GEDORE
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGerman manufacturer of professional hand tools, torque tools, workshop equipment and specialist tooling.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
GEDORE is a German professional-tool brand and privately held industrial group whose roots date to 1919 in Remscheid. The name is derived from “Gebrüder Dowidat Remscheid,” referring to the three Dowidat brothers who established the original Werkzeugfabrik Otto Dowidat KG. From an initial range of adjustable wrenches, punches and other forged hand tools, the company developed into an international manufacturer and distributor serving industrial maintenance, automotive repair, construction, mechanical engineering, energy, utilities and professional workshops. The group’s core proposition is durable, safety-oriented tooling for demanding professional use. Its portfolio includes combination and adjustable wrenches, socket and ratchet systems, screwdrivers, pliers, striking tools, pullers, workshop tools, tool storage, torque tools and customized special tools. Torque measurement and controlled tightening are particularly important capabilities, supported by businesses and product lines developed through acquisitions and international expansion. GEDORE also supplies automotive-specific tooling through its specialist operations and offers solutions for high-torque applications. GEDORE’s principal umbrella brands are GEDORE and GEDORE red. The main GEDORE line represents the group’s premium professional positioning, with emphasis on German engineering, manufacturing quality, ergonomics, serviceability and long working life. GEDORE red provides a broader-value range of hand tools and tool-based solutions for professional and demanding semi-professional users. The group also retains Ochsenkopf as a specialist brand for forestry and carpentry tools. Its overall assortment has been described as extending to roughly 16,000 items, although product availability varies by market. The company expanded outside Germany from the late 1950s onward. It established a Dutch sales subsidiary in 1958, added production activity in Brazil and South Africa during the 1960s, and later developed manufacturing or sales operations in Austria, the United Kingdom and other markets. The group’s production network has included facilities in Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa, while sales companies support distribution in multiple regions. Some plants focus on regional production, whereas specialist operations such as pliers and torque-tool manufacturing serve international markets. GEDORE grew both organically and through acquisitions. Important additions included Rahsol, associated with torque tools; Habero, known for hammers and chisels; Dako Werk, associated with pipe tools; Krumm, associated with pullers and forged parts; Ochsenkopf, focused on forestry and carpentry tools; Klann, focused on automotive special tools; and Lösomat, associated with high-torque screw-driving technology. A holding-company reorganization in 2012 created a more formal group structure, and an umbrella-brand alignment in 2018 placed GEDORE and GEDORE red at the center of the branded portfolio while preserving Ochsenkopf’s specialist identity. GEDORE remains a family-influenced private enterprise. Karen Dowidat and her son Dr. Christian Dowidat have been identified with the third and fourth generations of family management, while Gerrit Lucas was named managing director in 2023. In 2022, the company announced plans to close its Solingen facility and transfer production to the Remscheid headquarters, with the affected workforce intended to move as part of the restructuring. The brand continues to compete in the professional hand-tool sector with German and international manufacturers including Wiha, Wera, Knipex and Hazet.
History
GEDORE began in 1919 when brothers Otto, Karl and Willi Dowidat established a hand-tool factory in Remscheid. The company name is a contraction of Gebrüder Dowidat Remscheid. Its early products included adjustable wrenches, punches and other forged tools intended for industrial users. As the original premises became inadequate, the business moved in 1926 to Remscheid-Lüttringhausen, which remains associated with the group’s headquarters and principal German operations. The company survived the Second World War with comparatively limited physical damage and resumed production on a reduced scale. Family and ownership disagreements later divided the original enterprise. Willi Dowidat left in 1949 to establish Dowidat-Werke, while Karl had died in 1933; Otto subsequently continued the GEDORE business as its sole owner. Post-war industrial growth enabled the Remscheid factory to expand substantially, reaching a workforce of approximately 720 people during the later expansion period. GEDORE’s domestic expansion accelerated in 1961, when labor shortages in the Bergisches Land encouraged the company to establish production in Waldkirchen in Bavaria. The site became associated with smaller-width wrenches and later with forestry tools sold under Ochsenkopf. In 1972, GEDORE acquired Richard Abr. Herder KG, known as Rahsol, adding important torque-tool expertise. Habero, a Wuppertal producer of hammers and chisels, followed in 1985. The company added Metec in 1993 for workshop trolleys and equipment, although Metec later left the group in 2012. In 1994, GEDORE acquired Dako Werk, a pipe-tool maker, and Krumm, a manufacturer of pullers and forged components. Internationalization started with the Dutch sales company Technag B.V. in 1958. Production expansion followed in the 1960s, including Ferramentas Gedore do Brasil in 1960 and Gedore Tools in South Africa in 1964. Gedore Austria was established in Birkfeld in 1972 and became known for pliers production. The Austrian operation received the Austrian State Award in 1981, permitting use of the Austrian coat of arms in business communications. Further group development occurred in 1999 with the acquisition of British torque-tool and testing specialist MHH Torqueleader, later known as Gedore Torque. In 2002, the group integrated Carolus technic, Ochsenkopf and Klann-Spezial-Werkzeugbau. Ochsenkopf brought a long-established forestry and carpentry-tool tradition, while Klann added automotive special-tool capabilities and international branches. In 2008, GEDORE acquired Lösomat Schraubtechnik Neef, a high-torque screw-driving specialist later renamed Gedore Torque Solutions. Following years of acquisition-led growth, the group reorganized into a holding structure in 2012. In 2018, its branded architecture was consolidated under the GEDORE umbrella, with GEDORE and GEDORE red serving as the main hand-tool and tool-solution lines. Ochsenkopf remained a distinct specialist brand for forestry and carpentry products. The group’s production network has included Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa, supported by sales companies in multiple countries. After the death of founder Otto Dowidat in 1975, his son Karl took over management. Later family leadership included Karen Dowidat and Dr. Christian Dowidat, representing successive generations. In 2022, the company announced the intended closure of its Solingen plant and transfer of production to Remscheid, with the stated plan to integrate 116 employees. Gerrit Lucas was named managing director in 2023. GEDORE remains a private international producer of professional hand tools, specialist tooling, torque systems, workshop equipment and forestry tools.
