F. A. Neuman

F. A. Neuman GmbH & Co. KG, also known as Neuman-Group, is a German holding company for steel and plant engineering businesses based in the Eschweiler area of western North Rhine-Westphalia. Its origins trace back to 1 January 1849, when Friedrich August Neuman (1805–1881) founded a copper smithy under the name F. A. Neuman on Kleinmarschierstraße in Aachen. A second production site followed on Turmstraße in Aachen in 1871. After the founder's death, his son Friedrich J. Neuman (1842–1911) took over the business, acquired the former Hoesch & Söhne site in Eschweiler-Stich and relocated operations there in 1887. From Eschweiler the company built gas holders in many major cities worldwide, including the famous Vienna gasometers erected in 1898 and 1910 and, around 1909, the 200,000 m³ Grasbrook gas holder in Hamburg, then the largest gas holder in Europe. It also became a leader in steel construction, erecting a steel roof structure for the historic Aachen town hall in 1899. By acquiring patents of engineer Otto Intze (professor of hydraulic engineering at RWTH Aachen) at the end of the 19th century, the firm also became a leader in elevated water tank construction. In 1912 it built the water tower of the Carolus-Magnus mine in Übach-Palenberg, a spherical tank holding 500 m³ on a hexagonal space-frame support structure. That same year the company employed around 1,100 people, including 85 engineers and designers. From 1911 the founder's grandsons, Fritz Neuman (1868–1935) and Josef Hubert Neuman (1875–1944), served as managing directors. In 1936 the company built the world's largest high-pressure spherical gas holder in Stettin. In 1944 it was relocated as a "war-important operation" to Brackwede and later Schladen, but resumed production in Eschweiler on 1 July 1945 under managing director Friedrich August Neuman (1909–1998), who had joined the firm in 1935. After the war, riveting was replaced by welding of steel plates. In 1968 Dr. Friedrich August Neuman junior (born 1938) took over management of the company, which then employed 380 people. At the same time, the third Vienna gas holder was built, setting a new world record with a capacity of 300,000 m³, a diameter of 81.5 m and a height of 85 m. The customer base was expanded into the chemical industry and refineries, with deliveries to South America, Asia, India and Ukraine. In 2001 the business was restructured as the holding company F. A. Neuman GmbH & Co. KG. Besides F.A.N Anlagentechnik GmbH in Eschweiler, the group included ISM (crane systems and lifting technology, electric motors, gate systems) and PFE (pneumatic conveying systems for ash, dust and granulates) based in Eschweiler, ISM (crane systems, lifting technology, loading technology) in Ludwigshafen, and Julius Montz (column internals, apparatus engineering) in Hilden. At the end of 2008 Dr. Friedrich A. Neuman, the last family managing director, retired. On 1 August 2015 the holding sold all shares in F.A.N Anlagentechnik GmbH, which still had over 55 employees, to the Breuer-Quast family of Inden. In 2022 Breuer-Quast GmbH & Co. KG of Inden was dissolved and insolvency proceedings were opened by decision of the Aachen local court on 1 December 2022. The holding F. A. Neuman GmbH & Co. KG nevertheless continues to exist. The company has also been engaged politically and socially. Johanna Neuman (1882–1955) founded the Eschweiler local committee of the German Müttergenesungswerk, and the Johanna-Neuman-Straße in Eschweiler is named after her. Friedrich A. Neuman was president of the Association of the Metal and Electrical Industry of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1970 to 1980. The Hans-Albert-Neuman-Stiftung is a foundation for student support in architecture, civil engineering and steel construction, established in memory of company co-owner Hans Albert Neuman, who died in 1986; it is administered by the Verein zur studentischen Nachwuchsförderung e. V.

