History

Continuing a family tradition
Ulrich Joseph Vögele, son of a traditional smithing family in Mannheim, sets up his own forge near the city's "Heidelberg Gate", in today's square Q 6.5, on 15th October 1836, laying the foundations for JOSEPH VÖGELE.

Forging the company’s destiny
When the first railway lines are taken into service in Germany, Joseph Vögele displays great business vision in his forge and focuses entirely on meeting the needs of the growing railway industry, concentrating production on points, traversers, turntables and shunting equipment.

Order volume grows
The production of railway equipment grows, the resulting lack of space requires Joseph Vögele to move the company to the “Enge Planken” area of town in square P 6.

Set to expand
VÖGELE sets new standards in rail engineering with the further development of points and crossovers. Orders received from the government make it necessary to expand further. Business flourishes to such an extent that in 1857, Joseph Vögele has to rent additional space in the fields beside the "Heidelberg Barrier". In 1866, he purchases a larger site for his company in square Q 7.

VÖGELE lays track all over Europe
The founder's son Heinrich Vögele joins the company and extends its product range to include turntables, traversers and signal boxes. VÖGELE becomes the leading manufacturer of points in Europe, producing not only points and various types of crossover, but also slips, derailers and other special components. The company signs contracts with leading construction firms and supplies the tracks, switches and crossings for innumerable railway lines in Germany and the rest of Europe.

A new production location for 126 years

In 1874, the factory moves to the spacious site between the Neckarauer Landstrasse and the marshalling yard, where it remains until 2010.