Westfälische Drahtindustrie

Westfälische Drahtindustrie GmbH, commonly known as WDI, is a German steel-wire manufacturer headquartered in Hamm, Westphalia. Founded in 1856 by Carl Hobrecker as the Drahtwerk Hobrecker, Witte & Herbers, it is one of Europe's oldest wire-drawing enterprises and today describes itself as the largest group-independent wire producer in Europe. The company operates from 15 locations across Europe and employs roughly 1,300 people. Its core business fields are quality wire, bright steel, structural steel, high-performance ropes, prestressing steel, welding technology, overhead line ropes, and fencing and mesh products. WDI's products reach approximately 150,000 different applications worldwide, with key sales markets in mechanical engineering, construction, automotive, energy transmission, and the furniture and tool industries. The company was founded on a six-hectare site in western Hamm, directly on the Cologne-Minden railway and the road to Unna and Dortmund. It was the first European plant to use steam power for the production of rolled wire. In 1872 it was converted into a joint-stock company under the name Aktiengesellschaft Westfälischer Draht-Industrie-Verein, and from 1890 it traded as Westfälische Drahtindustrie. From 1911 to 1951 WDI was part of the Krupp group while remaining an independent works. After the Second World War, the Hamm plant was slated for dismantling as number 117 on the dismantling list, but joint efforts by the city, management, works council, customers and suppliers prevented it; the plant was removed from the list in 1949 and reconstruction was completed by 1951. In 1964 the Friedrich Krupp Hüttenwerke AG acquired the majority of shares, ending WDI's legal independence as a joint-stock company. In 1972 WDI was merged with Klöckner Drahtindustrie to form Vereinigte Drahtindustrie (VDI), later VDG. Since 2009 the family business has been led by managing partner Katja Pampus. WDI remains headquartered at its historic Hamm site and continues to produce wire and finished wire products for industrial customers across Europe and worldwide.

Westfälische Drahtindustrie (WDI) was founded in 1856 by Carl Hobrecker as the Drahtwerk Hobrecker, Witte & Herbers in Hamm, Westphalia. The six-hectare works site lay directly on the Cologne-Minden railway and the road to Unna and Dortmund in western Hamm. It was the first European plant to use steam power for the production of rolled wire. In 1872, a general meeting at the Gasthof Zum Grafen von der Mark resolved to rename the works Aktiengesellschaft Westfälischer Draht-Industrie-Verein; the commercial register entry is dated 15 December 1872. A contemporary article in the Kölnische Zeitung reported that this created "the largest establishment in the world for the manufacture of rolled wire, drawn wire and wire nails." The share capital was stated in a prospectus of the 1870s as 2,000,000 Reichstaler, divided into 10,000 shares of 200 Reichstaler each. In 1874, despite initially sluggish economic success, a wire-refining plant was founded in Riga under the name Westfälischer Draht-Industrie-Verein Abteilung Riga, aimed at serving the Russian market, whose large demand for telegraph wire was to be exploited. The plant, later also called Rigaer Drahtindustrie, was lost with the outbreak of war in 1914. In 1882, to secure the supply of raw material, a smelting and rolling works was founded in Dalsbruk, Finland, but it did not pay off because customs policy hindered the transport of goods. A steel wire rope works was established in 1889 to supply shipbuilding. Barbed wire was sold mainly to the colonies and overseas. In 1890 the company changed its name again, trading from then on as Westfälische Drahtindustrie (abbreviated WDI). In 1910 Eduard Hobrecker, previously head of the main works, became a member of the board. The older Hobrecker firm, Gebrüder Hobrecker of 1820 in Hamm, was absorbed into WDI. In 1911 WDI joined the Krupp group but remained an independent works. With the outbreak of the First World War, operations at the Hamm plant came to a standstill because conscription left too few staff to maintain production. The plant soon resumed operations due to the high demand for wire for the army and subsequently employed up to 600 women. Still during the war, a landing stage was established opposite the works on the Datteln-Hamm Canal to handle coal and steel from the Ruhr. In 1918, with the end of the war, production and shipping temporarily ceased. The main Eduard Hobrecker works became unprofitable in 1921 after alterations at Hamm (Westfalen) station caused it to lose its rail connection. WDI took over the entire workforce and parts of the machinery. This consolidation left only two large wire-industry companies in Hamm. The firm Eduard Hobrecker was initially continued as a wholesale business. Inflation and the economic crisis led to significant staff reductions after 1923, while production also fell. Nevertheless, in 1929 WDI acquired a stake in Bau-Stahlgewebe Düsseldorf. After the Nazi seizure of power, rearmament brought a slight economic recovery until the outbreak of war in 1939. During the war the plant again supplied war-essential products and, together with the adjacent largest marshalling yard of the German Reich, became a frequent target for Allied bomber formations. It was hit by about 530 high-explosive bombs of various sizes and an unknown number of incendiary bombs. As a result, by 1945 80% of the buildings on the works site were destroyed and 50% of the technical facilities were unusable. As early as spring 1945, before the capitulation, slow reconstruction began. Two years after the capitulation, in 1947, it became known that the Hamm plant was slated for dismantling as number 117 on the dismantling list. Through joint action by the city, the board, the works council, and customers and suppliers, the dismantling was averted, and the plant was removed from the list in 1949. By 1951 reconstruction was complete and production capacity almost reached pre-war levels. In the same year the contract with the Krupp group expired and the works left the group. Close economic ties with the Rheinhausen steelworks continued. In 1956 the Hamm works celebrated its centenary with a commemorative publication and a special bonus for the workforce. The upswing of the young Federal Republic, later called the economic miracle, also carried WDI. In 1964 Walter Hobrecker, the last descendant of the founding family, left the board. At the same time Friedrich Krupp Hüttenwerke AG acquired the majority of shares, leading to integration into the Krupp group and ending WDI's legally independent status as a joint-stock company. In 1969 the company acquired an 80% majority of the share capital of Westfälische Betonstahlgitter GmbH in Hamm. In 1972 WDI was merged with Klöckner Drahtindustrie (KDI) to form Vereinigte Drahtindustrie (VDI), renamed VDG in 1974. Since 2009 the family business has been led by managing partner Katja Pampus. Today WDI operates from 15 locations in Europe with about 1,300 employees, producing quality wire in the main business areas of cold-heading, iron and steel wire, bright steel, structural steel, and high-performance ropes, as well as overhead line ropes for the energy industry, prestressing steel, welding technology, and fencing. Its products are sold in approximately 150,000 applications worldwide.

