PATH OF SUCCESS
SIEMENS & HALSKE laid the foundation stone for capacitor production in Gera in 1938. During WW2 the factory had grown to become the central location of SIEMENS production. In the GDR, the company was nationalized and expanded to become the leading capacitor manufacturer in the entire Eastern Bloc. And even after the difficult years of changes in Eastern Germany, the privatized company has once again achieved one of the top positions among capacitor manufacturers in the world.
“Probably, they’ll always need it…"
A chronicle on 75 years of capacitor production in Gera
Richly illustrated chronicle of the Gera capacitor factory.
Available here as a download. Are you looking for the original book? Please send us an email.
Year of publication: 2013
ISBN: 978-3-00-043983-4
Language: English
1938
SIEMENS & HALSKE's Wernerwerk in Arnstadt opens a small factory for DC capacitors in Gera. Soon after production start in 1939, the small outpost quickly grows into the most important location of research, development and production for capacitors during World War II. By the end of the war, 95% of SIEMENS capacitor production has been concentrated here.
1948
After the American troops have already taken some of the production equipment with them at the end of the war, the Soviet occupying forces dismantle the plant almost completely in two waves before nationalizing it in 1948. However, the new "Capacitor Works Gera" (later RFT VEB Elektronik Gera) soon grows back into the largest capacitor factory in what is then the Eastern Bloc.
1964
With the significant expansion of the company's own metal coating equipment, an important cornerstone is laid for today's success: the independent know-how in paper and foil metallization.
1976
The capacitor makers in Gera present their first series of capacitors based on metallized polypropylene film. This creates significant space and cost advantages and has almost completely replaced all other dielectric materials in our production to this day.
1983
The construction of the largest metallization center for dielectric materials within what was then the Eastern Bloc starts in Gera-Pforten. Although it was not expanded to the originally planned size as a result of the political upheavals at the end of the 1980s, this metallization center is still an essential building block for ELECTRONICON’s economic success.
1990
The state-owned group of factories, which has grown to almost 8,000 employees, is split up and converted into several companies (GmbHs). The capacitor production continues as ELECTRONICON GmbH.
1992
The division of film and paper capacitors separates with 238 employees under the new name ELECTRONICON Kondensatoren GmbH. From now on, they will concentrate on lighting, motor and power capacitors.
1994
Takeover by SYSTEM ELECTRIC GmbH, who are pioneers in the construction of modular compensation systems and specialists in industrial power factor correction. They are particularly interested in the further development of power capacitors.
2002
Market launch of the innovative PK16 series, which heralds the systematic substitution of electrolytic capacitors in the DC link of modern converters.
2004
The MSD series by ELECTRONICON presents the world's first self-healing and liquid-free high-voltage capacitor.
2011
Opening of a new factory in Gera Hermsdorf for the production of large DC capacitors. It becomes a prerequisite for the successful establishment of ELECTRONICON as one of the three leading global providers of capacitors for HVDC systems.
2019
With almost EUR 74 million, the ELECTRONICON Kondensatoren GmbH has increased its sales sevenfold since establishment in 1992.
