August Hildebrandt GmbH

About us

August Hildebrandt GmbH, headquartered in Schwerin, is a system supplier of cable drums made of wood, plywood, steel and plastic, as well as equipment and accessories for the cable, pipe and rope industries. Founded in 1868 as a sawmill and carpentry business, this family-owned company is now run by the fifth generation and supplies renowned manufacturers worldwide, including producers of high-voltage cables for onshore and offshore applications. Wooden drums are made from PEFC-certified softwood sawn timber (untreated, IPPC-treated or pressure-impregnated), steel drums from S355 with fusion-welded joints according to DIN EN ISO 3834-3, painted or galvanized. In addition to manufacturing, the company offers in-house design and structural analysis, just-in-time delivery, drum management, return and repair services, as well as reusable systems with a clearance app. With production and assembly sites in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Tunisia, even high volumes can be supplied at short notice; annual revenue is around EUR 90 million.

Site

Schwerin

Processes

Manufacture of wooden drums (single-use/machine drums, reusable drums, steel-tyred, kits), Manufacture of steel drums (shipping, reusable and machine drums, painted or galvanized,, Fusion welding of steel drums according to DIN EN ISO 3834-3 / DIN EN ISO 15614-1 (S355), Painting of steel drums, Galvanizing of steel drums, Manufacture of plywood drums (fully assembled or as kit, special drilling,, Manufacture of plastic drums, Design/engineering (in-house design department, structural calculations, documentation

Materials

Softwood sawn timber (PEFC-certified, IPPC-treated or pressure-impregnated), Plywood (birch, interior/exterior), Hardboard, Hard paper, Plastic, Steel (S355), Steel S355, Softwood sawn timber (PEFC-certified)

Certificates

DIN EN ISO 3834-3 (fusion welding, incl. DIN EN ISO 15614-1 for S355), PEFC (wood from sustainable forestry), DIN EN ISO 3834-3 (fusion welding), DIN EN ISO 15614-1 (S355), PEFC (sustainable forestry), ISO 9001, ISO 14001

Founded

1868

Industries

Cable industry, Pipe industry, Rope industry, Cable laying industry, Onshore and offshore (high-voltage cables), Broadband expansion

1. 01

   Design (in-house, structural analysis, DNV documentation)

2. 02

   Material preparation (wood PEFC/IPPC, steel S355)

3. 03

   Wooden drum manufacturing

4. 04

   Plywood drum manufacturing

5. 05

   Fusion welding and assembly of steel drums

6. 06

   Painting or galvanizing

7. 07

   Kit delivery or on-site assembly

8. 08

   Logistics (truck/ship, just-in-time)

9. 09

   Return, repair, drum management

Materials and processes

Locations

Products

Inside the production

Processes & technical limits

Quality

Customer satisfaction is ensured through comprehensive quality management certifications. For fusion welding of metallic materials, DIN EN ISO 3834-3 applies, including DIN EN ISO 15614-1 for S355; the wood used is PEFC-certified.

History

1. 1868

   August Hildebrandt founds a sawmill and carpentry business in Hagenow (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern).

2. Fourth generation: Gerhard Lohraff takes over management; under pressure from the GDR government, conversion to wooden cable drum manufacturing.

3. Expropriation: The family business is renamed VEB Holzindustrie; Gerhard Lohraff remains plant manager.

4. Reprivatization; establishment of a modern cable drum manufacturing operation with assembly sites in Germany, France and Holland.

5. Fifth generation: Sabine von Köppen and Mathias Lohraff take over the company succession (alongside Gerhard Lohraff and Uwe Wenkel).

6. Acquisition of the company EMS with three sites in France and one site in Tunisia.