Sandt
Jakob Sandt started the production in 1867 for the building and repairing of machines and tools for the shoe industry in Pirmasens, the former German shoe metropolis. Because it needs for the production of shoes not only leather but also materials like textiles, plastics and paperboard, new industry branches could be opened. Sandt was concentrating on the development and manufacture of cutting machines. The company detected soon the advantages of the hydraulic transmission of power and started already in 1930 with the manufacture of the first hydraulic drives, pumps and control components. After the rebuilding of the plant, which was destroyed during the second world war, the technology could be established. This led to a rapid development variation variety in the field of cutting machines. In the 70’s und 80’s of the last century the automotive industry and particularly its components suppliers become more importance for Sandt, because of there requirements for efficient operation and automation of cutting machines and plants.
Schön
The businessman Johannes Schön and the engineer Max Grund set up the company Schön in 1910 for the manufacture of shoe machines in Pirmasens. Schön developed their own drives parallel to Sandt, which met use in the shoe industry only. In 1950 Schön was introducing the worldwide first swing arm cutting machine on market. Because of the demand to equip complete shoe factories and the therefore required new developments also other branches became more and more important. In 1967 a cooperation contract with the Hungary engineering company KAEV has been concluded and the take over follows in 1991 to have a further production plant. End of the 60’s Schön started with the development of the first electronic CNC control, which could displace the mechanical cam controls in the following decade and has been used mainly in the field of automatic crosshead cutting machines. Also for Schön the automotive industry and their suppliers became successively more importance and this brought the both companies in a direct and strong competition.
Schön & Sandt
In 1996 both companies consolidated with take-over of the majority of shares by Schön & Cie AG. This yields to a further development of the previous range of cutting machines by using the best construction characteristics of both companies for nrew machine types. Because of the tight financial conditions due to the difficult market situation and very hard competition, the company was forced ti file the insolvency proceedings in April 2007.
schoen + sandt machinery
In May 2007, a small group of investors bought the assets and business of the insolvent Schoen + Sandt Maschinenbau GmbH. In the same year the assets and business of the insolvent Leiner Stanztechnik GmbH and TSM has been bought and integrated in the schoen + sandt machinery GmbH.
This brought a further impulse in technical advantages and new constructions in the field of cutting machines.