Seilflechter Tauwerk GmbH

Seilflechter Tauwerk GmbH is a German manufacturer of ropes and cordage headquartered in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The company traces its origins to 3 October 1745, when the ropemaker journeyman David Halle (1712–1788), originally from Cammin in Pomerania, took over an existing ropewalk and presented his master piece to the Braunschweig ropemakers' guild. It has remained in the Halle family ever since and is today led by Andreas Halle, the ninth generation of the family to run the business, with the tenth generation also active in the firm. The company describes itself as having more than 280 years of quality tradition. Seilflechter produces quality rope 'Made in Germany' for industry and watersports, and supplies the DIY/home-improvement sector through specialist retail channels. At its Braunschweig site, around 140,000 metres of rope are produced per day on roughly 500 automatic machines. The product range covers twisted and braided cordage, including square braid, hollow braid and core-sheath braid constructions, as well as custom special-purpose ropes. The company is certified according to ISO-DIN EN 9001:2015. The business is organised around several application segments: Nautik (marine), Forstwirtschaft (forestry), Offroad, Veranstaltungen (events), Feuerwehr (fire services), Freileitung (overhead lines) and Do-It-Yourself. In the marine segment, products include halyards, sheets, mooring lines and anchor systems, with shackles available in around 100 variants. Seilflechter sells mainly to specialist trade, industry, watersports and DIY stores, and has contract dealers in 14 countries. Its own shop at the 'Seilerplatz' offers a do-it-yourself assortment. The company also runs target-group-oriented seminars with practical demonstrations to familiarise customers with its products. As a family-owned Mittelstand manufacturer, Seilflechter combines a long craft heritage with modern industrial production. Its history includes the transition from handcraft to factory production, the introduction of the first braiding machine in 1878, destruction of its Braunschweig premises during the Second World War, and post-war rebuilding at the Bienrode site from 1958. The current legal entity, Seilflechter Tauwerk GmbH, has existed since 4 November 1983.

The history of Seilflechter Tauwerk begins on 3 October 1745, when the ropemaker journeyman David Halle (1712–1788), born in Cammin in Pomerania, took over an existing ropewalk. On 7 October 1745 he presented his master piece to the Braunschweig ropemakers' guild. Further generations followed in the workshop and shop at Steinweg 5: Eberhard Halle (1748–1800) on 16 October 1783, then his widow, David Halle (1784–1857) on 9 November 1815, Theodor Halle (1820–1896) from 1846, Albert Halle (1847–1917) on 1 July 1874, and Theodor Halle sen. (born 1876) and Ernst Halle (1875–1933) on 1 April 1903. On 1 January 1943 Hans Halle (born 1906) and Theodor Halle jun. (born 1910) joined as partners. The transition from craft to factory production began in 1878 with the commissioning of the first braiding machine. Factory production was expanded at the Hamburger Straße 29 site. During the Second World War, the bombing of Braunschweig on 15 October 1944 destroyed the Steinweg property with its shop, office and living quarters, and the factory on Hamburger Straße was also destroyed together with its machinery and raw materials. The basis for rebuilding was formed by some machines that had survived in an auxiliary operation. The Steinweg and Hamburger Straße sites no longer exist. In 1958 operations began in Bienrode at today's addresses Auf dem Anger 4s and Altmarkstraße 32. The legal form changed over time. From the beginning the respective owner was personally liable. As business grew, forming a company became practical. According to the commercial register kept at the Amtsgericht Braunschweig, the first entry was made on 16 January 1889. From 1 April 1903 to 30 December 1973 Theodor Halle Sohn existed as an Offene Handelsgesellschaft (OHG), followed from 31 December 1973 to 4 February 1981 by Theodor Halle Sohn as a Kommanditgesellschaft (KG). For the Bienrode operation (incorporated into Braunschweig on 1 March 1974), Hans u. Wolfgang Halle Seilflechter Tauwerk existed as an OHG from 1 January 1958 to 10 June 1965, followed from 10 June 1965 to 18 February 1976 by Seilflechter-Tauwerk Hans u. Wolfgang Halle as an OHG, then from 18 February 1976 to 13 September 2013 by Seilflechter-Tauwerk Hans u. Wolfgang Halle, Inh. Wolfgang Halle as a sole proprietorship. Since 4 November 1983 Seilflechter Tauwerk GmbH has existed, continuing the business previously operated by Seilflechter Tauwerk, Hans und Wolfgang Halle. Andreas Halle is the ninth-generation managing partner of the family-owned firm, and the tenth generation is also active in it. Business activities also changed. Earlier standard products were rope goods of various kinds, both twisted and braided. Specialities in 1914 included log lines, flag lines, brake lines, signal and tow lines, clothes lines, fire service lines, theatre lines, roller-blind cords, fishing lines made of silk and hemp, and braided ropes, lines and cords of all kinds. Growing gymnastic and sporting activities led the company to offer many related equipment items as trading goods. Children's toys followed, including as a contract dealer for Steiff (soft toys with the button in the ear) and Märklin (model railways). In 1942, in addition to rope goods, toys, sports articles and brushware were offered, with a rich toy stock including summer and winter sports articles and brushware. Today the ropewalk is the 'heart' of the company, which is why 'rope' (Seil) is the general term, sometimes 'line' (Leine). On around 500 automatically operating machines, about 140,000 metres of rope are produced per day. The results are twisted and braided cordage, in square braid, hollow braid and core-sheath braid. In addition to the standard range there are custom-made products for special purposes. Purchased plastic fibres are made into threads and then yarns; the next step with the yarns produces strands (Kardeele), from which ropes are made. Ropes are processed into hawsers up to 80 millimetres in diameter. Final finishing, mostly manual, is supported by machines in many areas. Work is done at the site, in workshops of the Lebenshilfe and also as home work. Endlessly produced ropes are cut to specified lengths and wound onto spools. For DIY stores, hanging-rail hangers are fitted and labelled; labels often show trade marks but not the manufacturer. Material testing is an essential part of quality assurance, with machines available for tensile testing up to 700,000 newtons (about 70 tonnes) of pulling force. Sales are mainly to specialist trade, mostly to industry, watersports and DIY stores. There are contract dealers in 14 countries. The company's own shop at the 'Seilerplatz' offers goods in a do-it-yourself assortment.

