Rosenbauer International AG
| Rosenbauer International AG | |
| |
| Names | Rosenbauer & Kneitschel, Fabrik für Lösch-und Wehrgerät und Metallwaren
Automobilspritzengesellschaft Lohner & Rosenbauer
Rosenbauer International
|
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Leonding, Austria |
| Founder | Johann Rosenbauer |
| Key people | Johann Rosenbauer |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Products | Fire apparatus
Indoor/outdoor warning sirens |
Rosenbauer International AG is a Leonding, OOE-based manufacturer of fire trucks, firefighting equipment, and the main focus of this article, indoor and outdoor warning sirens. Founded in 1866, the company has since gone on to become one of the world's largest fire apparatus suppliers.
History
Rosenbauer was founded by Johann Rosenbauer in Linz in 1866, reselling manual fire pumps, helmets, buttons, etc. from various local manufacturers. They also dabbled into making equipment for fencing, sports, and playgrounds. Konrad Rosenbauer took over the company in 1888, and it would start producing their own fire equipment soon after. After moving to a larger facility in Leonding, the company would be renamed to K. Rosenbauer & Kneitschel, Fabrik für Lösch-und Wehrgerät und Metallwaren.
In 1908, Rosenbauer started to produce gas-powered pumps, and would manufacture its first fire truck in 1918 Sometime between then and 1926, the company's name would again change, this time being renamed Automobilspritzengesellschaft Lohner & Rosenbauer. In the 1950s, likely sometime during or after 1955, Rosenbauer would release the FS4D, a simple omnidirectional electromechanical siren, intended for use as both a fire and civil defense siren. The company was likely inspired by the E57 which was introduced during the same decade.
The FS4D would be short-lived, however, as it was superseded by the FS8 in the 1960s, which was a slightly improved version of its predecessor. Rosenbauer would partner with Carvatech in the late 1970s to produce chassis for fire trucks. This venture would prove to be unsuccessful as Rosenbauer's custom chassis apparatus, the Falcon, was filled to the brim with unreliable parts and was extremely prone to failure, resulting in its discontinuation in the mid 1980s.
In the late 80s or early 90s, the company's name would change a third and final time, now being named Rosenbauer International. They would widen their product selection to include flying firefighting vehicles, water cannons, and uniforms and helmets. By this time, Rosenbauer had several manufacturing plants across the world, accounting for over 90% of the company's production, and employed around 2,000 employees by 2010.
In early 2011, German authorities would sentence Rosenbauer, Schlingmann GmbH & Co. KG, Albert Ziegler GmbH & Co. KG and Iveco Magirus Brandschutztechnik GmbH to a total of €28 million in fines for engaging in "cartel practices". Rosenbauer would introduce the Rosenbauer RT (Revolutionary Technology), an electric vehicle, in 2014, which would see use in Berlin, Amsterdam, and Dubai after its release. It would be succeeded by the Rosenbauer RTX in 2021. Rosenbauer no longer appears to sell outdoor warning sirens, and currently only sells speakers and similar auditory equipment.
Products
Manually operated sirens
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Electric alarm sirens
FS4D
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FS8
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