HISTORY OF TROX 

FROM VENTILATION GRILLE TO SUSTAINABLE LIFE-CYCLE-SOLUTIONS – IN 70 YEARS

What had started as a start-up with seven employees on 1 June 1951, quickly developed into a global market leader of ventilation and air conditioning, and experts on indoor climate. Our aim is to provide healthy clean indoor air to all people.

Enjoy reading about the history of TROX or watch it in our video (click on cc for English subtitles) 

1951 – 1959 | THE EARLY YEARS

The TROX GROUP traces its history back to 1951, when brothers Heinrich and Friedrich Trox established the Gebrüder TROX GmbH, or TROX Brothers, in Neukirchen-Vluyn.

With the help of only seven employees, they develop and manufacture ventilation grilles in a 110 mbuilding in the family's back garden.

Making ventilation grilles is a rather bold idea in 1951 as people want flats, cars, fridges and fashionable clothes more than anything else. 

Air quality is not anything people care about. Quite the contrary: Smoking chimneys were in fact seen as a sign of economic growth. Yet the company prospers. As early as in 1954, a new factory and an adminitration building are needed to cope with increasing demand.

In 1959, Heinrich Trox visits the US. Impressed with the high standard of ventilation and air conditioning and the very efficient manufacturing processes, he decides to start volume production of ventilation component

In 1959 Heinrich Trox sons Heinz and Klaus Trox join the company

1951

1951
Brothers Heinrich and Friedrich Trox establish 'Gebrüder TROX GmbH' (TROX Brothers) in Neukirchen-Vluyn

1954

1954
An administration building and a factory are erected in Vluyn

1956

1956
Revenues exceed one million for the first time, and with DM1.6m by quite a large margin

1959

1959
Heinz and Klaus Trox join the company

Neukirchen 1951: The 110 m2 'factory' in the family's back garden

Vluyn 1958: Heinrich Trox on his 50th birthday, surrounded by his employees

The first ventilation grille and a data sheet with the TROX logo

Vluyn 1956: The new factory


1960 – 1969 | FIRST STEPS ABROAD

With the help of high-calibre specialists from a wide range of technical disciplines, TROX develops new products and eventually becomes the undisputed number one in Germany. Demand increases rapidly and requires more production space. In 1961, a factory is erected in Anholt, near the German-Dutch border.

Soon it becomes clear that Germany is too small a market for the increasingly successful business. TROX expands its international business. 1962 sees the foundation of the first international subsidiary, in England.

In 1963, subsidiaries in Austria, Italy and France follow, while TROX Spain starts operations in 1966, and TROX Belgium in 1967.

Meanwhile, a research and development centre is built in Vluyn, and today the laboratories for acoustics, fire protection, airflow technology and filter technology are among the best of their kind in Europe.

Manufacturing is no longer limited to ventilation grilles, but includes ceiling diffusers, sound attenuators, filters and fans.

In 1969, Heinrich Trox initiates the transition to the next generation and appoints his two sons as managing directors.

1961

1961
A factory is built in Anholt,  near the German-Dutch border

1962

1962
TROX Brothers Ltd. is  established, now TROX UK

1963

1963
TROX Austria, TROX Italy and TROX France are established

1966

1966
TROX Spain is established

1967

1967
TROX Belgium is established

1960: The  first circular ceiling diffuser  (Type DLR)

Anholt 1961: Inside the new factory

In the 1960s, air filters are added to the range of products. The picture shows a TROX-o-mat automatic roll filter unit with pocket filters

Zaragoza 1969: The TROX factory in Spain started supplying air conditioning components to the domestic market the year before


1970 – 1979 | BEYOND EUROPE

After the passing of Heinrich Trox in 1970, Heinz Trox continues the globalisation strategy initiated by his father.

In 1970, the first subsidiary company outside of Europe is founded in South Africa, and just one year later the TROX factory in Pietermaritzburg starts operations. TROX is now the first German company in the ventilation and air conditioning industry with a manufacturing site outside of Europe.

Demand in the UK also rises, and TROX responds with another factory in Thetford, which starts operations in 1971. In Germany, a new administration building with R&D labs is erected in 1972 to create the best possible working conditions for the employees in Neukirchen-Vluyn.

