Pantherwerke

Pantherwerke is a German bicycle manufacturing group with roots dating to 1896, when the "Pantherwerk" was founded in Magdeburg. Around the same time, Bankhaus Peters launched the Braunschweiger Fahrradwerke AG in Braunschweig to produce "Brunsviga" bicycles. The Braunschweig company acquired the Magdeburg works in 1907 and adopted the Panther name, becoming Panther Fahrradwerke. The brand built a reputation for quality bicycles, with a leaping panther as its trademark, and cyclists such as Willy Arend, Thaddäus Robl and Anton Huber won world championships on Panther bicycles. From 1925 the company also made prams, followed by mopeds in the 1930s, and it traded in sewing machines. During World War II the Braunschweig works produced armaments, including T.Mi 35 anti-personnel mines and cockpit canopies for Junkers Ju 352 aircraft. After the war, Panther bicycles were prized for their durability, especially in Africa, Indonesia and the United States. Motorcycle production was added in 1950, and by then the works employed around 300 people, producing roughly 20,000 bicycles a year, many for export. In 1957 the company introduced "Pfiff", its first collapsible bicycle and a forerunner of the 1970s folding bike. However, as West Germany's economic miracle shifted demand toward cars, the business declined from 1956. In 1962 majority shareholder Anton Schräder sold his stake to Richard Schminke, owner of the Schminke works in Bad Wildungen, and production in Braunschweig ceased in March 1963 after 1.2 million bicycles had been built there. Richard Schminke retained the Pantherwerke AG name and moved operations, acquiring companies including the Göricke works in Bielefeld and the Rapier bicycle works in Löhne. In 1971 the headquarters moved to the former Rapier site in Löhne, East Westphalia. Michael Schminke joined in 1975 at age 17 after his father's death and took over management in Löhne in 1979. All Löhne operations were consolidated in 1989. From 1993 the group expanded into Central Europe, acquiring Oliba spool s.r.o. in the Czech Republic, Dreipunkt Kinderfahrzeuge in Mühlhausen, Thuringia, and UAB Baltik Vairas in Šiauliai, Lithuania. By 2003 Baltik Vairas was producing around 2,000 bicycles a day, effectively moving most production out of Löhne. In 2008 a joint venture with a 33 percent stake established bicycle manufacturing in Bangladesh. The Pantherwerke AG, Masterbike SRO (Czech Republic) and UAB Baltik Vairas (Lithuania) then operated under the umbrella of Panther International GmbH. In 2010 the group employed around 800 people and produced about 450,000 bicycles a year, with consolidated revenue of 76 million euros. The group produced bicycle brands including Panther, Göricke, Mammut and Bauer. At Löhne, pedelecs and rental bicycles were developed and assembled. In 2007 4.5 million euros were invested in a modern painting facility, and larger cooperations included the DB Rent GmbH rental bike scheme Call & Bike. In September 2012 the last production in Germany closed at Löhne. In 2013 the subsidiary UAB Baltik Vairas was sold; subsequent delivery unreliability from the Lithuanian firm led Pantherwerke AG in Löhne to file for insolvency on 3 February 2014. Owner Michael Schminke acquired all real estate in Löhne from the insolvency estate and has since continued the group as Panther International GmbH, where he serves as managing director. Panther International GmbH holds the trademark rights to the protected "Göricke" brand, a traditional German bicycle marque founded in 1874 by August Göricke in Bielefeld. The company is based at Oeynhausener Straße 77, 32584 Löhne.

