HISTORY

Best quality and highest standards of manufacturing have been our company's trademarks for more than 100 years.
A company that has grown steadily –

through inventive craftsmanship and market-driven innovations.
Family cohesion provides the basis.
Best workmanship and state-of-the-art technology – Made in Germany – since 1903.

1903
Albert Hirth, father of the famous aviators Hellmuth and Wolf Hirth and Swabian "Leonardo da Vinci", establishes the Offene Handelsgesellschaft Fortuna Werke in Stuttgart. Emil Lilienfein joins the company as merchant and shareholder.
Development of the first skiving machine with bell knife.

1938
Development of the first splitting machine FSP.

1953
A completely new leather skiving and splitting machine is introduced to an international audience at the Pirmasens Trade Fair.

1965
The newly built Fortuna branch in Weil der Stadt is inaugurated. The assembly of skiving- and splitting machines is relocated here.

1967
The 50.000th skiving machine and the 250th splitting machine leave the plant.

1991
The world's first computer-controlled skiving machine CS 4 is presented at the IMS in Pirmasens.

1994
The entire company including the areas leather and spindles move to the branch in Weil der Stadt.

1996
The areas leather and spindles are split and allocated different trade names.
The Leather division becomes Fortuna Spezialmaschinen GmbH..