News

04.01.10

ANNIVERSARY: 100 Years Gerhard Hänel!

Joachim Hänel
Chief Executive Sales

Michael Hänel
Chief Executive Technology

Dear Customers,

Gerhard Hänel, our company founder, would have just celebrated his one hundredth birthday. In commemoration we would like to dedicate this issue of the Hänel News to his life‘s work.

The following reports, anecdotes and documents will tell you more about Gerhard Hänel the man – from the beginning of his career in Zwickau to the company‘s position today as a global enterprise headquartered in Bad Friedrichshall.

These stories combine to reveal an overall picture of a successful entrepreneur, forward thinker and ultimately a person worthy of our admiration: our father.

We trust you‘ll discover some interesting and amusing facts when reading this anniversary issue.

Kind regards

Joachim Hänel Michael Hänel

Gerhard Hänel devoted his whole life
to his work

The youngest of four siblings, Gerhard Hänel was born in Lauter, Saxony, on June 30th, 1909. His parents owned a grocery store and the family prospered. ( more… )

Gerhard Hänel devoted his whole life to his work

A fresh start in Bad Friedrichshall

Working from what Gerhard Hänel called a ‘wooden shed’ he built mobile cupboards and hairdressers’ cabinets in 1953. Business expanded quickly. Then one day when Gerhard Hänel saw some automated office carousels in an American brochure he thought: ‘I can do that.’ ( more... )

The Hänel vertical carousel –
an ingenious principle

In 1957 he was the first person in Europe to series-produce filing carousels designed according to the Ferris wheel principle. The Hänel filing carousels were distributed through a renowned vendor of hanging folders until the end of the ‘60s. ( more... )

The Hänel vertical carousel – an ingenious principle

A leader – an inspiration
Memories from the perspective of
a contemporary

For almost 40 years Kurt Velmeke had the privilege of accompanying Gerhard Hänel through his professional life – 7 years as a business associate and 33 working for him directly. ( more... )

A leader – an inspiration: Memories from the perspective of a contemporary

‘I couldn‘t have done it all
without my wife’

Liselotte Hänel was a vital support to her husband throughout his life, both at home and at work.
( more... )

Gerhard Hänel: ‘‘I couldn‘t have done it all without my wife’

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