100 years of KROHNE.
100 years in the spirit of creativity.
Creativity is the most effective human strength. It enables us to find innovative ideas for new challenges. Since 1921, this creative spirit that has shaped KROHNE’s corporate culture and made us what we are today: one of the leading international suppliers of process measuring technology.
100 years of KROHNE stand for: 100 years of thinking in “solutions” instead of “products” in order to create added value. 100 years of finding ways where none existed before. 100 years of appreciation for customers, partners and employees. And 100 years of a very special connection to art.
Much lies behind us. But much more is ahead.
KROHNE offers more than products.
KROHNE adds value.
The KROHNE history is closely linked to the entrepreneur Kristian Rademacher-Dubbick: he was an artist and had no experience in measuring technology when his grandmother asked him to help out at the company.
To find out what drives customers, what they expect from the instruments, Kristian rode his bicycle and visited them on site. And he listened. It was this unconventional manner of the young creative that was key to KROHNE’s corporate success.
Since those days, customers’ wishes have been the focus of KROHNE’s attention at every point in time. KROHNE has taken these wishes further and has created customer- and application-oriented solutions that offer real added value.
New paths are created by walking them.
KROHNE has always been a pioneer.
The pioneering spirit has always been a part of KROHNE. Without this, many of our products and solutions would not exist today: many times, we have pioneered the industrial implementation of technologies that became standards in the process industries.
At KROHNE, pioneering spirit also means courage and foresight when entering new markets: in 1987, we were the second German company to found a joint venture company in China.
Many more steps followed, leading to a global company with more than 4,000 employees in over 100 countries worldwide. Today, KROHNE is not only present on all continents, but also in all industries.
202X
KROHNE launches the next generation of sensors.
2021
KROHNE turns 100 years, placing its anniversary under THE SPIRIT OF CREATIVITY that emphasizes the open approach to unconventional ideas and stands for a century under the sign of creativity and innovation.
2020
KROHNE introduces Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) option for Coriolis mass flowmeters, being the first manufacturer to provide SIL certified Coriolis meters allowing Bluetooth® communication for wireless parameterisation and monitoring in safety-related applications.
2019
KROHNE and SAMSON found a Joint Venture to develop autonomous actuators for the process industry 4.0: the intelligent process node measures the flow and controls its valve function autonomously, based on a highly innovative software and hardware architecture. This provides a prerequisite for swarm intelligence and self-learning systems, and is a major step on the way to the autonomous factory.
2016
To assure the best performance under all process conditions, KROHNE introduces Total 3D-linearisation of every DP transmitter to compensate all possible influencing factors in combination, providing for a robust and accurate differential pressure measurement, even under changing process conditions.
2013
KROHNE introduces the first process analytics digital sensor portfolio with integrated transmitter technology and direct connection to control system via 4…20 mA/HART®: with unique circuit technology and special encapsulation, the sensors offer process reliability at a level previously unknown.
2012
Entrained Gas Measurement EGM for KROHNE Coriolis mass flowmeters is a technology to cope with entrained gas: with EGM, Coriolis meters maintain operation over a wide range of gas fractions and complex flow conditions, e.g. liquids mixed with gas, slurries containing gases, and highly viscous fluids with plugs of gas entrainment.
2011
KROHNE introduces SmartSense insulation resistance monitoring for safe operation of temperature assemblies: integrated in the temperature transmitter, it can detect cracks in the thermowell e.g. caused by wear or corrosion, and prevents erroneous measurements.
2010
First electromagnetic flowmeter (EMF) with measuring tube with a rectangular and reduced cross-section that enables a stable measurement even at low flow rates: due to the optimized flow profile, it can be installed virtually anywhere without straight inlet or outlet runs – behind pipe bends, slide valves or a reduction in the pipe. The special cross section is characteristic for one of our most successful products in the water market.
