Mähdrescherwerk Bischofswerda/Singwitz

Mähdrescherwerk Bischofswerda/Singwitz was a major combine harvester manufacturer in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was formed in 1984 by merging the Fortschritt operations 'Erntemaschinen Bischofswerda' and 'Erntemaschinen Singwitz', both of which had been part of the Kombinat Fortschritt Landmaschinen since 1951. The Singwitz site traced its origins to the Landmaschinenfabrik Raussendorf, founded in 1856 in Kleinboblitz and moved to Singwitz in 1928, where it produced threshing machines and straw presses. The Bischofswerda site grew out of the Knauthe company, which began making simple agricultural machinery in the 1930s. After World War II both firms were expropriated and reorganized as state-owned enterprises (VEBs). Under the Kombinat Fortschritt, the two plants specialized in combine harvester production. From the late 1950s, combine manufacturing was relocated from the Weimar works to Singwitz, while Bischofswerda produced large assemblies and, from 1983, took over final assembly of the E 516B and later E 517 large combines. By the late 1980s the combined enterprise employed about 6,900 people and generated sales of nearly 1,300 million GDR marks. It operated main plants in Bischofswerda (about 3,300 employees) and Singwitz (about 2,300), plus facilities in Neukirch, Bautzen and Freiberg. After German reunification, the company became Mähdrescherwerke AG under Treuhand administration in 1990. After several privatization attempts, MDW Mähdrescherwerke GmbH was established in Singwitz in 1995 with participation from Hege Hohebuch, continuing combine development and production. In 1997 Case IH acquired the rights to the combine programme, and from 1999 production was carried out by CASE Harvesting Systems GmbH in Neustadt in Saxony. MDW Mähdrescherwerke GmbH continued activities in combine development, production and marketing in connection with Hemas Hege Erntemaschinen Singwitz GmbH, founded in 2004. The company has since ceased active business operations; its former Singwitz buildings are now used for other purposes, and the company has relocated its registered office.

The origins of the Mähdrescherwerk Bischofswerda/Singwitz lie in two separate agricultural machinery firms in Saxony. In Singwitz, the Landmaschinenfabrik Raussendorf was founded in 1856 in Kleinboblitz near Obergurig and moved to Singwitz in 1928, where it took over a former paper factory and expanded into a agricultural machinery plant. By the 1930s it was producing up to 1,000 threshing machines and 6,000 straw presses annually. In Bischofswerda, the Knauthe company began producing simple agricultural machinery in the 1930s. Both firms were involved in armaments production during World War II, leading to their expropriation and dismantling in 1946. From the remnants, the VEB 'Kombinus' threshing machine works emerged in 1948 in Singwitz, while the Bischofswerda operation was re-established as the VEB Landmaschinenfabrik Bischofswerda. In 1951 both became part of the Kombinat Fortschritt Landmaschinen. During the 1950s and 1960s they were expanded and specialized. In the late 1950s, combine harvester production was relocated from the Weimar works to Singwitz. Bischofswerda initially produced straw presses and haymaking machines, but later focused on large assemblies for final production in Neustadt and Singwitz, including cutting units for self-propelled swathers. In 1983 Bischofswerda took over final assembly of the improved large combines E 516B and later E 517 from Singwitz. Until the early 1980s both plants had the status of production divisions within the Kombinat, with development and sales centralized. In 1982 they gained full operational functions, and soon after they merged to form the Mähdrescherwerk Bischofswerda/Singwitz in 1984. By the late 1980s the enterprise had sales of nearly 1,300 million GDR marks and about 6,900 employees. The Bischofswerda plant had about 3,300 employees, Singwitz about 2,300, with additional operations in Neukirch and Bautzen (over 1,000 employees) and two parts in Freiberg (about 350 employees). One Freiberg operation originated from the Ernst Grumbach & Sohn AG, founded in 1868, which was nationalized in 1972 and assigned to Kombinat Fortschritt, continuing its stationary chopper programme. In 1990 the company became Mähdrescherwerke AG under Treuhand administration. After several privatization attempts, MDW Mähdrescherwerke GmbH was formed in Singwitz in 1995 with participation from Hege Hohebuch, continuing combine development and production. All other sites were liquidated. In 1997 Case IH acquired the rights to the combine programme from Mähdrescherwerke GmbH and continued development, and from 1999 production, at CASE Harvesting Systems GmbH in Neustadt in Saxony (formerly Fortschritt Erntemaschinen GmbH). Since then Mähdrescherwerke GmbH continued its activities in combine development, production and marketing in connection with Hemas Hege Erntemaschinen Singwitz GmbH, founded in 2004. The company has since ceased active business operations; the Singwitz buildings are now used for other purposes and the company has moved its registered office.

• 2004

  Hemas Hege Erntemaschinen Singwitz GmbH founded, continuing cooperation with MDW.

• 1999

  Production of the combines transferred to CASE Harvesting Systems GmbH in Neustadt in Saxony.

• 1997

  Case IH acquired rights to the combine programme from Mähdrescherwerke GmbH.

• 1995

  MDW Mähdrescherwerke GmbH established in Singwitz with participation from Hege Hohebuch.

• 1990

  Company became Mähdrescherwerke AG under Treuhand administration.

• 1984

  Mähdrescherwerk Bischofswerda/Singwitz formed by merger of the two Fortschritt operations.

• 1983

  Bischofswerda took over final assembly of E 516B and later E 517 combines from Singwitz.

• 1951

  Both operations became part of Kombinat Fortschritt Landmaschinen.

• 1950

  Combine harvester production relocated from Weimar works to Singwitz (late 1950s).

• 1948

  VEB 'Kombinus' threshing machine works established in Singwitz.

• 1946

  Both Singwitz and Bischofswerda firms expropriated and dismantled after World War II.

• 1928

  Raussendorf works relocated to Singwitz, taking over a former paper factory.

• 1868

  Ernst Grumbach & Sohn AG founded, later a Freiberg operation of the combine works.

• 1856

  Landmaschinenfabrik Raussendorf founded in Kleinboblitz near Obergurig.

State-owned GDR combine harvester specialist, later a privatized manufacturer whose programme was absorbed by Case IH.

• E 516B combine harvester

  Improved large combine harvester, final assembly at Bischofswerda from 1983.

• E 517 combine harvester

  Further modified large combine harvester, assembled at Bischofswerda.

• Threshing machines

  Produced by Raussendorf in Singwitz, including stationary threshing boxes and mobile threshing machines.

• Straw presses

  Produced by Raussendorf and later at Bischofswerda and Neustadt.

• Stationary choppers

  Produced by the Freiberg operation originating from Ernst Grumbach & Sohn AG.

1. 1MDW Mähdrescherwerke, Startseitemdw-singwitz.de
2. 2MDW Mähdrescherwerke, Geschichtemdw-singwitz.de
3. 3Mähdrescherwerk Bischofswerda/Singwitz – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Mähdrescherwerk Bischofswerda/Singwitz – Wikidatawikidata.org