IN 1955, trade partner Robert Troost advertises the new single-bladed reamer.
From a small toolmaker to an innovative company
1950–1969
With entrepreneurial courage, a high level of innovation, extraordinary employees and sound business management, a steadily growing company for high-quality fine machining tools is emerging under the leadership of Dr Georg Kress. The single-bladed “MAPAL reamer” successfully stands out from the competition.
In 1950, tax consultant Dr Georg Kress takes over the company ‘OBA Präzisionswerkzeugbau’ from one of his clients, which is in financial difficulty. The company is entered in the commercial register at the beginning of 1951 as MAPA (Maschinen- und Präzisionswerkzeugbau Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung in Aalen/Württ.). Like its predecessor, it mainly produces taps and threading dies in a rented, hut-like hall in Aalen.
In 1951, in his search for new products, Dr Georg Kress acquires the patent for an innovative wood processing machine with full automatic bar profile milling, which is produced and successfully distributed a short time later. And in 1952 – against the advice of many experts – the patent for a reamer with just one blade, clamped and adjustable in a slot. In theory, it offersgreater reaming flexibility than conventional reamers – even at high speeds, feeds and tool lifes, and with lower manufacturing costs.
In practice, however, a great deal of testing and development work was necessary before the single-bladed reamer 1954 could be launched on the market. Due to its advantages, it quickly became a sought-after product and a unique selling point for MAPAL, as the company was called from 1956 due to a trademark dispute. Further patented innovations for the single-bladed reamer, such as indexable inserts and two asymmetrically arranged carbide guide pads, transformed the tool in the early 1960s into a high-performance tool used by an increasing number of customers.
MAPAL grew accordingly, and by 1961 the company already had 130 employees. One year later, the last rented rooms and open spaces could be purchased, after a large saw-tooth roof hall had already been built in 1958 on a partially purchased property. Thanks to continuous improvements to the single-bladed reamer, especially in terms of tool life, the company continued to grow steadily. In 1969, the ‘MAPAL reamer’ already contributes to almost a third of the turnover of around 3.5 million German Marks. The company employs around 175 people. One of them is the son of the founder, Dr Dieter Kress, who has been with the company since the beginning of the year.
BEFORE FOUNDING THE COMPANY, Dr Georg Kress managed a successful tax consultancy firm in Aalen.
AN EARLY BROCHURE ADVERTISES PRECISION THREADING DIES, which initially make up the bulk of the product range.
DR GEORG KRESS (front) with his senior managers in the 1950s.
INITIALLY, MAPAL was housed in a rented, hut-like hall.