The Pantherwerke story begins in 1896 with the founding of the "Pantherwerk" in Magdeburg. Around the same time, Bankhaus Peters established the Braunschweiger Fahrradwerke AG in Braunschweig, producing "Brunsviga" bicycles to meet rising demand. The Braunschweig firm prospered and expanded rapidly, acquiring the Magdeburg works in 1907 and adopting the Panther name. The new company, headquartered in Braunschweig, became Panther Fahrradwerke, and production in Magdeburg ceased. In 1910 it acquired the bicycle division of Hoppe & Homann in Minden. Panther bicycles were known as quality products, with a leaping panther as the trademark. Racing cyclists Willy Arend (1876–1964), Thaddäus Robl (1877–1910) and Anton Huber (1878–1961) became world champions on Panther bicycles. From 1925 the company also manufactured prams, followed by mopeds in the 1930s, and it traded in purchased sewing machines. During World War II the Pantherwerke in Braunschweig operated as an armaments plant, producing T.Mi 35 anti-personnel mines (until 1941) and cockpit canopies for Junkers Ju 352 aircraft (from 1943). After the war, the works survived largely undamaged and production resumed. Panther bicycles were in demand for their durability, especially in Africa, Indonesia and the United States. Motorcycle production was added in 1950; the works, now located in Mittelweg, employed around 300 people and produced about 20,000 bicycles a year, a large share exported overseas. In 1957 the company introduced "Pfiff", its first collapsible bicycle, a forerunner of the 1970s folding bike. However, as reconstruction and the economic miracle shifted the trend away from bicycles toward cars, economic decline set in rapidly from 1956. The introduction of compulsory driving licences soon slowed motorcycle sales as well. Management failed to keep up with the times, and in 1962 majority shareholder Anton Schräder sold the majority of shares to Richard Schminke, owner of the Schminke works in Bad Wildungen. In March 1963 Schminke ended production in Braunschweig; by then 1.2 million bicycles had been built there. The old, now restored company building in Mittelweg is used today as an office and commercial building, housing a restaurant and a hotel. A glimpse of the production hall is offered by the 1947 painting "Maschine – Menschen" by Braunschweig painter Breitsprecher in the Gauss Hall of the Old Town Hall; since early 2023, two-wheelers from the Pantherwerke have also been displayed in the permanent exhibition "Mensch, Maschine!" on industrial history. Richard Schminke, who already successfully ran the Schminke GmbH bicycle manufacturer, retained the Pantherwerke AG name. Over time he acquired various companies, including the Göricke works in Bielefeld and the Rapier bicycle works in Löhne. In 1971 the company headquarters moved to the former Rapier site in Löhne, East Westphalia. In 1975, at age 17, Michael Schminke joined the firm as an industrial clerk trainee after the death of his father Richard, and in 1979 he took over operations management in Löhne. In 1989 all Löhne operations were consolidated. From 1993 the group expanded into Central Europe: it acquired Oliba spool s.r.o. in the Czech Republic, Dreipunkt Kinderfahrzeuge in Mühlhausen, Thuringia, and UAB Baltik Vairas in the industrial city of Šiauliai, Lithuania. By 2003 the latter was producing around 2,000 bicycles a day, effectively moving almost all production out of Löhne. In 2008 a joint venture with a 33 percent stake established bicycle manufacturing in Bangladesh. Since then Pantherwerke AG, together with Masterbike SRO (Czech Republic) and UAB Baltik Vairas (Lithuania), operated under the umbrella of the Panther International GmbH group. In 2010 the group employed around 800 people and produced about 450,000 bicycles a year; consolidated group revenue in 2010 was 76 million euros. The company produced bicycle brands including Panther, Göricke, Mammut and Bauer. At the Löhne site, pedelecs and rental bicycles were developed and assembled. In 2007 4.5 million euros were invested in a modern painting facility. Larger cooperations included an agreement with DB Rent GmbH for the Call & Bike rental bicycle scheme. In September 2012 the last production in Germany closed at Löhne. In 2013 the subsidiary UAB Baltik Vairas was sold. The delivery unreliability of the Lithuanian firm that followed led Pantherwerke AG in Löhne to file for insolvency on 3 February 2014. Owner Michael Schminke acquired all real estate in Löhne from the insolvency estate and has since continued the group as Panther International GmbH, where he serves as managing director. Panther International GmbH holds the trademark rights to the protected "Göricke" brand, a traditional German bicycle marque founded in 1874 by August Göricke in Bielefeld. The company is based at Oeynhausener Straße 77, 32584 Löhne.

• 2014

  Pantherwerke AG in Löhne files for insolvency on 3 February.

• 2013

  Subsidiary UAB Baltik Vairas sold.

• 2012

  Last production in Germany closed at Löhne in September.

• 2010

  Group employs around 800 people, produces about 450,000 bicycles a year, consolidated revenue 76 million euros.

• 2008

  Joint venture with 33 percent stake establishes bicycle manufacturing in Bangladesh.

• 2007

  4.5 million euros invested in a modern painting facility.

• 2003

  UAB Baltik Vairas produces around 2,000 bicycles daily.

• 1993

  Expansion into Central Europe; acquisitions of Oliba spool s.r.o., Dreipunkt Kinderfahrzeuge and UAB Baltik Vairas.

• 1989

  All Löhne operations consolidated.

• 1979

  Michael Schminke takes over operations management in Löhne.

• 1975

  Michael Schminke joins the firm at age 17.

• 1971

  Company headquarters moves to the former Rapier site in Löhne.

• 1963

  Production in Braunschweig ends in March after 1.2 million bicycles built.

• 1962

  Anton Schräder sells majority shares to Richard Schminke.

• 1957

  Introduction of "Pfiff", the first collapsible bicycle.

• 1950

  Motorcycle production added; works employ around 300 and produce about 20,000 bicycles a year.

• 1930

  Moped production begins (1930s).

• 1925

  Start of pram production.

• 1910

  Acquisition of the bicycle division of Hoppe & Homann in Minden.

• 1907

  Braunschweig company acquires the Magdeburg works and adopts the Panther name, becoming Panther Fahrradwerke.

• 1896

  Founding of the "Pantherwerk" in Magdeburg; Braunschweiger Fahrradwerke AG starts in Braunschweig.

Traditional German bicycle manufacturer known for durable quality bicycles, now a brand-holding and international manufacturing group.

• Panther bicycles

  Core bicycle brand known for quality and durability.

• Göricke bicycles

  Traditional German bicycle brand founded in 1874 by August Göricke in Bielefeld; trademark rights held by Panther International GmbH.

• Mammut bicycles

  Bicycle brand produced by the group.

• Bauer bicycles

  Bicycle brand produced by the group.

• Pfiff

  First collapsible bicycle introduced in 1957, forerunner of the 1970s folding bike.

• Pedelecs

  Developed and assembled at the Löhne site.

• Rental bicycles

  Developed and assembled at Löhne; used in the Call & Bike scheme with DB Rent GmbH.

• Call & Bike

1. 1Panther International GmbHpanther.eu
2. 2Pantherwerkewikidata.org
3. 3Panther Fahrradwerkede.wikipedia.org