The Murtfeldt story

The Murtfeldt story in pictures

Draw on past experiences, live in the present, and look towards the future:

The Murtfeldt story in detail

2022 The Murtfeldt Group presents its new website
The Murtfeldt Group enjoys continuous growth and presents its complete portfolio on the new Group websitewww.murtfeldt-group.de.
As a network of companies, the Group is a leader in the development and production of high-quality technical plastic solutions. All companies in the Murtfeldt Group share the same standards in terms of technology and innovation, quality, philosophy, environment and sustainability.

2021 Nürberg-based Crosslink strengthens Murtfeldt’s lightweight construction expertise
Crosslink has been part of the Murtfeldt Group since 21 September 2021. The company from Cadolzburg forms a perfect team with Friedrichshafen-based Carbovation in the field of fibre-reinforced lightweight components under the umbrella “Murtfeldt Composites. Customers benefit even more from this broad spectrum of development expertise and manufacturing technologies.

2020 Murtfeldt takes over 3D printing start-up Jomatik
With the acquisition of the Tübingen-based start-up, Murtfeldt expands its core industrial expertise with the diverse possibilities of industrial 3D printing. As Murtfeldt Additive Solutions, the Tübingen subsidiary provides industrial customers with advice and development services including prototypes, custom and series production, and complete assemblies.

2019 Carbovation becomes new Murtfeldt subsidiary
Through the acquisition of lightweight construction expert Carbovation, Murtfeldt expands its portfolio to include lightweight construction and fibre composites. The Friedrichshafen-based company processes carbon and glass fibres and produces high-quality and technically sophisticated products in the field of fibre composites at Lake Constance.

2016 Murtfeldt wins the Dortmund Business Prize
Murtfeldt Kunststoffe is awarded the 2015 Dortmund Business Prize by the City of Dortmund on 11 March 2016. At the prize’s 11th annual awards event, held at Dortmund’s U Tower, Murtfeldt Kunststoffe is recognised for its conscious commitment to Dortmund as a business location, where it maintains a sustainable and very successful presence.

2015 Murtfeldt Kunststoffe receives 2014 Ideas Prize
The Marketing Club (MC) Dortmund e.V. awards the 2014 Ideas Prize to Murtfeldt Kunststoffe on 7 May 2015. The award particularly recognises the Dortmund-based company for its clear commitment to Dortmund as a business location, which it continues to strengthen through forward-looking investments. There is also praise for the special corporate culture through which management sets standards in terms of assuming responsibility for comprehensive environmental management, and the exemplary involvement and promotion of its employees. August 2014

Murtfeldt celebrates its 60th birthday
To celebrate the company's 60th birthday and the completion of its new building and modernization phase, Murtfeldt invites all employees and their families to a big Murtfeldt summer party. With sightseeing tours, live bands and lavish catering, Murtfeldt celebrates the start of a new era.

June 2014 Dortmund headquarters unveils ultra-modern look
Murtfeldt completes its large-scale new build and renovation project at its Dortmund headquarters, which creates ample space and state-of-the-art workplaces for its administrative team and also for additional employees in the medium term. The high bay warehouse is also extensively remodelled into a fully automated storage facility.

April 2014 Murtfeldt takes over chocolate factory
Murtfeldt Kunststoffe takes over the neighbouring site of the former Van Netten chocolate factory, including buildings. This gives Murtfeldt an excellent opportunity to further develop and expand its site in Dortmund-Brackel. Around 30,000 square metres of the 80,000 square metre Van Netten property is production space that Murtfeldt Kunststoffe knows how to put to good use going forward.

2013 Dortmund site expands
Expansion of the Dortmund headquarters has been steadily pursued for decades. Starting with just one production hall in 1973, Murtfeldt has a total production area of 17,000 square metres as of 2013. Office space is also adapted to suit changing needs on an ongoing basis. In addition, the administration building is given a complete refurbishment by March 2014. Thanks to a new administrative building and a generous expansion of reception and meeting areas, including a redesign of the façade, Murtfeldt Kunststoffe now presents itself with a completely new look. A redesign of the warehouse and the construction of a new canteen round off the extensive building measures.

