ALKA Engineering Services

In August ***9 , **-years old Manfred Bttcher bought the Fritz Khne Company, until then the company had been specialized in marketing machine tools. Two employees and two apprentices operated the company from Hamburg Billwerder.

***0 the company became the German trade representative of the Belgium branch of the Norwegian crane manufacturer Munck. But soon after they opened their own branch, Manfred Bttcher founded KHNEZUG.

***5 another KHNEZUG company was founded: the KHNEZUG Kran- und Containerbau GmbH in Hamburg, Quickborn. Then the KHNEZUG-Group, which is today's name, was for the first time in possession of her own production. They produced hoists following a new technology.

***8 KHNEZUG Kran- und-Containerbau was sold and KHNEZUG Handelsgesellschaft renamed to KHNEZUG Hebezeuge, located in Hamburg Billstedt. Already at that time KHNEZUG was using densified polyamid wheels to reduce the amount of noise and save weight, which resulted in a smooth crane handling.

By trying to manufacture the main girder in a simpler way, the idea of the oval girder emerged, which is produced by pressing steel pipes in an oval shape. Complicated welding works could be saved. Together with engineers from the company Kampnagel the idea was further developed. Already in ***0 the first test with an oval main girder was held at the shipyard Blohm & Voss in Hamburg.