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History & Milestones

PALUX is a company with a long tradition and looks back on an eventful company history. Started in 1929 as a small family business, we have developed over the past decades into one of the world's leading suppliers of efficient kitchen technology and integrated concepts for professional kitchens.

The secret of the PALUX success: investment-safe kitchen concepts, practice-oriented products and quality "made in Germany".

Learn more about the history of PALUX, for which engineer Hugo Patzner laid the foundation stone in 1929.

 

The PALUX-Chronicle at a glance


1929

  • Foundation of the company Patzner & Co. by engineer Hugo Patzner in Groß Schönau in northern Bohemia (today Velký Šenov in the Czech Republic).
  • Start of development and production of coffee machines.

1935

  • Opening of the new subsidiary in Sebnitz (Saxony).

1941

  • Relocation of the main production plant from Groß Schönau to Niedereinsiedel (northern Bohemia).

1945

  • Expropriation of the main production plant in the Czech Republic.

1946

  • Hugo Patzner fled to Sebnitz in the Soviet occupation zone and former German Democratic Republic.

1949

  • Escape of Hugo Patzner from the GDR and settlement in Bad Mergentheim combined with the new foundation of the Patzner KG in November 1949.

1953

  • Temporary start of production of built-in bicycle engines and mopeds in Holzapfelgasse and Haus Frey in Herrenwiesenstraße.

1954

  • PALUX builds the first deep fat fryers.

1955

  • The former, burnt-down Wehrmacht halls in Schillerstraße were bought, rebuilt and extended by a modern intermediate building.

1956

  • In December: Move from Holzapfelgasse to the new buildings in Schillerstraße (today Buchener Straße since the construction of the western bypass).

1959

  • Start of the production of dishwashers.

1966

  • Death of the limited partner Willi Patzner.

1967

  • Start of the production of kitchen extension units "The golden series".
  • PALUX products are awarded the Gold Medal at the Paris Salon and the Brussels Inventors' Fair.

1969

  • 70th birthday of engineer Hugo Patzner.
  • 40th company anniversary of PALUX, 20 years of which at the Bad Mergentheim site.
  • Hugo Patzner is awarded the Federal Cross of Merit at a large ceremony in the Bad Mergentheim Kursaal.

1970

  • Hugo Patzner dies on 23.11.1970 at the age of only 71 years.
  • The nephews Helmut and Norbert Patzner take over the business and continue to run it.

1975

  • Acquisition of Protechnica GmbH, which manufactures and distributes equipment for hot beverage preparation.
  • Production of the Bremer coffee machines is moved from Bremen to Bad Mergentheim.
  • Patzner KG with the brands "PALUX" and "Bremer" is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial coffee machines at this time.

1977

  • New construction of Plant II in the industrial park "Im Abelt" in the Edelfingen district of Bad Mergentheim.

1978

  • Since the middle of 1978, Plant II has housed the entire interim storage facility including pre-assembly, assembly, special construction, shipping and finished goods storage.

1981

    • In March: Conversion to Patzner GmbH & Co. KG.

1982

  • Transfer of the distribution of Bremer coffee machines to Bad Mergentheim.

1983

  • Until the year 1983 PALUX is family-owned, then new partners replace the long-time owner family Patzner.

1989

  • Expansion of Plant II.

1990

  • Conversion from a partnership to a limited company: renaming to "PALUX Technik für die Gastronomie GmbH".
  • Investment in new production technologies.
  • Inauguration of the new construction and training centre in Plant II.
  • Presentation of the new dishwasher generation and fully automatic Bremer coffee machines.

1991

  • Takeover of the company MAFAGO-Maschinenfabrik Bad Gottleuba GmbH in the new federal states (Saxony).

1992

  • PALUX is sole supplier of all competition kitchens at the Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt.

1993

  • Transformation into the PALUX Aktiengesellschaft (public limited company).

1994

  • Launch of the PALUX Topline series.

1997

  • Presentation of the fully automatic coffee machine Bremer Viva XXL at the INTERNORGA.
  • Award for the Bremer Viva XXL as "Best Product of the Year 1997" (awarded by the Gastgewerbe-Verlag).

1999

  • Acquisition by Equita GmbH & Co. Beteiligungen KGaA as capital investor.

2002

  • Sale of Bremer Kaffeemaschinen GmbH to Franke Holding AG (CH).
  • Restructuring of the group and foundation of GUSTATUS Holding GmbH based in Bad Mergentheim.
  • Acquisition of today's SALVIS AG (CH) from Franke Holding AG (CH).

2004

  • Complete relocation from Buchener Straße to the headquarters Plant II.

2005

  • Launch of the PALUX BistroLine series.

2007

  • Change of shareholders due to management buy-out of PALUX board member Dipl.-Kfm. Erhard Ikas.

2009

  • Launch of the PALUX FryStar series.

2011

  • Launch of the PALUX Touch 'n' Steam combi steamer series.
  • Award "Grünes Band 2011 – Prize for Sustainability in the Away-from-Home Market": 3rd place in the Energy category, awarded by the trade magazines gastronomie & hotellerie and GV-kompakt.

2012

  • "Red Dot Product Design Award 2012" for the PALUX Touch 'n' Steam combi steamer series.

2013

  • Launch of the PALUX ProfiLine series.
  • BEST of Market 2013: 3rd place in the cooking technology category.

2015

  • Launch of the PM PALUX Menu Master series.
  • Award "Catering Star 2015 in Gold" in the product group kitchen accessories & other kitchen technology for PALUX GreenVAC®.
  • Award "Catering Star 2015 in Silver" in the product group cooking and range technology for PALUX SousChef Sous-Vide-Cooker.
  • Award "Küche Award 2015 in Silver" in the category cooking and range technology for PALUX Touch 'n' Steam Combi-Duo-Station.

2016

  • Investment in new production technology (Trumpf TruBend 5320 and Trumpf TruMatic 7000).

2017

  • Dr. Hilmar Rudloff expands the Management Board as Chief Technical Officer (CTO) as of 15.03.2017.

2018

  • Change of management at PALUX AG: Dipl.-Kfm. Erhard Ikas resigns as Chairman of the Board on 30.11.2018.
  • Dipl.-Kfm. Torsten Hehner is appointed to the board of PALUX AG with effect from 01.11.2018. He will be responsible for the areas of sales, marketing and personnel.
  • Dr. Hilmar Rudloff becomes Spokesman of the Executive Board.
  • Award "Küche Award 2018 in Gold" in the category cooking and range technology for PALUX Topline Black Edition.
  • Award "BEST of Market 2018": 1st place in the category Design – Concept for PALUX Topline Black Edition.

2019

  • Dipl.-Kfm. Erhard Ikas becomes Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
  • Anniversary: 25 years PALUX Topline.
  • Launch of the new PALUX Topline D at the INTERNORGA 2019.
  • Launch of the new PALUX Pressure-Steamer at the INTERNORGA 2019.
  • Award "Catering Star 2019 in Bronze" in the category cooking and range technology for PALUX Topline D.
  • 90th company anniversary of PALUX.

2020

  • Launch of the PALUX Hygiene Solutions as answer to the COVID-19 pandemic: new are the PALUX Disinfection Station and the PALUX Hygiene Station.
  • "Cooking Award 2020 in Gold" in the category "cooking and range technology" for the PALUX Pressure Steamer.
  • "Catering Star 2020 in Gold" in the category "frontcooking equipment" for the PALUX SteamTeam.