Triumph-Adler

Triumph-Adler is a German office-equipment brand whose roots extend back to a bicycle manufacturer established in Nuremberg in 1896. The business was founded by Siegfried Bettmann as Deutsche Triumph Fahrradwerke Aktiengesellschaft, a subsidiary of Coventry-based Triumph Cycle Co. Ltd. Its early activities centered on bicycles, with brief involvement in motorcycles and, during later periods, a broader range of manufactured goods. The company entered office equipment in 1909 after acquiring the equipment of a failed typewriter producer. This move eventually became the foundation of the brand's modern identity. The company changed its name to Triumph Werke Nürnberg AG in 1911 and was separated from Triumph Engineering two years later. Across the first half of the twentieth century, it manufactured and sold typewriters, bicycles, motorcycles and automobiles, while also producing practical industrial and transport items such as wheelbarrows and handcarts. The disruptions and industrial demands of the two World Wars affected its product mix, but typewriters and office machines became increasingly important. A decisive transformation came in the late 1950s. In 1957, Grundig founder Max Grundig acquired a majority interest in Triumph Werke Nürnberg and Adlerwerke. In 1958, the two businesses were combined with Grundig's dictation-machine operations to form Triumph-Adler-Büromaschinen-Vertriebs-GmbH. From this point, the company concentrated on office machines rather than maintaining its earlier, diversified manufacturing profile. By 1968, Triumph-Adler was described as the world's sixth-largest office-machine manufacturer. The company subsequently passed through several major ownership phases. Grundig sold it to the United States-based Litton Industries in 1968 as Grundig concentrated more heavily on consumer electronics. Volkswagen acquired a majority stake in 1979 and the remaining shares in 1980. Under Volkswagen, Triumph-Adler expanded into computing through the acquisition of a majority interest in Pertec Computer Corporation in 1980. Pertec had previously acquired Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems, associated with the Altair 8800 microcomputer. Triumph-Adler also developed the Alphatronic computer brand and acquired Omnidata in 1981 to strengthen its position in turnkey word-processing systems. The corporate name became TA Triumph-Adler AG in 1985. Olivetti acquired a majority of the company's holdings from Volkswagen in 1986. This transaction formed part of Olivetti's wider European typewriter strategy, but it was followed by a substantial reduction in German production and development. Manufacturing sites were closed or divested, including the traditional Adlerwerke facility in Frankfurt in 1993, while sales activities were reorganized through a separate company. In 1994, a shareholder consortium acquired the Triumph-Adler subsidiary from Olivetti and restructured it as a medium-sized holding company with interests extending beyond office equipment into games and leisure, construction technology and healthcare. The brand later returned to a focused document-technology role through its relationship with Kyocera. In 2003, Kyocera Mita Corporation acquired a 25 percent stake in Triumph-Adler, with the arrangement including the rebranding of Kyocera hardware under the Triumph-Adler name. Kyocera Document Solutions acquired majority control in early 2009 and purchased the remaining shares in October 2010. Triumph-Adler is therefore now associated with Kyocera's printing and document-management technology while retaining its German brand heritage and market identity. Its current portfolio is centered on computer printers and related document-management systems rather than the bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles and typewriters that characterized earlier stages of its history.

Triumph-Adler began in Nuremberg in 1896 as Deutsche Triumph Fahrradwerke Aktiengesellschaft, established by Siegfried Bettmann as a subsidiary of the British Triumph Cycle Co. Ltd. The original business made bicycles until 1909, when it entered the typewriter and office-equipment field by purchasing the assets of a bankrupt typewriter manufacturer. The company adopted the name Triumph Werke Nürnberg AG in 1911 and was separated from Triumph Engineering in 1913. During the first half of the twentieth century, its manufacturing activities extended across bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles and typewriters. It also produced various practical industrial goods. The company’s office-equipment activities gradually became more strategically important, and after changes in ownership during the postwar period, the business moved decisively toward office machines. Max Grundig acquired a majority stake in Triumph Werke Nürnberg and Adlerwerke in 1957. The following year, the two companies were merged with Grundig's dictation-machine division to create Triumph-Adler-Büromaschinen-Vertriebs-GmbH. The new organization focused exclusively on producing and selling office machines. Triumph-Adler became a significant international participant in the sector and was ranked sixth among global office-machine manufacturers in 1968. Ownership changed again when Grundig sold the company to Litton Industries in 1968. Volkswagen acquired majority control in 1979 and completed its acquisition in 1980. During this period, Triumph-Adler attempted to broaden its position in computing. It acquired a majority stake in Pertec Computer Corporation, developed the Alphatronic computer line and purchased Omnidata in 1981 for its turnkey word-processor activities. These moves reflected the convergence of office machines and computer technology during the early personal-computing era. The company became TA Triumph-Adler AG in 1985. Olivetti purchased a majority of its holdings from Volkswagen in 1986, reinforcing Olivetti's position in the European typewriter market. Afterward, German production and product development were reduced substantially. Several facilities were closed, including the Adlerwerke site in Frankfurt, which was shuttered and sold in 1993. In 1994, a shareholder consortium acquired the Triumph-Adler subsidiary from Olivetti and operated it as a diversified medium-sized holding company with office-equipment, games-and-leisure, construction-technology and healthcare divisions. The modern phase began with Kyocera's investment in 2003. Kyocera Mita acquired a 25 percent stake and supplied hardware that could be sold under the Triumph-Adler name. Kyocera Document Solutions took majority control in early 2009 and bought the remaining shares in October 2010. The brand now operates within the Kyocera Group and is focused on printers and document-management systems, preserving the Triumph-Adler name while relying on Kyocera's technology and corporate infrastructure.

