headquarters munich germany key people klaus deller chairman of the executive board dr. bernd bohr chairman of the supervisory board products braking systems rail and road revenue 5.8 billion 2015 1 number of employees 24 275 as of dec 31 2015 2 website www.knorr bremse.de en georg knorr 1859 1911 bruno kunze 1854 1935 knorr bremse gmbh berlin 1908 s ddeutsche bremsen ag munich 1924 knorr bremse ag headquarters today munich knorr bremse bremse meaning brake is a manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles that has operated in the field for over 110 years . other products in group s portfolio include intelligent door systems control components air conditioning systems for rail vehicles and torsional vibration dampers transmission control systems for commercial vehicles . in 2015 the group s workforce of over 24 000 achieved worldwide sales of eur 5.8 billion . 3 self published source 4 the group has over 100 locations in 30 countries . 5 contents 1 history 1.1 foundation 1.2 expansion 1.3 re establishment 2 products 2.1 rail vehicles 2.2 commercial vehicles 3 see also 4 references 5 external links history edit foundation edit engineer georg knorr established knorr bremse gmbh in 1905 in boxhagen rummelsburg neue bahnhofstra e near berlin since 1920 part of berlin friedrichshain . its production of railway braking systems derived from a company carpenter & schulze founded in 1883 . in 1911 the company merged with continentale bremsen gmbh to found knorr bremse aktiengesellschaft ag . from 1913 onwards a second manufactoring plant new headquarters a heating plant and other annex buildings were erected . the initial basis for knorr s commercial success was provided by an agreement with the prussian state railways which at that time had formed the prussian hessian railway company to supply single chamber express braking systems first for passenger and later on for freight trains . the knorr druckluft einkammerschnellbremse k1 a compressed air brake and its derivatives offered considerably enhanced safety performance compared with traditional systems . in the early twentieth century train guards still had to operate brakes by hand from so called brake vans . the first pneumatic brakes were of a basic design but before long indirect automatic systems using control valves were developed . see history of rail transport in germany for an overview . expansion edit in 1920 the manufacturing plant of the first bayerische motoren werke ag bmw established in 1917 1918 located in munich moosacher stra e became a subsidiary of knorr bremse delivering brake systems as s ddeutsche bremsen ag for the bavarian group administration the former royal bavarian state railways . there was no further interest in motor engines for aircraft and automobiles . the engine construction and the company name bmw were sold in 1922 to financier camillo castiglioni to be combined with the bayerische flugzeugwerke ag bfw located not far away establishing the company a second time . for details see history of bmw and bfw messerschmitt . 1922 until 1927 the new main manufacturing plant in berlin at the hirschberger stra e schreiberhauer stra e next to the berlin ringbahn was erected a tunnelled road combined both the old and the new site . the second main area of activity emerged in 1922 when knorr moved into pneumatic braking systems for commercial road vehicles . the company was the first in europe to develop a system that applied the brakes simultaneously to all four wheels of a truck as well as its trailer . the resultant reduction in braking distances made a significant contribution to improving road safety . a small number of the swedish light mg35 36 machine gun were also manufactured by knorr for the german forces in the 1940s . re establishment edit the company is relocated at the s ddeutsche bremsen ag plant in munich the former sites in the eastern part of berlin being expropriated after 1945 . in 2002 knorr takes over from honeywell international inc. its share of joint ventures in europe brazil and the usa buying bendix commercial vehicle systems to make it the leading company in the brake system industry . 1900 georg knorr invents knorr einkammerschnellbremse k1 compressed air brake for passenger trains . 1905 24 knorr founds knorr bremse gmbh near berlin . knorr bremse develops air brakes for trains and becomes a major european manufacturer of rail vehicle brakes . bruno kunze and knorr invent kunze knorr brake later enhanced to hildebrand knorr brake with wilhelm hildebrand . 1911 georg knorr dies during reconvalescence in davos switzerland . foundation of knorr bremse aktiengesellschaft . 1918 27 kunze knorr kk automatic compressed air brake equipped by the deutsche reichsbahn on passenger and freight trains . 1920 former bmw plant in munich becomes a subsidiary manufacturing braking systems as s ddeutsche bremsen ag . 1923 development of air brakes for commercial road vehicles and trailers . 