1936
Founding of the company
EEW was founded in 1936 by Hermann Klein, the father-in-law of Jörg Schorge, one of the managing directors of the EEW Group. In those days, EEW not only manufactured pipes, but also pressure vessels of all kinds, heating oil tanks, gas cylinders, boilers, silos, large buoys, special trailers for cars and lorries as well as the tanks for tanker lorries.
A new name
EEW was originally founded as Erndtebrücker Eisen & Blechwarenwerk GmbH & Co. In the year 1952, the name was changed to Erndtebrücker Eisenwerk Hermann Klein & Co. GmbH. From 1950 until 1973, EEW predominantly manufactured steel heating oil tanks.
1952
1974
Manufacturing of DSAW
steel pipes
During the oil crisis in 1974, under the leadership of the new managing director, Jörg Schorge, the production programme was changed to include large DSAW steel pipes. Not only did EEW supply these pipes to the mechanical engineering industry, but also to the newly-emerging offshore industry in the North Sea.
Expansion of production
The production of longitudinally-welded pipes was so successful that production facilities soon became too small to cover the increasing demand. A factory situated on a neighbouring plot was bought.
1982
Completion of the 13 m (42.7 ft.)
pipe manufacturing line in Erndtebrück
The year 1994 proved to be a turning point in the history of EEW. Because more and more specifications required pipes in 12 m (39.4 ft.) lengths without circumferential welds, the owners made the decision to install a state-of-the-art production line, the heart of which is a 13.2 m (43.3 ft.) press. This investment brought EEW further ahead and made the company an international market leader in the manufacturing of LSAW steel pipes.
1994
1995
Point-to-Point Construction Service is created
In 1995, a CNC burning machine was installed and EEW’s “Point-to-Point” service was created. This service comprises the prefabrication of piping components ready for installation, from detailed engineering to pipe manufacturing to the organisation of transport. Today, the “Point-to-Point” service is not only used by the fabricators of offshore jackets, but also for slug catchers, bridges, stadiums and airport terminals.
The founding of EEW Korea
In 2001, EEW became an international company, by founding a plant in Sacheon, on the southern coast of South Korea. The first phase of EEW Korea began with the manufacturing of 6.1 m (20 ft.) pipes. In 2004, the second phase was completed, with the installation of a 13.2 m (43.3 ft.) production line.
2001
2005
EEW Erndtebrück – completion of the 12 m (39.4 ft.) line
In June of 2005, a 12 m (39.4 ft.) production line was installed in Erndtebrück, upon which large-diameter, thin-walled pipes are economically produced. The heart of this production line is a 12.2 m (40 ft.) three-roll bending machine. This additional production line increased the production capacity in Erndtebrück by an additional 25,000 tonnes each year.
Start of production at EEW SPC
With the founding of EEW Special Pipe Constructions in Rostock, EEW entered the (then) newly-emerging renewable energy sector. EEW SPC is the heavyweight in the EEW Group and is specialised in the manufacturing of foundations for offshore wind turbines. Here, pipes with outside diameters up to 12,000 mm (472.4”), wall thicknesses up to 170 mm (6.7”) and maximum combined lengths of up to 120 m (393.7 ft.) are produced. The maximum piece weight that can be handled in our Rostock plant is 2,500 tonnes.
2008
The founding of WELDEC
During the construction of EEW SPC, it was determined that the new welding machines did not fulfil the high EEW welding standards. As a result of this, in 2009, EEW decided to establish its own mechanical engineering company, today AWS Schäfer Technologie GmbH.
2009
The founding of EEW Malaysia
With the founding of EEW Malaysia, also in the year 2009, a second production location abroad was created. The premises are in an excellent location, in the Tanjung Langsat industrial area near Pasir Gudang, on the southern coast of Malaysia. There is access to the local harbour. The EEW Malaysia production programme covers line pipes and structural tubing.
EEW KHPC – start
of production
EEW KHPC (EEW Korea Heavy Pipe Construction) was founded in 2015 as a second plant in Korea. The Korean plant specialises in the manufacturing of structural pipes and the assembly of pipe structures with a maximum length of 80 m and up to 300 tonnes in weight. From the location in Gwangyang, with striking distance to the seaport, EEW KHPC is ideally prepared to serve the attractive markets in Asia and America as well as those in the Middle East and South Asia.
2015
2017
The EEW Group has expanded considerably since its founding in the year 1936. With more than 2,100 employees, nine production facilities, an annual production capacity of more than 900,000 tonnes of steel pipes as well as a unique production range, we are one of the world’s leading specialists for the production of submerged-arc welded pipes.
Optimization of the 12-meter production in Erndtebrück
In 2018 the 12-meter production line for clad pipes was significantly expanded and optimized. New machines and state-of-the-art measuring equipment along the production line, guarantee production of clad pipes according to the highest customer and product requirements. With this step, the plant in Erndtebrück has manifested its position as a competence center for the production of clad pipes.
2018
2020
2,000 Foundations for the Offshore Wind Industry
EEW SPC is one of the world's leading manufacturers of monopiles which serve as foundation piles for offshore wind turbines. In 2020, EEW SPC delivered the 2,000th offshore wind foundation. Since its foundation in 2008, the monopole specialist from Rostock has made a significant contribution to the expansion of the offshore wind industry.
New structures in the EEW Group
Since January 2021, the newly founded EEW Holding GmbH & Co. KG will be responsible for the central corporate management of the entire EEW Group. The new company, located in Erndtebrück, will coordinate the standardization and quality assurance within EEW Group in the future to ensure central project organization, uniform processes and clear organizational structures for our customers and business partners.
2021