- 2023
Gerrit Lucas becomes managing director
[1]Gerrit Lucas is named managing director.
- 2022
Solingen production consolidation announced
[1]The company announces plans to move Solingen production to Remscheid and integrate 116 employees.
- 2018
Umbrella-brand structure is introduced
[1]GEDORE and GEDORE red become the principal lines under the umbrella brand, while Ochsenkopf retains its specialist identity.
- 2012
Holding-company reorganization
[1]The group is reorganized into a holding structure.
- 2008
Lösomat joins the group
[1]The acquisition adds high-torque screw-driving technology and development capabilities.
- 2002
Specialist brands are integrated
[1]Carolus technic, Ochsenkopf and Klann-Spezial-Werkzeugbau are brought into the GEDORE group.
- 1999
MHH Torqueleader acquisition
[1]The British torque-tool and testing specialist becomes part of the group and is later associated with Gedore Torque.
- 1994
Pipe-tool and puller businesses join the group
[1]GEDORE acquires Dako Werk and Krumm, adding pipe tools, pullers and forged components.
- 1985
Habero acquisition
[1]The group acquires Hermann Bremer oHG, known for hammers and chisels.
- 1972
Rahsol and Gedore Austria expand the portfolio
[1]GEDORE acquires Rahsol and establishes Gedore Austria, strengthening torque-tool and pliers production.
Products and positioning
Professional and industrial hand tools emphasizing durability, safety, precision, torque control, specialist applications and long-term workshop use.
Hand tools · 1919
GEDORE professional hand tools
The main GEDORE line covers professional wrenches, sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, pliers, striking tools, pullers and related workshop equipment. It is positioned around robust construction, controlled manufacturing quality, ergonomic use and suitability for industrial maintenance, automotive work and professional repair environments.
Torque and tightening technology · 1972
GEDORE torque tools
GEDORE’s torque portfolio includes torque wrenches, torque-control equipment and specialist tightening solutions. The group’s torque capability was strengthened through businesses including Rahsol, MHH Torqueleader and Lösomat. These products support applications where tightening accuracy, repeatability and verification are important.
Professional-value hand tools · 2018
GEDORE red
GEDORE red is the group’s broader-value hand-tool and tool-solution line. It extends the brand architecture beyond the premium GEDORE range and is intended for professional and demanding semi-professional users seeking practical workshop coverage across common hand-tool categories.
Automotive special tools · 2002
GEDORE Automotive
The automotive specialist business associated with Klann provides tools designed for vehicle repair and service, including specialized extraction, assembly and workshop applications. Its role is to address jobs that require more than standard mechanic’s hand tools.
Forestry and carpentry tools · 2002
Ochsenkopf
Ochsenkopf is GEDORE’s specialist brand for forestry and carpentry equipment. Its range is associated with axes, forest tools, striking tools and related implements used in timber work, forestry and traditional craft applications.
Workshop storage and equipment · 1993
Workshop equipment
The group supplies workshop trolleys, workbenches, toolboxes and related storage equipment. These products complement the hand-tool portfolio by providing organized, mobile and professional workstations for garages, factories and maintenance departments.
Brand decisions
2022
Consolidate Solingen production in RemscheidStrategyBackground
GEDORE announced a restructuring of its German production footprint.
Action taken
The company planned to close the Solingen plant and transfer production to the Remscheid headquarters, with 116 employees intended to move to the receiving operation by the end of 2022.
Aftermath
The decision was presented as a production-consolidation measure designed to integrate the affected workforce and centralize manufacturing activity.
2018
Align the portfolio under the GEDORE umbrellaStrategyBackground
The group had accumulated multiple businesses and product identities through organic growth and acquisitions.
Action taken
GEDORE and GEDORE red were established as the principal umbrella-brand lines, while Ochsenkopf continued as a specialist forestry and carpentry brand.
Aftermath
The brand architecture clarified the distinction between the premium professional line, the broader-value line and the specialist Ochsenkopf portfolio.
2012
Reorganize the group into a holding structureStrategyBackground
After decades of acquisitions, production expansion and international growth, GEDORE needed a corporate structure capable of coordinating its operating companies and brands.
Action taken
The group was reorganized into a holding company framework.
Aftermath
The reorganization provided the basis for the later umbrella-brand structure and continued management of the group’s specialist businesses.
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