1946-1955. Humbling First Steps

After World War II, the city of Munich lies in ruins. Hans Bauer starts up BAUER KOMPRESSOREN in the cellar of his family home at Wolfratshauser Strasse.

The company initially produces small single stage compressors, a product well adapted to the post-war economy, but quickly branches out into industrial and breathing air applications.

In the post-war economy, a compressor, such as the K 101 shown here, can only be obtained with ration cards for iron and bronze, which had been issued by the Allied Forces. The K 101 compressor cost DM 160 and 10 iron and 1 bronze ration cards.

Two years later, BAUER KOMPRESSOREN feels the first signs of an economic recovery in Europe. The sale for 30 compressors to Portugal was BAUER's first big export order. Serial production of 15 bar two stage units picks up.

BAUER surpasses the magical mark of 1 Million Deutschmarks of turnover. A new manufacturing site is built. New products are designed.

In the early 1950s, a new plant is built at Wolfratshauser Strasse.

The sale of mobile diesel compressors, up to a power of 140 PS, contributes heavily to the growth of the company.

BAUER premieres the UTILUS compressor, the archetype diving compressor. This high pressure unit is still sold worldwide and guarantees decades of reliable service. It is an incredibly robust machine; spare parts for the 1955 UTILUS are still available today. The compressor delivers 80 litres of purest breathing air per minute. Its name UTILUS (Latin for "useful") is the acronym for "Unseren Tauchern Immer Luft Und Sicherheit" - always a safe and reliable source of air for divers.