• 2013

  The sole proprietorship Seilflechter-Tauwerk Hans u. Wolfgang Halle, Inh. Wolfgang Halle ends on 13 September.

• 1983

  Seilflechter Tauwerk GmbH is established on 4 November, continuing the previous business.

• 1976

  Seilflechter-Tauwerk Hans u. Wolfgang Halle, Inh. Wolfgang Halle becomes a sole proprietorship on 18 February.

• 1974

  Bienrode is incorporated into Braunschweig on 1 March.

• 1973

  Theodor Halle Sohn becomes a Kommanditgesellschaft on 31 December.

• 1965

  Seilflechter-Tauwerk Hans u. Wolfgang Halle exists as an OHG from 10 June.

• 1958

  Operations begin in Bienrode at today's addresses; Hans u. Wolfgang Halle Seilflechter Tauwerk exists as an OHG from 1 January.

• 1944

  The bombing of Braunschweig on 15 October destroys the Steinweg property and the Hamburger Straße factory.

• 1943

  Hans Halle and Theodor Halle jun. join as partners on 1 January.

• 1903

  Theodor Halle sen. and Ernst Halle take over on 1 April; Theodor Halle Sohn exists as an Offene Handelsgesellschaft from 1 April.

• 1889

  First entry in the commercial register on 16 January.

• 1878

  The first braiding machine is commissioned, marking the transition from craft to factory production.

• 1874

  Albert Halle (1847–1917) takes over on 1 July.

• 1846

  Theodor Halle (1820–1896) takes over.

• 1815

  David Halle (1784–1857) takes over on 9 November.

• 1783

  Eberhard Halle takes over the workshop and shop at Steinweg 5 on 16 October.

• 1745

  David Halle takes over an existing ropewalk on 3 October and presents his master piece to the Braunschweig ropemakers' guild on 7 October.

Traditional family-owned German quality rope manufacturer ('Made in Germany') serving industry, watersports, forestry, offroad, events, fire services, overhead lines and DIY markets.

• Twisted and braided rope

  Standard and special rope in square braid, hollow braid and core-sheath braid constructions.

• Marine rope range

  Halyards, sheets, mooring lines and anchor systems for dinghies to yachts, plus shackles in around 100 variants.

• Forestry, offroad and fire service ropes

  Rope for lifting, pulling and securing in forestry, offroad, event, fire service and overhead line applications.

• DIY rope assortment

  Do-it-yourself rope products sold through DIY stores and the company's own shop at the Seilerplatz.

• Custom special-purpose rope

  Special-made products for specific purposes beyond the standard range.

1. 1SEILFLECHTER Tauwerk GmbH - Qualitätstauwerk für Forst, Offroad, etc.seilflechter.de
2. 2Seilflechter Tauwerkwikidata.org
3. 3Seilflechter Tauwerkde.wikipedia.org