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Think global – act local

Walter Förster GmbH and its dedicated team of 100 employees provide services for customers from a wide range of industries. As experts in producing deep drawn and stamped products, we are a dependable supplier to firms from the medical, measurement and control, energy, and aviation sectors.

We deliver across the world from our headquarters in Geesthacht located at the heart of Europe and near the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. Our company history reveals that our success comes from the tenacity and determination of the Förster family to focus on optimising their production processes.

Milestones 1886 – 2018

2018 - 2010

2018
Commissioning of a second 4000-bar hydroform press and a second degreasing plant

2017
Commissioning of a 318-to. frame press and a center of milling for toolmaking

2016
Inauguration of a new warehouse and production hall
Initial certification according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and DIN EN ISO 14001:2015
First Innovation Award 2015 - Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG

2015
Change in Management from Thorsten Körner to Volker Rohrbeck
Procurement of a neighbouring area of land
Construction of a production and storage unit (approx. 2,000 m²)

2014
Commissioning of a 4000-bar hydroform press

2011
Purchase of the first spinning lathe and a new ultrasonic degreasing plant

2010
Initial certification according to ISO 14001

2009 - 2000

2009
Purchase of an adjacent site at Düneberger Straße 107
Continual expansion of the plant area to a total of 8,500 m²

2008
Receipt of the first Supplier of the Year award from Siemens Berlin

2007
Purchase of a 400 t deep-drawing press with a hydromechanical forming unit

2006
Walter Förster dies at the age of 91 years

2004
Alfred Unruh dies at the age of 87 years

2003/04
Establishment of own turning shop

1999 - 1990

1999
Transfer of the majority of the shares into a family foundation

1998
Received Supplier of the Year award from ABB for the first time. Eight further such awards were received in the following years.

1994
Initial certification according to DIN EN ISO 9002

1992
Change of management to Thorsten Körner and Gunnar Bakowski

1989 - 1970

1986
One hundredth anniversary

1982
Company name changed to Walter Förster GmbH.
Managing Directors Walter Förster and Alfred Unruh 

1980
Construction of a new connected production hall

1972
Mr. Walter Förster Jr. and Mr. Alfred Unruh are joint shareholders

1969 - 1886

1969
Foundation stone laid for first production hall with office building. Total plant area approx. 1,500 m²

From ca.1955
Slow retreat from the manufacture of own products and restructuring as a pure supplier for the entire industry

1952
Relocated to the site of the former Dynamitfabrik Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht. 
Start of production using eccentric and deep-drawing presses with 6 t to max. 35 t in a former powder magazine

1943/44
Relocated to the Bahrenfeld district of Hamburg, after the company’s premises in the city centre were destroyed by bombing

1910-1928
Registration of various patents and German utility models for inspection marks and seals.
Production of own fabric-covered and upholstered buttons 

1886
Established by Marianne Förster as a retail business for tailoring supplies in Altona