2008 New premises for Murtfeldt Plasty, Czech Republic
A spacious new building on the northern outskirts of Prague provides 1800 square metres of production space and a further 700 square metres of administrative space. Under the management of Libor Galatik, custom finished parts are milled, cut, planed, drilled and turned here according to customer drawings, and also mechanically machined using CNC machines. Murtfeldt Plasty sources standard products and semi-finished products required for further processing from its parent company in Dortmund.

2004 Murtfeldt turns 50
50 years of Murtfeldt are celebrated together with employees, as well as year-round prize promotions and a 32-page anniversary brochure documenting Murtfeldt’s success story in its first half century.

1999 New premises for Mata, The Netherlands
Murtfeldt responds to Mata's positive business development with new premises. 2400 square metres of production and storage space as well as 400 square metres of office space, an extensive warehouse and an equally large machine pool enable short delivery times. These facilities also allow Mata to provide custom consulting as a key service feature.

1994 Certification according to DIN EN ISO 9001
Murtfeldt is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001 as early as 1994, thereby substantiating its high quality standards. The Dortmund-based plastics expert is one of the first companies to undergo an environmental audit in compliance with DIN EN ISO 14001.

1993 Founding of Murtfeldt Italia, Italy
The company heads south! A new Murtfeldt site is set up in Varese, north of Milan, as the Italian mechanical engineering industry is one of the world leaders at the time, making it essential for Murtfeldt products to be available locally. An extensive warehouse and a plastics processing plant is required in Varese to ensure competitiveness and fast response times. Murtfeldt Italia very quickly achieves a significant market share, and is supported by the production facilities in Dortmund.

1992 Opening of Murtfeldt Plasty, Czech Republic
The subsidiary Murtfeldt Plasty opens its doors in 1991 with the aim of acting as a trading and contact partner for the Eastern European market. The Czech and Slovakian markets continue to develop and demand grows. Murtfeldt Plasty is soon called upon to set up its own production facilities.

1989 Opening of subsidiary Mata, The Netherlands
In 1989, Murtfeldt acquires the Dutch company Mata, which it has collaborated with since the late 1960s. Under the management of Jan Paulides, the company quickly develops into a major supplier of engineering plastics and custom plastic machine parts for the Dutch machine construction industry.

1973 Construction of headquarters at current location
Murtfeldt acquires a new plot of land in Dortmund-Brackel. The first construction phase is completed on this plot in 1973. At long last, the prerequisites are created for Murtfeldt to be able to adapt its production and warehouse to the ongoing expansion of its business. Further construction phases follow. Murtfeldt has by now become known as a specialist for plastics with excellent slide properties and high abrasion resistance.

1969 Move to Dortmund-Barop
In 1969, Murtfeldt purchases premises in Dortmund-Barop, which now house Production, Sales and Administration. According to plans, this leap will provide enough space for years, but after only three years of successful growth, capacity is already stretched to the limit.

1967 Launch of chain guide rails
Murtfeldt starts developing the chain sliding guides that are known worldwide today. Whereas roller chains were previously guided noisily along oil-smeared steel rails and were prone to wear, a completely different picture emerges with the introduction of plastic slide bars made from Original Material "S", which is ideally suited for this purpose. Chains have been moving quietly, cleanly and with little wear ever since.

1963 Start of in-house production
Development of production begins in 1963 with a circular saw. Initially, production takes place in a converted bakery in Moltkestraße in the east of Dortmund's city centre. Murtfeldt quickly develops from being a trading enterprise into a manufacturing company. Trading in other industrial products is discontinued completely in the 1960s.

1958 Launch of Original Material ”S” Green®
1958 marks the beginning of a story, namely a unique, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene called Original Werkstoff “S“®. The green plastic is characterised by its excellent wear resistance and outstanding acid resistance. The “S” in the material's name refers to the German word for acid resistance (Säurebeständigkeit). Because of it high resistance to chemicals, the first applications being developed are for use within the steel industry. Given its high abrasion resistance and extremely good sliding properties, Murtfeldt quickly starts using Original Material "S"® in the field of machine construction.

1954 Founding of the company
1954 sees Germany become football world champions for the first time. And Fritz Murtfeldt founds a trading company with the purpose of selling industrial goods of all kinds for mining and heavy industry. At this time, only a laminated densified wood is used in special applications in the machine construction industry where plastics will later be used. The business is developed under relatively basic conditions, compared to today, but with plenty of drive and entrepreneurial spirit. Products were, for example, delivered by bicycle throughout Dortmund in these early days.