More than 150 Years Proven Excellence
What began in 1873 as a small workshop for firefighting pumps has evolved into a globally active enterprise.
Throughout our history, NETZSCH has consistently adapted to changing times and market demands, while remaining true to our core principles of innovation and customer-centric solutions. Having celebrated our 150th anniversary in 2023, we look ahead with pride in the resilience, dedication, and pioneering spirit that have guided us for over a century and a half - and continue to drive our success today.
Continuous Growth & Expansion
Building Trust Through Our People
At the heart of NETZSCH’s success lies an unwavering commitment to people—our employees, partners, and communities.
Their collective knowledge, creativity, and drive form the backbone of every breakthrough and achievement. Whether they are solving engineering challenges, developing new products, or simply supporting each other through changing times, our team is the reason we can celebrate a century and a half of excellence.
Throughout our history, one factor remains constant: the people behind NETZSCH. They are researchers, engineers, visionaries, and, at times, unexpected problem-solvers—like in 1970, when our thermodifferential analysis helped solve a local burglary case. From the workshop floor to the executive level, teamwork, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to excellence have propelled us forward, fueling the trust that underpins our global reputation.
1873
Charge the hose line!
It’s often said that the most innovative companies start in a garage. In NETZSCH’s case, it was a small workshop in 1873. Christian and Thomas Netzsch laid the foundation for their machinery factory by focusing on fire pumps. This “first excellent product” was so impressive that the Selber Tagblatt already sang its praises in 1878: “Solid, outstanding in every respect, and definitely worth the price.” Right from the start, customer-oriented solutions were a NETZSCH trademark.
1929
Once upon a time in Asch
Selb wasn’t always the center of NETZSCH. When the Great Depression of the late 1920s placed the company in a precarious position, Gustav Netzsch’s son Erich moved headquarters to Asch for greater stability. Asch maintained this role until 1945, after which NETZSCH returned to its original home in Selb. Looking back at this period shows how much NETZSCH has always relied on quick adaptation and bold decision-making.
from 1950
Getting Bigger.
A bird’s-eye view shows it best. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Selb site consisted of just a few scattered buildings. By the 1980s, it had grown into a complex of production halls and office wings. These aerial images document the company’s ongoing expansion and its rising economic significance in the region.
1960
Rolling plates!
It may sound a bit unusual at first. However, from the 1960s onward, tellerrollermaschinen (roller machines) revolutionized the production of flatware in Germany, giving porcelain plates their shape. Originally an English manufacturing process, NETZSCH brought it to Selb and adapted it to help drive partial automation in the ceramics industry—an early example of forward thinking at NETZSCH.
1968
Like the Wild Wild West?
Well, that didn’t quite work out, cowboy. On August 8, 1968, employees in Selb were astonished to discover a colleague had brought a pistol to work—and even fired it by accident. The would-be gunslinger’s ill-advised accessory earned him nothing but an immediate dismissal. Odd and far from glorious, but it’s still part of NETZSCH history.
1970
Detective NETZSCH?
Who would have thought NETZSCH could help solve crimes too? In 1970, a string of burglaries alarmed the police in Selb. They identified a suspect but lacked evidence—until they found a shoeprint and some earth clinging to the sole. Faced with a long official lab wait, Inspector Gerhard Bock turned to NETZSCH-Gerätebau. Using thermodifferential analysis, it turned out the soil sample exactly matched the dirt on the suspect’s sneakers. A confession soon followed—demonstrating once again just how wide-ranging NETZSCH expertise can be.
Events around the globe
1986
Not from this world!
Space and NETZSCH have more in common than you’d think. In 1986, former Minister President Franz Josef Strauss visited NETZSCH-Gerätebau in Selb to see the apparatus used to test the space shuttle’s heat-shield tiles—which can handle temperatures from -150 °C to +2500 °C. Since then, NETZSCH has provided tailor-made solutions for rocket engines and other aerospace applications. It’s a perfect fit for what might seem to be out of this world.
1988
Merchandise made of icing
Erich Netzsch’s 85th birthday was definitely no ordinary day. Employees wore gingerbread hearts iced with his initials, and anyone who wanted could take home a specially made mug depicting the patriarch in traditional attire. A clever example of “personalized merchandising,” it also reflects the warm family spirit that still characterizes NETZSCH today.
1993
A Yellow "Submarine"?
Not exactly—but certainly a striking yellow machine in a lush green meadow. In 1993, NETZSCH engineered the “Modul 2000,” a transportable, industrial-scale grinding and dispersing system weighing 15 tons and costing 1.5 million Deutschmarks. Equipped with seven unique NETZSCH innovations, it was set up alongside the Rotenbürger Straße near Tirschenreuth and became quite the spectacle. A film team from Nuremberg even laid down tracks to capture the entire installation on camera. The highlight? Toxic or hazardous dust particles remain safely trapped inside the Modul 2000, leaving nature unharmed—a machine in the great outdoors, serving the environment.
2014
It's a match
CERN, the world’s largest particle physics research institution near Geneva, engages in nuclear research. In 2014, CERN established a lab to study the thermophysical properties of matter and selected NETZSCH to supply instruments for measuring thermal expansion, specific heat, and thermal conductivity. Thus, the world’s most powerful particle lab teamed up with the world’s most powerful thermophysical measurement technology—a match made in scientific heaven.
2018
Premiere in Europe!
“NETZSCH IS THE FIRST IN EUROPE!” proclaimed an issue of NETZSCH people in 2018. The Pumps & Systems business unit became the first to use an eccentric screw downhole pump with hollow rods for oil extraction. This feature enables chemical cleaning fluids to be pumped directly through the hollow rod, without jeopardizing the pump itself. Hardly hollow-headed at all—just another example of NETZSCH’s innovative drive.
The transformation of our NETZSCH logo
The NETZSCH name in uppercase letters, in its characteristic maritime green—today it’s sleek and modern. Yet the look of the original “Gebrüder NETZSCH Maschinenfabrik” changed significantly over the decades, receiving periodic makeovers, most recently in 2019. It’s a journey through time that underscores how NETZSCH continues to evolve while staying true to its roots.