2009
Introduction of the Drop antenna for radar level transmitters: its ellipsoidal shape minimises scaling and is unaffected by the angle of repose, eliminating the need for expensive antenna aiming kits or purging systems. Accompanied by additional antenna types, the Drop antenna remains in the portfolio to the present day.
2006
KROHNE introduces the first 2-wire vortex flowmeter with integrated pressure and temperature compensation: it combines flow, temperature and pressure measurement as well as flow calculation in just one device, saving installation costs and resulting in a better overall system accuracy. It was the basis for our current Vortex portfolio.
2000
Installation of the world’s most precise volumetric calibration rig for flowmeters up to DN 3000/120″ with a certified accuracy of 0.013% in Dordrecht, The Netherlands, which remains our largest production site for electromagnetic and ultrasonic flowmeters, and also for system solutions.
1994
First straight-tube Coriolis mass flowmeter: KROHNE is the first process instrumentation company to present a direct mass flow measurement using the Coriolis effect with a single straight measuring tube without a flow splitter. Accompanied by additional pipe geometries, the product remains in the portfolio to the present day.
1989
Presentation of the first FMCW radar level transmitter for process tanks: KROHNE pioneered the industrial implementation of radar in process applications as a non-contact level measurement technology for difficult vessel geometries. From this, a complete portfolio of radar level transmitters has been developed.
1987
KROHNE is the second German company to found a joint venture company in Shanghai, China. Today, China is the largest single market for KROHNE.
1981
First electromagnetic flowmeter (EMF) with measuring tube made of oxide ceramics and sintered-in platinum electrodes: chemically resistant, dimensionally stable, abrasion and corrosion resistant, thermally stable – in sum, this device was developed for maximum reliability in all processes. The product remains in the portfolio to the present day.
1980
As technology pioneer, KROHNE started developing 2-path ultrasonic flowmeters, and 1980 marks the first delivery of an ultrasonic flowmeter to Shell for crude oil measurements. From this, a complete portfolio of ultrasonic flowmeters has been developed.
1960
One of the first KROHNE subsidiaries abroad was established in Romans-sur-Isere in France at the beginning of the nineteen-sixties. Today it is our main development and production site for level instruments.
1952
KROHNE introduces the first electromagnetic flowmeter (EMF) for industrial process measurement, setting a new standard in volume flow measurement: no moving parts, no constriction, no pressure loss – nothing like this had ever existed before. This was the foundation for the current portfolio.
1949
The Second World War brought great tragedy as both Ludwig and Karl Krohne lost their lives. This left KROHNE in the hands of Ludwig’s wife Anna Krohne. In 1949, she asked her grandson Kristian Rademacher-Dubbick, who was co-incidentally born also in 1921, to help her in the business.
1921
KROHNE starts manufacturing variable area flowmeters to measure the flow of air, gases and liquids. Since then, the variable area technology has remained in the portfolio, and has continuously been adapted to new requirements.
1921
LUDWIG KROHNE & SOHN is founded in Duisburg, Germany. The initial workforce was Ludwig Krohne, his wife Anna and his son Karl.
Daily source of inspiration:
Art as a unifying element at KROHNE.
At KROHNE, art has a long tradition as a source of inspiration. Because we believe that the success of a company depends not only on the quality and reliability of its products and solutions, but also on the creativity and resourcefulness of the people behind them.
Today, there are more than 3,000 artworks to be discovered at all KROHNE locations worldwide – not only in the offices, but also in the production halls. We believe that in engaging with this art, every employee has the opportunity to gain inspiration that goes far beyond the work itself.
We are a family.
We are KROHNIANS.
KROHNE’s corporate culture has always been characterized by family cohesion, consistency, cosmopolitanism and appreciation. Good and reliable partnerships are an essential component of our company’s success, and respectful interaction is an important basis of our actions.
Our employees, our entrepreneurial family, our partner companies – all go by this principle of living with and for one another. This is what makes us “KROHNIANS”, and this is one of the main reasons for the many long-term partnerships we maintain with our customers worldwide.