• 2010

  Kyocera acquired the remaining shares

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  Kyocera completed its acquisition of the remaining Triumph-Adler shares in October.

• 2009

  Kyocera took majority control

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  Kyocera Document Solutions became the majority owner of Triumph-Adler.

• 2003

  Kyocera acquired a minority stake

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  Kyocera Mita acquired 25 percent of Triumph-Adler and established a rebranding arrangement for Kyocera hardware.

• 1985

  Corporate name changed to TA Triumph-Adler AG

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  The company adopted the TA Triumph-Adler AG name.

• 1980

  Expanded into computer systems

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  Under Volkswagen ownership, Triumph-Adler acquired a majority stake in Pertec Computer Corporation and broadened its computing activities.

• 1968

  Reached sixth place among global office-machine manufacturers

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  Triumph-Adler was identified as the sixth-largest office-machine manufacturer worldwide.

• 1958

  Triumph-Adler office-machine company formed

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  Grundig combined Triumph Werke Nürnberg, Adlerwerke and its dictation-machine division into Triumph-Adler-Büromaschinen-Vertriebs-GmbH.

• 1911

  Renamed Triumph Werke Nürnberg AG

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  The business adopted the Triumph Werke Nürnberg AG name.

• 1909

  Entry into office equipment

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  The company entered the typewriter and office-equipment business after acquiring the assets of a bankrupt typewriter manufacturer.

• 1896

  Company founded in Nuremberg

  [1]Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org

  Siegfried Bettmann established Deutsche Triumph Fahrradwerke Aktiengesellschaft as a subsidiary of Triumph Cycle Co. Ltd.

A German office-technology brand combining long-standing local industrial heritage with Kyocera-backed printing, document-output and document-management capabilities.

• Office machines · 1909

  Typewriters

  Typewriters were central to Triumph-Adler's transition from bicycle manufacturing into office equipment. The company entered the category in 1909 and maintained typewriter production through much of the twentieth century before the market shifted toward electronic and computer-based office systems.

• Computer systems

  Alphatronic

  Alphatronic was Triumph-Adler's computer-system brand during its expansion into computing in the late twentieth century. It represented the company's effort to connect its office-machine heritage with emerging word-processing and computer technologies.

• Document output and workflow

  Printers and document-management systems

  The contemporary Triumph-Adler portfolio is centered on computer printers and related document-management systems. These offerings are associated with Kyocera technology and serve business environments requiring document output, copying, scanning and managed information workflows.

• 2010

  Kyocera completed the acquisitionM&A

  Background

  After acquiring majority control in 2009, Kyocera pursued ownership of the remaining Triumph-Adler shares.

  Action taken

  Kyocera purchased the remaining shares in October 2010.

  Aftermath

  Triumph-Adler became a wholly owned Kyocera-related brand focused on printers and document-management systems.

  Source

• 2009

  Kyocera Document Solutions acquired majority controlM&A

  Background

  Kyocera had been a minority shareholder since 2003 and had already established a commercial relationship involving Kyocera hardware and the Triumph-Adler name.

  Action taken

  Kyocera Document Solutions took over the majority of Triumph-Adler in early 2009.

  Aftermath

  Triumph-Adler moved closer to full integration into the Kyocera Group while continuing to operate as a distinct brand.

  Source

• 2003

  Kyocera entered Triumph-Adler's ownership structureM&A

  Background

  Triumph-Adler was seeking a position in the modern printing and document-systems market, while Kyocera Mita was an established manufacturer of copying, printing and fax equipment.

  Action taken

  Kyocera Mita acquired a 25 percent stake and arranged for Kyocera hardware to be marketed under the Triumph-Adler brand.

  Aftermath

  The agreement created the basis for a longer-term integration that culminated in Kyocera's acquisition of majority and then full ownership.

  Source

1. 1Triumph-Adleren.wikipedia.org