Rohloff

The Rohloff AG is a German company from Fulda valley near Kassel that manufactures bicycle components. The company was founded in 1986 by Barbara and Bernhard Rohloff SLT 99 for the production of the bike circuit chain.

Company's history and products

After the SLT has 99 well accepted by the market, the Italian manufacturer Campagnolo rose 1990 Rohloff, which meant that the next four years, all Campagnolo chains were equipped with Rohloff.

After 4 years of cooperation, the customer Campagnolo was interested to obtain better prices for the chains while the investor Campagnolo wanted more yield. This contradiction led in 1994 to separate the company Rohloff bought back the 40 % stake.

In the next few years, the product range to include special tools like the Kettennietwerkzeug " Rohloff Revolver", wear gauges for chains and rings, as well as a chain lubricator ( Lubmatic ) and 1994 - in the year of separation from Campagnolo - the corresponding biodegradable chain oil " Oil of Rohloff " expanded.

1996 Gear Hub Speedhub was presented to 500/14 at the IFMA, for which the company is primarily known today. In the meantime, Rohloff per year ( as of 2008) 20,000 IGH ago, the Speedhub 500/14 the only available on the market bicycle hub with 14 speeds that can replace a conventional derailleur terms of friction losses and translation scope fully valid. Since the introduction of Speedhub the company's sales rising steadily to last about 10 million euros per year ( 2009). So far, about 150,000 pieces were produced of this gear hub (2010).

Rohloff itself was converted from a limited liability company into a corporation in 2004 and currently employs 45 people (as of 2009).

According to the company philosophy, all products and items in Germany are produced. Supply companies take over this part of the production, then mounted Rohloff and are then sent to bicycle manufacturers, retailers and importers. Product development takes place at Rohloff itself, as well as the assembly of the products. The production of the items is possible by approximately 150 suppliers from Germany.

Plant 1

Rohloff began in 1988 in a former horse stable on a backyard in the Kassel Northern city in the Mönchebergstraße 30 with the production of the ninefold chain SLT 99, which was ahead of its time, since only 5 years later, the first ninefold from Shimano came to market. However, since this chain was backward compatible with the then standard eight-way circuit and contrary to the manufacturer's instructions and competing products compatible with all existing switching systems on the market, it was a great success. As of 1989, the small company produced in this backyard in three shifts of up to 10,000 chains per month.

The time cycling dominant driver Greg Lemond and Miguel Indurain rode in this time of Rohloff chains and thus won the Tour de France. Since then every Campagnologruppe a Rohloffkette SLT -99 came with, the company name quickly became known worldwide.

The former market leader Shimano, Suntour and Sachs produced chains that were unique to their circuit groups. Thus, an attempt was made to promote loyalty among the customers own products. It was submitted that the circuits can work only in combination with their own chains. At IFMA 1988, before his Rohloff chain that turned on the stand simultaneously over eight-fold rings of Hügi, Shimano and Campagnolo. In the following years the Rohloff chain to the " secret recipe " of bicycle assemblers was because they are much more readily and cleanly shut than the original chains of manufacturers.

While Shimano and Sachs anfertigten own chains and marketed, sought Campagnolo 1990 after a circuit chain for his drive groups. For four years Campagnolo acquired a 40 % stake in the former Rohloff company for drive technology developments GmbH, Rohloff delivered weekly 2000 chains to Italy.

Plant 2

With the start of series production of the gear hub Speedhub the operating rooms were in the back yard too tight, Rohloff rented a hall in addition to a few hundred meters away. Although these additional hall allowed a temporary start of series production, but it was clear that this can not be a long term solution.

The production at separate locations took place from 1998 to 2004. Relations of production were a further increase in production no longer, therefore, took place in 2004 the company moved to its current business location.

Plant 3

Today's corporate headquarters is located in an industrial area of ​​Fulda valley.

Trivia

• The company Rohloff symbol is a flying raven on a yellow background.
• The corporate logo was almost alive when in March 1995 a fallen out of the nest carrion crow named " Rohloff " was brought up in the company. Because of his pranks became the free-flying colleague in the district high popularity. Since then, the care of orphaned crows chick has become an integral part in the operation.