• 2009

  Katja Pampus becomes managing partner of the family business.

• 1972

  Merger with Klöckner Drahtindustrie to form Vereinigte Drahtindustrie (VDI), renamed VDG in 1974.

• 1969

  WDI acquires 80% of Westfälische Betonstahlgitter GmbH in Hamm.

• 1964

  Walter Hobrecker leaves the board; Friedrich Krupp Hüttenwerke AG acquires majority, ending legal independence.

• 1956

  Centenary of the Hamm works celebrated.

• 1951

  Reconstruction completed; contract with Krupp group expires and WDI leaves the group.

• 1949

  Hamm plant removed from the dismantling list (number 117) after joint efforts.

• 1945

  80% of buildings and 50% of technical facilities destroyed by Allied bombing; slow reconstruction begins.

• 1929

  WDI acquires a stake in Bau-Stahlgewebe Düsseldorf.

• 1911

  WDI joins the Krupp group while remaining an independent works.

• 1910

  Eduard Hobrecker becomes a member of the board; Gebrüder Hobrecker (founded 1820) absorbed into WDI.

• 1890

  Company renamed Westfälische Drahtindustrie (WDI).

• 1889

  Steel wire rope works established to supply shipbuilding.

• 1882

  Smelting and rolling works founded in Dalsbruk, Finland, to secure raw material supply.

• 1874

  Wire-refining plant founded in Riga to serve the Russian market.

• 1872

  Renamed Aktiengesellschaft Westfälischer Draht-Industrie-Verein; commercial register entry dated 15 December.

• 1856

  Carl Hobrecker founds the Drahtwerk Hobrecker, Witte & Herbers in Hamm; first European plant to use steam power for rolled wire production.

Europe's largest group-independent wire producer, serving industrial customers with a broad portfolio of wire and finished wire products from 15 European locations.

• Quality wire

  Cold-heading, iron and steel wire for industrial applications.

• Bright steel

  Bright steel products for precision applications.

• Structural steel

  Steel for construction industry.

• High-performance ropes

  High-performance wire ropes for demanding applications.

• Prestressing steel

  Prestressing steel for construction.

• Welding technology

  Welding wire and related products.

• Overhead line ropes

  Ropes for the energy transmission industry.

• Fencing and mesh

  Fencing and mesh products.

1. 1Westfälische Drahtindustrie – official websitewdi.de
2. 2Westfälische Drahtindustrie – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Westfälische Drahtindustrie – Wikidatawikidata.org