With the aim of better exploiting the potential of the South American markets, TROX opens a sales office in São Paulo in 1975. Immediate success leads to another TROX overseas factory being built just one year later, this time in Curitiba, Brazil

1970

1970
TROX South Africa is established In 1970, TROX has already more  than 1000 employees

1971

1971
Factories are built in Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) and Thetford (UK)

1972

1972
A new administration building with R&D labs is erected in Neukirchen-Vluyn

1975

1975
TROX Brazil  is established

1976

1976
TROX 25th  anniversary

Pietermaritzburg (South Africa)

1971: View into the production

1973: Construction of the new administration building is complete, and the mayor of Neukirchen-Vluyn,  presents Heinz and Klaus Trox with the appropriate street sign

Neukirchen-Vluyn 1973: The new administration building includes a lab for air distribution technology

An FK-K90 fire damper and a 1970s advertisement for the damper


1980 – 1989 | GLOBALISATION CONTINUES

In 1981, TROX Hong Kong is established, and it is the first subsidiary in the Far East. Meanwhile in Europe, subsidiaries are established in Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.

Not only is TROX expanding internationally, the company also keeps developing innovative products that set new standards in the ventilation and air conditioning industry. One example is the first product for temperature-sensitive air discharge control with an electric actuator, launched in 1981. In 1988 the first active chilled beam is put on the market. In addition, new air-water systems, automation systems and the LABCONTROL control system for laboratories are added to the product portfolio. By the end of 1989, TROX has achieved approximately 160 patents or filed patent applications, clearly showing the company's power of innovation.

After the passing of Klaus Trox in 1988, his brother Heinz Trox becomes Chairman of the Board of Management. At that time the TROX GROUP has already more than 2000 employees, nearly 1200 of them in Germany.

Increasing success both in Germany and abroad makes it necessary to build both a new factory, which is erected in Goch in 1982, and an annexe to the administration building in Neukirchen-Vluyn in 1989

1981

1981
TROX Denmark, TROX Hong Kong,  TROX USA, TROX HESCO Switzerland  and TROX Sweden are established

1982

1982
A filter factory is built in Goch

1988

1988
Heinz Trox becomes Chairman of the Board of Management

1989

1989
The administration building in Neukirchen-Vluyn is extended

A TROX advertisement from 1988

1988: TROX designs the first active chilled beam

Neukirchen-Vluyn 1989: The 2000 m² annexe 

The annexe houses an information centre and an airflow studio among other facilities


1990 – 1999 | BECOMING THE WORLD MARKET LEADER

This is the time when markets in Eastern Europe become accessible, and TROX is ready to take every opportunity. Between 1991 and 1995, sales offices and subsidiary companies are established in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, the Czech Republic and Poland.

In 1991, Heinz Trox establishes the Heinz Trox Foundation in order to secure the future of TROX and the jobs of its employees.

In 1994, a new company slogan is created, still in use today: TROX – The art of handling air.

In 1995, the Malaysian factory in Seremban starts production to serve the markets in Asia and the Pacific. At around the same time a distribution network is being established, with support bases in Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. In Europe, the TROX GROUP acquires HESCO Pilgersteg in Switzerland, thereby further strengthening its leading position in Europe.

At the end of the 1990s, more than two thirds of the TROX GROUP's revenues are being generated outside of Germany. By that time, TROX is no longer a mere component supplier, but has started providing complete systems

1991

1991
Establishing of the Heinz Trox Foundation

1993

1993
TROX Czech Republic, TROX Poland and TROX Malaysia are established

1994

1994
First smoke control damper A new company slogan is developed, which is used to this day: The art of handling air

1998

1998
HESCO Pilgersteg is merged with TROX Switzerland, now TROX HESCO Switzerland

Seremban, Malaysia, 1994: Laying of the foundation stone and ground-breaking ceremony for the new production facility

1994: TROX launches its first smoke control damper

A leaflet introducing the Heinz Trox Foundation

Neukirchen-Vluyn 1999: The one millionth FK-K90 fire damper leaves the production line


2000 – 2009 | GLOBAL PLAYER AND HIDDEN CHAMPION

In 2000, the TROX GROUP generates for the first time revenues of more than 500 million deutschmarks; the company has 2700 employees at the time.

Establishing TROX Australia finally makes the TROX GROUP a real global player as it has now subsidiaries on five continents.

At the end of 2000, TROX acquires FSL, based in Frankfurt, Germany. Thanks to the decentralised ventilation units developed and manufactured by FSL, the TROX GROUP is able to open up yet another market with a high growth potential beside the classic centralised ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The establishment of TROX Air Conditioning Components in Suzhou, China, in 2001 marks the beginning of TROX producing components also in the country with the largest population. In the second half of the decade, TROX establishes subsidiaries in Russia, the United Arab Emirates, India and Argentina.

In 2006, Heinz Trox becomes the sole proprietor of the company, and the name is appropriately changed from Gebrüder TROX, or TROX Brothers, to TROX.

