"Applied technologies have been developed and changed considerably over the ages, but the motivation has remained the same: hygiene, health, and well-being" -- Gerhard Rosenberg
Aquatherm was founded by Gerhard Rosenberg on August 17, 1973 in the cellar of his home by developing the first under floor pipe heating system. Aquatherm GmbH had its official beginning with the registration in the register of companies in November 1973. After moving to and from various locations, the first plant facility was constructed in Attendorn-Biggen, Germany in 1978.
Today the main portion of the company includes a tool-making plant, a logistics center, a training center and also its own laboratory, engineering, technology development plant covering a constructed area of 49,720 m2 on a property spreading over 61,883 m2. The ground breaking ceremony took place in the Radeberg branch near Dresden on July 1, 1991; today this subsidiary produces approximately 10 million meters of pipes annually on premises of over 5,500 m2. That corresponds to a daily output of 40,000 meters of pipes on average. The location at Radeberg is optimally equipped with its own training center and a monitoring laboratory. In 2006 Aquatherm manufactured more than 43 million meters of pipes as well as nearly 56 million fittings in diameters ranging from 16 mm to 250 mm, equating to approximately 14,000 tons of processed plastic granules.
This rapid growth stemmed from continuous development of engineered products resulting in recent years of the heating and cooling grids climasystem and the sprinkler pipe system firestop products. In March 2002, the logistics center with an area of over 9,000 m2 and a total storage volume of 70,786.67 m2 started on the adjacent and recently developed area of Bruckenweg. In consequence the earlier pipe storage facilities now could be integrated with the rise in production leading to an optimization of the entire material flow. After completing the logistics center the company started the necessary expansion of the independent tool making plant on a total area of 736 m2. This was completed within a short span of two months. Thus the strong points of the Aquatherm company, namely flexibility, short development periods and quick reaction to market requirements and its steadily increasing demands are a guarantee for its future. In the meantime nearly the entire area of Bruckenweg has been acquired and is now available for the company without restrictions for its future plans. Both pre-existing structures have been refurbished completely and meanwhile are being used for warehousing pipe, for the company's booth construction department and also for maintenance. Currently another storage facility with an effective area of approximately 700 m2 is also under construction.
In order to meet the increasing training requirements for national and international customers, in 2003 the total area of the training center, furnished with most modern equipment for seminars, has been threefold extended from 217 m2 to 623 m2. Here Aquatherm's guests are trained and familiarized with the high standards of system engineering and the advantages of its pipe products. In the spring of 2006, an expansion was began on the main office building now allowing for all departments to coexist under one roof, including international sales, exporting, marketing and accounting. Another modern four-storied building with a total area of 7,430 m2 has also been completed and moved into close to the logistics center. Next to a conference and guest area are new facilities designed for the assembly department, manifold construction and packing department with an integrated office area, and an ultra-modern technology development plant with annexed laboratory has also been constructed.
The company laboratory occupies 1,500 m2 for research and development. Fourteen technicians carry out physical and chemical tests (associated with stability and resistance). Organoleptic (hygiene tests) as well as thermal analysis of organic and non-organic materials are also tested, using microscopic analysis. The latest in testing equipment for mechanical tests are used as well as an experimental extrusion line and a special injection moulding machine to assist in the reduction in development times along with improved quality precedents being addressed. In 2004 in the nearby town of Ennest more facilities were also acquired for storage and production including a new 550 m2 office building. Even with all of the growth over the past few years the company management still follows the motto: "Lean structures with maximum efficiency should and will guarantee the strength of the private company in the future." In the end the company remains flexible and responds quickly to an ever changing market and customer's requests, allowing for short lead times in product development and testing cycles with optimal product quality, and finally expanding its world-wide market presence with experienced partners.
