1903

In an age of technical upheaval, young master engineer Christian Friedrich Max Kroenert establishes a factory in Altona to manufacture wallpaper printing machines. From mid-1904 onwards he is assisted by mechanical engineer Hans-Jens Meyer.

1919

The gearing department is spun off into an independent company: Zahnradfabrik Altona/Elbe Hans Meyer Kommanditgesellschaft. Photograph: First order book dating back to 1919

1919

A first paraffinizing and laminating machine called the “KÖNIG” is delievered to a client in 1922 – it is the start of a long and successful development in the construction of wax coating and laminating machines.

1956

The RECO series is born. The name RECO is derived from the REverse COating application process.
A well-known trademark, the RECO is remains to this day the most widely built and most versatile machine type in the KROENERT product range.

1970

KROENERT develops a coating technology for self-adhesive label hotmelts. This independent product line is called PAK 400 today.

1974

COATEMA is founded.

1978

Growing environmental awareness prompts the chemical industry to develop new products such as solvent-free laminating adhesives and solvent-free silicones for label production. KROENERT works closely with the chemical industry. The company’s large in-house research centre is crucial to development.

1984

KROENERT develops the epoxy resin coating system, for solvent-free production of prepregs in roller form.

1995

Foundation of DRYTEC

1999

The group launches the first system using curtain technology and patented further development.

2000

COATEMA holds its first symposium. To this day, it remains a successful series of events that is highly regarded in the research community.

2003

KROENERT receives the patent for dispersion adhesive coating using curtain technology.

2003

COATEMA patents the double-sided coating system.

2004

KROENERT commissions the world’s widest and fastest test facility with a speed of 1 mph..

2006

COATEMA moves into its new headquarters. The total surface area of the premises is expanded to a total of 10,000 square metres.

2007

COATEMA registers Click&Coat as a trademark.

2008

KROENERT develops sleeve technology for anilox roller coating.

2009

A world record is set at the KROENERT Technology Center: a solvent-free lamination runs at 800 metres per minute, or 48 km per hour.

2010

KROENERT launches the first line for battery electrode coating.

2012

New generation of dryers at DRYTEC

2013

KROENERT is granted the patent for intermittent slot die coating.

2014

KROENERT launches the first inline OPV production line.

2018

The ATH family grows with the addition of COATEMA.

2019

KROENERT delivers two lines with intermittent coating for fuel cell production.

2020

COATEMA holds its established symposium entirely in virtual form for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) will dominate all branches of industry in a few years’ time. For this reason, KROENERT launches a project in 2020 to combine the latest AI research conducted at Helmut Schmidt University (HSU) Hamburg with the specialist expertise of the AI start-up PANDA and its own extensive industry experience.

2022

ATH focuses its strategic orientation on the converting industry and sells ZAE Antriebssysteme.