After 11 years of working in the application technology department of Parker Hannifin’s O-ring division, Dipl.-Ing. Bernhard Richter took the plunge into self-employment and founded the Richter O-ring testing laboratory.
Foundation of the Richter O-ring testing laboratory: Bernhard Richter started together with a part-time employee and the accounting support of Sabine Richter with damage analyses, material and finished part tests on O-rings in three small rooms at Großbottwar.
In March 1997, the first two public seminars were held on the topics of “Safety in the use of O-rings” and “Rubber materials in sealing technology”.
The products already ranged far beyond the O-ring. In addition to elastomer seals, rubber-to-metal parts, bellows, hydraulic seals and other technical rubber goods are tested.
First half-year seminar programme with four different seminars on rubber materials and seals.
First increase in employees. Now there are four people in the team. The topic of damage analysis is offered as a seminar.
Planning of the new building in Kleinbottwarer Straße.
Relocation to the new premises at Kleinbottwarer Straße 1 in Großbottwar with expansion of the laboratory equipment.
In the same year, the Richter O-ring testing laboratory passes the audit according to DIN EN ISO 17025. The Richter testing laboratory is now accredited by the DAkks (national accreditation body of the Federal Republic of Germany)
There are now nine members in the team. The laboratory also grows and is equipped with additional ovens and a TGA analyser. The client base increases to over 800 companies.
The laboratory and thus the testing facilities are being greatly expanded.
Legal transfer to the O-Ring Prüflabor Richter GmbH. Now already with 12 colleagues.
Hoses are included as an additional focus in the work of the testing laboratory and the advisory activities.
The laboratory is bursting at the seams. The new extension to the previous building in Kleinbottwarer Straße starts in 2014.
O-Ring Prüflabor Richter GmbH makes its first appearance at a trade fair at IRC 2015 in Nuremberg. In the same year, the team moves into the new building.
The Richter testing laboratory goes online with a new look at www.o-ring-prüflabor.de. The team now has 25 employees and serves more than 2000 customers.
Timo Richter starts working in the test laboratory and joins the consulting team. First audit support at customers in the form of systematic technology checks.
The team is constantly growing, and so are the services offered.
Alongside Bernhard Richter, Timo Richter takes over the management of O-Ring Prüflabor Richter GmbH.
The testing laboratory would like to present its development into a professional elastomer institute online as well. The new website for the Elastomer Institute Richter is being set up and goes online www.elastomer-institut.de.
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