1997–2001: From a One-Man Operation to the WIRTGEN GROUP
The WIRTGEN GROUP – A Group of Companies for Road Technologies
In 1997, Jürgen Wirtgen and Stefan Wirtgen took over management of the company. What had been only a dream for Reinhard Wirtgen became reality under his sons – the merger of the three strong brands WIRTGEN, VÖGELE, and HAMM made it possible to offer customers the entire range of mobile machines for road construction.
The expansion of WIRTGEN into a corporate group began with the successful integration of VÖGELE, the Mannheim-based manufacturer of road pavers. HAMM, the renowned roller manufacturer from Tirschenreuth in the Upper Palatinate region of Germany, joined the WIRTGEN GROUP in 1999. Expanding the sales network with its own national subsidiaries strengthened the group’s worldwide presence. At the same time, major investments at all of the brand headquarters, from Windhagen to Mannheim to Tirschenreuth, increased production capacities and efficiency.