BITZER Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH celebrated its 75th anniversary with customers, suppliers, journalists, and employees. Since its foundation, the Sindelfingen based company has developed into a worldwide leading manufacturer of compressors, condensers and pressure vessels for the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. The Management Board took a positive stock of the past decades and had an optimistic view for the future despite the current economic crisis.

BITZER Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH was founded as "Apparatebau für Kältetechnik" ("Apparatus Engineering for Refrigeration Technology") by Martin BITZER in 1934, and proudly looks back on 75 years of company history. Besides employees and journalists, also customers and suppliers from all over the world have been invited to the ceremony taking place on 4th of December. More than 300 guests celebrated the memorable jubilee together with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Schaufler, Senator h. c. Large screens in the „SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen", the former production site of BITZER reciprocating and screw compressors, guided the participants through history: They displayed BITZER manufacturing plants as well as products from the past and the present and brought the past and the future of the company to life. "SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen" is the name of the new museum, where art lover Peter Schaufler will open his collection of contemporary art pieces to the public in June 2010.

Peter Schaufler took over BITZER in 1979 – since then the company has grown continuously and achieved mostly two-digit growth rates. Since October 2008, however, even at BITZER the effects of the economic crisis are noticeable. "The economic and financial crisis has certainly affected our business as well", said Peter Schaufler. "But despite the decline in order income from October to December 2008, the last year was the second best in company history." Since July 2009, the order situation has stabilized – CEO Peter Schaufler anticipates a sales decline of only twenty percent for the running business year versus the previous year. He counts on a recovery next year: "Based on the results of 2009, we expect a growth rate of around ten percent in 2010. Due to cost cutting measures that have already put into effect, BITZER will not have any enforced redundancies in 2010".

The optimism has several reasons: Meanwhile the positive signals from the refrigeration and air conditioning industry are increasing.

And BITZER is back on track for growth again. "Amongst other things, this is due to our strong innovations as well as our ability to recognize and meet the requirements of the market," explained Peter Schaufler. An example, he said, is the development and production of extremely energy efficient screw compressors as well as the usage of natural and environmental friendly refrigerants. "In the future we will keep offering our customers individual solutions and strengthen our market leadership," said Peter Schaufler.