The GELO Story
GELO Company Museum and History
It is well over a century ago that three brave men decided to set up a sawmill in Weißenstadt. Today the company still works in the same place, but under completely different conditions. Come with us on a little journey through time and explore the history of the GELO company
Early Years of GELO
Es war in the year 1898, when three people from Weißenstadt came together to establish a sawmill here in Weißenstadt: the timber merchant Friedrich Gebhardt and two brothers, the merchant Friedrich Lochner and the merchant Wilhelm Lochner. A short time later, production began in the newly built factory with 12 workers. The first facility consisted of a sawing room with 2 full sawmills, a steam engine system, a boiler system and a circular saw.
Im Years 1904 The first planing machine was installed and at the same time a box production facility was added to the factory. From 1909 GELO also produced wood wool, so that 60 workers could be employed until the outbreak of the First World War.
eventful years until 1945
Am 25 November 1918 A terrible fire destroyed the entire Gebhardt & Gebr. Lochner company within a few hours. In the summer of 1919, the factory was able to start up again after the fire disaster, larger than before:
Now there were 4 sawmills working in the sawmill, and 6 wood wool planing machines and 8 rope spinning machines were producing wood wool in the wood wool factory.
Am 1 January 1929 Christian Küspert senior bought the company share from Wilhelm Lochner. In the following years, new land was acquired, the first hot air drying plant was built, and runway tracks now ran through the expanded storage area. GELO survived the Second World War largely unscathed until 10 April 1945 the company was badly hit by bombs hitting the immediate vicinity: all windows were destroyed and the roofs were badly damaged.
Post-war period and years of modernization
Despite the difficult post-war situation, 1948 a big celebration was held to mark the company's 50th anniversary.
On the occasion of this anniversary, the company owners decided to donate a new 12 o'clock bell to the Jakobus Church in Weißenstadt out of gratitude.
In the 50s and 60s Extensive modernization measures were carried out, after which Gebhardt & Gebr. Lochner was one of the most modern woodworking plants in Germany: For example, a large gantry crane was erected, the sawmill was partially automated and a huge sawn timber sorting plant was built.
1976 Production was again adapted to the advancing technology: an automatic double-edge circular saw and a continuous cross-cutting system were installed. In addition, the first chipper and new drying chambers were built.
renaming as GELO-Holzwerke
After the Lochner family left the company Gebhardt & Gebr. Lochner, from 1982 the fate of the company rests solely in the hands of Christian Küspert Jr.
The company is now called GELO-Holzwerke and is continuing to modernize: In the presence of 250 guests from business and politics, GELO took part in 4 April 1986 a fully mechanized, microprocessor-controlled log yard was put into operation. This meant that the cutting capacity suddenly increased to more than double.
Am June 27, 1992 However, a catastrophe struck GELO: In the evening hours, a major fire destroyed almost the entire production. A year of operational downtime and laborious reconstruction began. After only 10 months of record construction time, GELO was able to start operations in July 1993 resume.
In the new chipping plant, the heart of the company, the round wood is processed using a profiling line with a circular saw combination at the highest feed speed.
GELO’s sawmill technology is once again an international leader.
100 years of GELO – fit for the future
Im summer 1998 GELO was able to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary in the company of all employees and many loyal customers, in the presence of many prominent figures from politics, forestry and business.
Parallel to ongoing production, 1999 A new log yard was built on the GELO Holzwerke site. More than 100.000 cubic meters of logs can now be sawn per year.
In the year 2000 an important technical modernization was required - the frequency conversion of the motors in the chipping line. Where previously the motors could only be operated at either 40 meters per minute or 60 meters per minute, it was now possible to regulate the speed continuously between 30 and 120 meters per minute, depending on the workpiece and by adjusting individual parts. 2001 GELO is the first sawmill in Germany to receive the coveted PEFC environmental certificate.
2003 Finally, there is another generational change: Wolf-Christian Küspert is officially appointed Managing Director of GELO-Holzwerke. This means that the family business is being handed over to the third Küspert generation - a beautiful tradition and a new chapter in the company's eventful history. Christian Küspert, as senior boss, will remain with the company in an advisory capacity.
The recent past of GELO
2004 – 2005 Extensive extensions and expansions were again carried out. The most important innovation is the construction of the incineration plant, which makes GELO-Holzwerke a completely bio-ecological operation. The ability to burn wood residues completely replaces non-renewable fuels such as oil or gas.
Im July 2006 GELO expands its product range and the first 13m long KVH bars leave the factory. 2007 In addition, the investment decision is made for a fully flexible industrial planing mill that produces high-quality planed goods for the markets in Germany and the world.
Im year 2010 GELO founded WUN Bioenergie together with Stadtwerke Wunsiedel (SWW). Since 2014 Finally, everything to do with wood, heating and gardening can be purchased directly from GELO in the in-house factory outlet “Holzkiste”.