The end of the decade sees the establishment of the International Center for Fire Protection (ICB) in Neukirchen-Vluyn, the most modern fire test laboratory in Europe. It also includes several lecture rooms that are used by the TROX ACADEMY for workshops and lectures

2000

2000
Acquisition of FSL GmbH

2001

2001
TROX China is established

2002

2002
TROX Australia is established

2005

2005
Acquisition of Auranor Norge and Auranor Svenska, Sweden TROX Bulgaria and TROX Spain are established


2006

2006
TROX Middle East is established

2007

2007
TROX India and TROX Argentinia are established

2008

2008
TROX Romania and TROX Russia are established

2009

2009
Opening of the International Center for Fire Protection (ICB)

2006: TROX uses for the first time phase change materials (PCM) in decentralised ventilation units

Dubai 2007: TROX opens a research and study centre in the United Arab Emirates.

The International Center for Fire Protection in Neukirchen-Vluyn

Prestigious accolade! Neukirchen-Vluyn 2007: Heinz Trox is presented with the Rietschel Diploma from BHKS (Federal Industry Association of Heating and Air-conditioning Technology )


2010 – 2019 | FROM COMPONENTS TO SYSTEMS

Building a huge 15,000 m2 production facility just for X-CUBE air handling units is an important step towards becoming a systems provider. The facility in Anholt, near the German-Dutch border, starts operations in 2011. TROX is now able to offer its customers almost all components and systems for ventilation and air conditioning. Complete systems from a single source.

The X-CUBE production facility is an investment of 20 million euros and by then the single largest investment in the company's history. 150 new jobs have been created.

Back in Neukirchen-Vluyn, a new office building is erected in 2012, and in January, 2013, several departments move in. The new building uses geothermal energy and is equipped with the latest TROX technology, hence most energy-efficient.

Also in 2012, TROX acquires TLT-Turbo from Siemens; the company in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, is later renamed TROX X-FANS.

The TROX GROUP also expands in other countries. Four new subsidiaries are established between 2010 and 2013, in Turkey, Mexico, the Netherlands and Qatar.

The latest addition to the TROX GROUP is TROX HGI (formerly HGI), in charge of the important field of systems integration and service

2010

2010
TROX Turkey and TROX Mexico are established

2011

2011
TROX Netherlands is established Opening ceremony for the X-CUBE factory in Anholt

2012

2012
TROX acquires the building fan division of TLT-Turbo GmbH from Siemens, in Bad Hersfeld; today TROX X-FANS

2013

2013
TROX Qatar is established

2015

2015
On 1 October 2015, Heinz Trox passes away at the age of 81

2017

2017
TROX acquires the majority of shares of TROX HGI (formerly HGI)

The TROX X-CUIBE air handling unit

Bad Hersfeld 2012: TLTTurbo becomes TROX X-FANS

On 24 November 2014, Heinz Trox receives the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his outstanding commitment to society

Hörstel (Germany) 2017: Integrated systems require professional service, which is provided by TROX HGI System Integration + Services (formerly HGI)


2020 – 2029 | SUSTAINABLE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

Megatrends such as sustainable use of resources, health and climate protection have become increasingly relevant. TROX is responding to this by further developing into a provider of sustainable and climate-friendly complete solutions for health and quality of life in enclosed spaces.

Even beyond 2029, sustainability and climate protection will remain the most important tasks to be tackled.

TROX itself has set the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2040. Together with our sustainability approach (keyword CO2 footprint), we thus assume responsibility for the ecological, economic and social concerns of our stakeholders.

Our fundamental product and system strategy is the consistent further development from a component and system provider to a provider of complete industry solutions.

In this context, digitalization is of particular importance. It is the connecting element in all areas - between products and processes, between TROX and the customers (Digital Front End), between TROX and the suppliers (Digital Supply Chain), and between the people working in our company (Digital Organisation).

2020: With “myTROX”, TROX has also been the innovation leader in the industry in terms of digitalisation of customer relationships.

2020: The X-CUBE X2 air handling unit is launched. It is the smaller brother of the X-CUBE.

In 2021, for the first time in the company’s history, TROX was pulling all the strings in the field of air conditioning and ventilation technology for the new construction of “Haus M” in the Karlsruhe Clinic: from support in planning and design to configuration, electronics and acceptance of the system and its system control.

2020: The Corona pandemic has made it clear how important healthy air is for our lives: everyone should have access to qualitatively clean and pure air. The TROX Air Purifier (TAP) and our TROX air conditioning solutions can contribute to this. 


WATCH OUR VIDEO OF THE HISTORY OF TROX – TOLD AS A STORY

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