1931 39 the hildebrand knorr hik braking system is used for express trains in 17 countries . by that time 90 % of all german lorries in the 7 16 t range are fitted with knorr braking systems . 1945 53 company headquarters are relocated from berlin to munich former s ddeutsche bremsen ag in bavaria . development and manufacture of braking systems resumed in the western part of germany with emphasis on hik system . 1955 introduction of the knorr bremse mit einheitswirkung ke braking system for passenger and freight trains . 1972 anti lock braking system for commercial road vehicles . 1985 93 during a difficult phase in the company s development heinz hermann thiele acquires a majority share and launches a radical restructuring program . knorr bremse becomes a global player . the aar db60 control valve for freight trains gains access to north american market . 1992 pneumatic disc brake for commercial vehicles introduced . series production begins in 1996 . 1999 robert bosch gmbh merges activities in the electronic brake control sector with knorr bremse commercial vehicle systems . knorr bremse takes a 60 % share giving it overall managerial control of the joint venture ; bosch retains a 20 % share . 2002 knorr bremse takes over bendix commercial vehicle systems from honeywell bendix becoming a subsidiary . knorr bremse group achieves sales of eur 2.1 billion for the first time . modular braking system for locomotives is introduced . 2004 oil free compressor for railway vehicles . system compressor with coupling for road vehicles . 2005 centenary of operation . products edit rail vehicles edit knorr bremse not only produces complete braking systems for all types of rolling stock but also door systems toilets air conditioning couplings and windscreen wipers . in 2000 it purchased british manufacturer westinghouse brakes formerly the brakes division of westinghouse brake and signal company ltd from invensys and subsequently moved its operations from chippenham to the nearby english town of melksham wiltshire . 6 since 2002 knorr bremse has been working on variable gauge systems for more efficient solutions to break of gauge problems . commercial vehicles edit knorr bremse has been developing and manufacturing braking systems for commercial vehicles since 1920 for trucks and semi trailer tractor units over 6 tonnes buses trailers or special vehicles . see also edit new york air brake robert bosch gmbh westinghouse air brake company references edit http www.knorr bremse.de en group ataglance aufeinenblickiii.jsp . missing or empty title help http www.knorr bremse.de en group ataglance aufeinenblickiii.jsp . missing or empty title help knorr bremse group at a glance . www.knorr bremse.de . retrieved 2016 04 06 . maudes capital 24 september 2016 . haldex ab bidding war . get it while you can . seeking alpha . retrieved 24 september 2016 . knorr bremse worldwide . retrieved 2014 02 08 . invensys investor relations news release april 25 2000 invensys sells westinghouse brakes to knorr bremse . retrieved from the internet archive on march 30 2008 . external links edit knorr bremse website bendix commercial vehicle systems llc v t e knorr bremse people georg knorr products mg35 36 machine gun new york air brake companies bendix corporation westinghouse brake and signal company ltd v t e railway brakes types counter pressure brake countersteam brake dynamic brake eddy current brake electromagnetic brake exhaust brake heberlein brake hand brake kunze knorr brake railway air brake railway disc brake regenerative brake steam brake track brake vacuum brake manufacturers faiveley transport knorr bremse new york air brake westinghouse air brake company westinghouse brake and signal company ltd other aspects brake van diesel brake tender diesel electric locomotive dynamic braking electronically controlled pneumatic brakes electro pneumatic brake system on british railway trains emergency brake train retarder dowty retarders related topics air brake bicycle brake brake dead man s switch drum brake engine braking hydraulic brake pneumatics railroad safety appliance act united states vehicle brake v t e westinghouse subsidiaries baldwin westinghouse electric locomotives electrification of the new york new haven and hartford railroad bryant electric company infinity broadcasting corporation new england westinghouse company westinghouse aviation gas turbine division westinghouse broadcasting products a2w reactor list of westinghouse locomotives s2w reactor transit expressway revenue line people george westinghouse related companies viacom cbs corporation westinghouse digital westinghouse electric company westinghouse licensing corporation white westinghouse related george westinghouse award george westinghouse medal intel science talent search westinghouse works 1904 retrieved from https en.wikipedia.org w index.php title knorr bremse & oldid 740989033 categories german brandsrailway infrastructure companiesmanufacturing 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