DE
50 years of protecting man and machine.
August Penkert GmbH from Mülheim an der Ruhr has specialized in the development and manufacture of protective gloves for professional use for many years. “An area that places the highest demands on people and materials. Because when it’s a matter of life and death, nothing should be left to chance. That’s why we have been a reliable partner for firefighters for 55 years when it comes to protecting hands from mechanical and thermal risks,” says Bernhard Penkert, CEO of August Penkert GmbH.
The family business from the leather town of Mülheim (Ruhr) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. "It all started in 1967 with the production of protective leather gloves for industrial use. Right from the start, we wanted to set ourselves apart from our competitors through product quality and customer service. The focus should not be on price, but on quality. Because we were always certain: if you cut corners on safety, you will ultimately pay a much higher price." The current product portfolio of August Penkert GmbH is geared entirely towards the needs of customers. One example: in the past, you had to choose between Firefighting gloves made of leather or textile materials. Today, the either-or question is a thing of the past. "Today you can get the best of both worlds. The comfort of a leather glove with the advantages of a textile glove (e.g. less shrinkage when exposed to direct flame)." "We work closely with fire departments and training centers. This gives us direct feedback on the behavior of the gloves during internal attacks or technical assistance. This supports product optimization and offers instructors and firefighters the opportunity to have a direct influence on product development. Real quality is handmade. Design, development and production are all in our hands, so that we can react flexibly to customer requests. Our customers really appreciate that."
50 years of protection
A success story for the protection of man and machine.
Greetings
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen.Our company is 50 years old! On September 5, 1967, my father founded the company "August Penkert Technische Leder- und Kunststofferzeugnisse" and began trading in machine protection elements and protective gloves made of leather. However, after a short time, special customer requirements demanded the start of our own production. The company expanded and the rented premises in the old "Casino" in Mülheim an der Ruhr became too small. In the spring of 1983, we moved to our own premises at Xantener Str. 12, our current company headquarters. After the first few years of successful business activity, we developed a specialization in the product area of "bellows" in the field of machine protection and EN-certified protective gloves made of leather and textile materials in the field of personal protective equipment. With our own production facilities and a team of skilled tailors, saddlers, upholsterers, locksmiths, technical draughtsmen and engineers, we were able to implement even the most unusual customer requests in a short space of time. This ability and our endeavor to offer the highest product quality at a fair price also made us known outside the Ruhr area. We are proud to count large and well-known companies among our customers. I joined the company in 1988 after completing a banking apprenticeship and then studying business administration, concentrating primarily on the development, manufacture and sale of personal protective equipment. Together, my father and I managed the business with around 25 employees until he handed over sole management to me in 2004. He himself was present in his company almost every day until shortly before his death in 2014 and was still involved in the day-to-day business. I am proud and grateful to be the second generation to run the company and to be able to look back on 50 years of company existence. n the name of my employees, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, our customers, for your loyalty. Special thanks go to my father, who had the business idea and gave me the opportunity to join the company. My employees and I look forward to continuing to be a reliable partner for your safety and wish you continued success and satisfaction with our protection products. YoursBernhard Penkert- CEO -Penkert GmbH
