OWR Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach GmbH

OWR Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach GmbH is a German manufacturer of equipment and systems for CBRN (ABC) protection and a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider for military vehicles. The company is headquartered in Elztal-Rittersbach in Baden-Württemberg and has operated at that site since 1947, when it was founded by Wilhelm Kern and August Großkinsky. Today it is a company of the DIRKS Group of Emden and part of DIRKS Defence & Security, a workshop network with four plants and a partner network across Germany. The original business began with wooden crates for equipment and supplies, and customers included the occupying powers of post-war Germany. Over the decades the company expanded into furniture, then into the production of construction trains and special vehicles for organizations such as the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) and the Federal Border Guard (Bundesgrenzschutz), and later into equipment for the newly founded Bundeswehr via the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support. From the 1980s onward, CBRN defence and disaster protection became core production areas, alongside low-twist platform mounts for trucks and electronic brake and control devices. In the present day, the repair and refurbishment of commercial vehicles for military customers — notably the U.S. Army, the Bundeswehr and other NATO partners — accounts for the majority of business activity. OWR's service spectrum covers the overhaul of logistics vehicles, tank trucks and heavy-duty transporters, as well as CBRN equipment such as the MPD-100 decontamination system and the VTS wounded-personnel decontamination transport system. In the CBRN field, OWR produces small, medium and large systems, including the ToxSim® CBRN simulation case, the mobile Glovebox® manipulation chamber and the VTS system, and it distributes patented decontamination chemicals such as GD-6®. The company also offers mechanical and metal construction (facilities, functional containers, components), spare parts sales and on-site services including repair, decontamination, disinfection and ASF cleaning. OWR's customer base spans military and civil protection organizations worldwide. The company experienced insolvency in May 2003 and was taken over by the newly founded OWR AG; in 2020 it again ran into economic difficulties and in January 2021 was acquired by the DIRKS Group through a transferring reorganization, operating since then as OWR Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach GmbH.

The original company, Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach, was founded in 1947 by Wilhelm Kern and August Großkinsky. At first it manufactured wooden crates for housing equipment and gear. Besides private industry, customers already included the occupying powers of the time. In 1951 the company began producing tables, chairs and other furniture for living and dining areas. Through contracts with the American occupying forces — which have remained among the company's most important customers to the present day — the company over time also obtained orders from state agencies in Germany and abroad. The specialty crate production was quickly expanded toward the production of construction trains and special vehicles, including for the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) and the Federal Border Guard (Bundesgrenzschutz). Soon orders followed from the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment and Procurement for equipping the newly founded Bundeswehr. In 1980 the furniture-making division was spun off to Elztal-Dallau, but was abandoned shortly afterward for economic reasons, so that since then the company has devoted itself solely to vehicle and equipment manufacturing. Core production areas included low-twist platform mounts for trucks, and from the 1980s especially vehicles and equipment for CBRN defence and disaster protection as well as electronic brake and control devices. In the meantime, the repair of commercial vehicles for military customers (U.S. Army, Bundeswehr) represents the predominant part of business activity. In the CBRN defence / decontamination field, OWR supplies military and civil protection organizations worldwide. The Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach, which employed around 130 people in Rittersbach around the turn of the millennium, became insolvent in May 2003 and was taken over by the OWR AG, founded by a group of investors. In 2020 the OWR GmbH again ran into economic difficulties and in January 2021 was acquired by the DIRKS Group (Emden) in the course of a transferring reorganization under the name OWR Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach GmbH with headquarters in Rittersbach.

• 2021

  In January 2021, DIRKS Group (Emden) acquires OWR through a transferring reorganization; company renamed OWR Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach GmbH.

• 2020

  OWR GmbH again runs into economic difficulties.

• 2003

  Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach becomes insolvent in May 2003 and is taken over by the newly founded OWR AG.

• 1980

  Furniture-making division spun off to Elztal-Dallau, later abandoned; company focuses solely on vehicle and equipment manufacturing.

• 1951

  Company begins manufacturing tables, chairs and other furniture for living and dining areas.

• 1947

  Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach founded by Wilhelm Kern and August Großkinsky; initially manufactures wooden crates for equipment.

Specialist provider of CBRN protection systems and military vehicle refurbishment, serving armed forces and civil protection organizations in Germany and internationally as part of the DIRKS Defence & Security network.

• MPD-100 CBRN decontamination system

• VTS wounded-personnel decontamination transport system

• ToxSim® CBRN simulation case

• Glovebox® mobile manipulation chamber

• GD-6® decontamination chemicals

• Detection systems and equipment

• Refurbishment of logistics vehicles, tank trucks and heavy-duty transporters

• Mechanical and metal construction (facilities, functional containers, components)

1. 1OWR Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach GmbH – official websiteowrgroup.com
2. 2OWR Odenwaldwerke Rittersbach – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3OWR – Wikidatawikidata.org