Brammer: A New Millennium 2000-2006
A step change in Brammer’s growth came in November 2000 as Brammer announced it was to further increase its European presence with THF GmbH, in Germany, joining the Group in January 2001. THF was the leading value added supplier of technical components in Germany. With locations in the Czech Republic and Hungary it also meant that Brammer would have a foothold in the developing economies of Central Europe.
THF was created by the Freudenberg Group in the early 1990s when they began to take over long-established independent regional distributors. During the next three years, which were shaped and influenced by significant organisational and structural changes, further distributors joined the young company.
With a branch network across Germany aimed at being close to the customer, ‘THF KG’ soon established its market leadership in Germany, with subsidiaries also in Hungary and the Czech Republic. In 2001, Carl Fischer GmbH (founded in 1879 in Hamburg) joined the business.
In October 2001, Brammer’s continued growth was made visible again in Spain with the Rabinad Group, comprising of four companies with five different selling locations in the main industrial centres of Catalonia, joining the Company.
By late 2001, Brammer was Europe’s clear market leader for the supply of bearings, mechanical and electrical power transmission, seals, gearboxes and value added engineering with over 100,000 customers choosing between 500,000 product types through 200 branches.
In Austria in 2002, Britannia Edelstahlgesellschaft, which was founded in 1930, joined the Group. By 1987, Britannia had to relocate for a second time to Heiligenstädter Lände as it continued to grow rapidly. Britannia also opened a representational office in Sofia, Bulgaria and by now 21 people were working for Britannia full time. In 2005 Britannia was combined with AKN Steyr – part of the KNS Group – to form Brammer in Austria.
2002 also saw Brammer’s next step in the Czech Republic when Awexim joined the Brammer Group. Awexim was founded in 1991 in Prague and In 11 successful years the company had created a strong presence in all important industrial areas in the Czech Republic and in 2002, Awexim incorporated THF Czech Republic and jointly became Brammer’s company in the country. By 2005, Awexim had increased its turnover as part of the Group by more than 50%.
Brammer’s expansion continued in Central and Eastern Europe throughout 2003 where in Hungary Berdo Technik, THF Hungary and part of MRE-H (Market Rasen Engineering-Hungary) joined the Brammer Group. MRE-H was selling bearings, MPT products and seals. This company was the oldest among the three newly joined companies. The combined business became Brammer in Hungary in 2005.
All this activity across the Group led to a momentous change. 2004 saw the beginning of the shift-away from independently operating country-based businesses. Brammer was thus able to focus on its strategic priority of developing added value technical distribution across Europe. One Brammer was born.
Later that year, the new logo for the business was chosen under the name of its original founder, Harry Brammer. It was given a new style and a revamped genie designed to promote a strong consistent brand.
In 2005 Brammer’s Dutch, Hungarian, French and Italian businesses all changed their names to the new Brammer identity. This new branding reflected the group’s strategy of European synergy and consistency.
In Italy, in 2005, Brammer opened its first branch. The Italian business started to sell bearings and transmission, particularly through key relationships with key customers.
The next step in development in the Czech Republic and Slovakia took place in September 2005, when a new business joined Brammer. This business, MHBH, had been founded in 1996 which originally had headquarters in Havlickuv Brod but later moved to Dvur Kralove. The company grew successfully and by 2004 had established eight branches in the Czech Republic and one in Slovakia. Later MBHB Brammer, as it had become, began to increase the product range and it started to sell fluid power, linear motion, seals and power tools. Brammer, now incorporating MHBH and Awexim, became the biggest player on the Czech market with excellent geographic coverage and a wide product range.
Continued growth in Belgium was achieved with the Ramaekers business joining Brammer in 2006. This company was founded in 1983 and is based in Hoboken, in Antwerp. The addition of Ramaekers has meant that the sales turnover of Brammer in Belgium had doubled.
Further growth became possible in the Hungarian market when Brammer Hungary bought KS Csapagy in May 2006, located in Györ, one of the main industrial centres of Hungary. By September 2006 the capacity and people within the business had increased by 50% with 16 people in the business.
In 2006, with Brammer now in 11 countries - Austria, Belgium, the Czech and Slovak Republics, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK – the final steps were put in place that would unite the whole business under one brand, Brammer, across Europe.
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