1980-1996: From contractor to machine manufacturer

Specialized machine manufacturer with four product divisions

In 1980 Reinhard Wirtgen divested himself of the contracting division and focused on the production of machinery for the rehabilitation and new construction of roads and for opencast mining.

1986

Further milestones in milling technology.

1987

Environmentally friendly and gentle on resources – cold recycling.

1981

“Moving mountains with a milling machine” – new applications in opencast mining.

1989

Take-over of the "Slipform Pavers" division of the Belgian manufacturer, SGME.

1995

Addition of further production halls (6,000 m²).

Reinhard Wirtgen systematically expanded his product portfolio at the production plant in Windhagen to include four specialized product divisions. Substantial improvements were made in the cold milling division, enabling WIRTGEN to offer the broadest range of machines in the industry.

In 1981, WIRTGEN built the first surface miners for opencast mining and routing operations in hard rock, which opened up an entirely new field of application. From 1987 onwards, WIRTGEN introduced cold recycling as a new and economical method of road rehabilitation. In 1989, Reinhard Wirtgen incorporated the slipform paver division into his company to offer solutions for the construction of concrete roads and poured-in-place concrete profiles.