* 31st December 1860 in Boehmisch Aicha, † 15th December 1928 in Gumpoldskirchen
Let’s briefly look back to when it all began for KLINGER: to be exact, it was set in motion 160 years ago with the birth of the company’s founder, Richard Klinger. Klinger was born in exceptional times on 31st December 1860. The late 19th century was a time of change – and in some way similar to our time now. Technological progress changed the traditional trades at a blistering pace. New machines were whirring everywhere, electricity spread into everyday life, new materials and solutions were needed. Today, we are experiencing the changes to communication and commerce with digital progress.
Contacts mentioned in the article:
Christoph Klinger-Lohr, CEO of KLINGER Group
Looking forward, not back
As the son of a building constructor, Richard Klinger loved technological progress and engineering: as a boy, he was already a tinkerer, going on to study Mechanical Engineering in Vienna and to found an engineering workshop in 1886. This is where, in 1888, he designed a special reflex glass for indicating water levels, which he had patented.
KLINGER’s signature product Klingerit
Flexibility as recipe for success
Still, with scientific progress, by 1970 it became apparent that the asbestos fiber, a constituting component of Klingerit, might be harmful to health. Again, the company (which by this time was led by Richard Klinger’s descendants) was quick to act, changing the recipe and introducing Klingersil, the world’s first asbestos-free sealing material. When in 1990 the production and use of asbestos was forbidden in Austria, KLINGER was already one step ahead of their competitors, using alternative components within their gaskets, serving the same purpose without posing a risk to health.
Recognizing the signs of the times
Recognizing the signs of the time, looking ahead and acting flexibly in order to supply the industry with the best products – this is how Richard Klinger got to the very top. When he died aged 68, his heirs (CEO Christoph Klinger-Lohr is a fifth generation descendant) continued the company, expanding it into a global enterprise. Many things have changed since then, but the founder’s values still make up the DNA of the KLINGER Group.