The company was founded on 1 January 1849 by Friedrich August Neuman (1805–1881) as a copper smithy under the name F. A. Neuman on Kleinmarschierstraße in Aachen. In 1871 a second production site was established on Turmstraße in Aachen. After the founder's death, his son Friedrich J. Neuman (1842–1911) took over the business. He purchased the former operating site of Hoesch & Söhne, which had moved to Dortmund in 1876, in Eschweiler-Stich and relocated his operations there in 1887. From Eschweiler the company built gas holders in many major cities worldwide, including the famous Vienna gasometers erected in 1898 and 1910 and, around 1909, the 200,000 m³ Grasbrook gas holder in Hamburg, then the largest gas holder in Europe. It also became a leader in steel construction, erecting a steel roof structure for the historic Aachen town hall in 1899. By acquiring patents of engineer Otto Intze (professor of hydraulic engineering at RWTH Aachen) at the end of the 19th century, the company also became a leader in elevated water tank construction. In 1912 it built the water tower of the Carolus-Magnus mine in Übach-Palenberg, a spherical tank holding 500 m³ on a hexagonal space-frame support structure. That same year the company employed around 1,100 people, including 85 engineers and designers. From 1911 the founder's grandsons, Fritz Neuman (1868–1935) and Josef Hubert Neuman (1875–1944), served as managing directors. In 1936 the company built the world's largest high-pressure spherical gas holder in Stettin. In 1944 it was relocated as a "war-important operation" to Brackwede and later Schladen, but resumed production in Eschweiler on 1 July 1945 under managing director Friedrich August Neuman (1909–1998), who had joined the firm in 1935. After the war, riveting was replaced by welding of steel plates. In 1968 Dr. Friedrich August Neuman junior (born 1938) took over management of the company, which then employed 380 people. At the same time, the third Vienna gas holder was built, setting a new world record with a capacity of 300,000 m³, a diameter of 81.5 m and a height of 85 m. The customer base was expanded into the chemical industry and refineries, with deliveries to South America, Asia, India and Ukraine. In 2001 the business was restructured as the holding company F. A. Neuman GmbH & Co. KG. Besides F.A.N Anlagentechnik GmbH in Eschweiler, the group included ISM (crane systems and lifting technology, electric motors, gate systems) and PFE (pneumatic conveying systems for ash, dust and granulates) based in Eschweiler, ISM (crane systems, lifting technology, loading technology) in Ludwigshafen, and Julius Montz (column internals, apparatus engineering) in Hilden. At the end of 2008 Dr. Friedrich A. Neuman, the last family managing director, retired. On 1 August 2015 the holding sold all shares in F.A.N Anlagentechnik GmbH, which still had over 55 employees, to the Breuer-Quast family of Inden. In 2022 Breuer-Quast GmbH & Co. KG of Inden was dissolved and insolvency proceedings were opened by decision of the Aachen local court on 1 December 2022. The holding F. A. Neuman GmbH & Co. KG nevertheless continues to exist.

• 2022

  Breuer-Quast GmbH & Co. KG is dissolved and insolvency proceedings are opened by the Aachen local court on 1 December; the holding F. A. Neuman GmbH & Co. KG continues to exist.

• 2015

  Sale of all shares in F.A.N Anlagentechnik GmbH to the Breuer-Quast family of Inden on 1 August.

• 2008

  Dr. Friedrich A. Neuman, the last family managing director, retires.

• 2001

  Restructuring as the holding company F. A. Neuman GmbH & Co. KG.

• 1968

  Dr. Friedrich August Neuman junior takes over management; third Vienna gas holder sets a world record with 300,000 m³ capacity.

• 1945

  Resumption of production in Eschweiler on 1 July under Friedrich August Neuman.

• 1944

  Relocation as a "war-important operation" to Brackwede and later Schladen.

• 1936

  Construction of the world's largest high-pressure spherical gas holder in Stettin.

• 1912

  Construction of the water tower of the Carolus-Magnus mine in Übach-Palenberg; company employs around 1,100 people.

• 1910

  Construction of the second famous Vienna gasometer.

• 1909

  Construction of the 200,000 m³ Grasbrook gas holder in Hamburg, then the largest in Europe.

• 1899

  Erection of a steel roof structure for the historic Aachen town hall.

• 1898

  Construction of the first famous Vienna gasometer.

• 1887

  Friedrich J. Neuman relocates the business to the former Hoesch & Söhne site in Eschweiler-Stich.

• 1871

  A second production site is established on Turmstraße in Aachen.

• 1849

  Friedrich August Neuman founds a copper smithy under the name F. A. Neuman on Kleinmarschierstraße in Aachen.

Historic German industrial engineering firm and holding company, known for large-scale gas holders, water tanks and steel construction, later diversified into plant engineering and industrial equipment.

• Gas holders

  Large-scale gas holders built in major cities worldwide, including Vienna and Hamburg.

• Elevated water tanks

  Water tank structures built using Otto Intze patents, such as the Carolus-Magnus mine water tower.

• Steel structures

  Steel construction including the roof structure for the historic Aachen town hall.

• High-pressure spherical gas holders

  World's largest high-pressure spherical gas holder built in Stettin in 1936.

• Crane systems and lifting technology

  Offered by group company ISM.

• Pneumatic conveying systems

  Systems for ash, dust and granulates offered by group company PFE.

• Column internals and apparatus engineering

  Offered by group company Julius Montz.

1. 1F. A. Neuman – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2F.A.Neuman – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3F. A. Neuman official websiteneuman-eschweiler.de