application.

• 2007

  Adaptation of high-speed compressors for seismic and mobile applications.

• 2005

  Introduction of a new concept of pipeline evacuation units to eliminate gas losses to the atmosphere; patent filed.

• 1999

  Development of high-speed compressors in accordance with API 11P/ISO 13631.

• 1988

  First oil-free air compressors for the PET blow-moulding market introduced.

• 1985

  Launch of the first API 618 process gas compressors.

• 1981

  First LMF CNG filling station installed.

• 1978

  First compound compressor units for seismic research vessels built and supplied.

• 1946

  LMF extends its rotating equipment portfolio with compressors.

• 1901

  Viktor Kaplan, inventor of the Kaplan water turbine, joins LMF as design engineer.

• 1896

  Rudolf Diesel introduces Austria's first diesel engines in Leobersdorf; production of more than 1000 engines with up to ten cylinders.

• 1887

  Sold by the Rappaport heirs to the Hungarian firm Ganz & Comp.

• 1853

  Founder Josef Berger dies; business taken over by his wife and Josef Hurtz.

• 1850

  Foundation as an iron foundry in Leobersdorf by Josef Berger.

Leading manufacturer of innovative, tailor-made high-pressure compressor solutions, with over 175 years of engineering tradition and a strong export orientation.

• High-pressure reciprocating compressors

• API 618 process gas compressors

• High-speed compressors (API 11P / ISO 13631)

• Oil-free air compressors for PET blow moulding

• CNG filling-station systems

• Pipeline evacuation units

• Seismic airgun air-supply compressor units

• Natural gas boosting compressors

1. 1Startseite - LMF.atlmf.at
2. 2History - LMF.atlmf.at
3. 3Career - LMF.atlmf.at
4. 4About us - LMF.atlmf.at
5. 5Leobersdorfer Maschinenfabrik - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Leobersdorfer Maschinenfabrik - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org