1936 - 1976

Founded in 1936 by a gentleman named Hermann Klein, the father-in-law of Jörg Schorge, one of the managing directors and spokesman of the EEW-Group, EEW was originally known as "Erndtebrücker Eisen- & Blechwarenwerk GmbH & Co. In those days EEW not only made pipes, but also all kinds of pressure  vessels as well as fuel-oil tanks, gas cylinders, boilers, silos, large buoys, special trailers for cars and lorries and the tanks for tanker lorries.

From 1950 up until 1973 EEW produced mainly steel fuel-oil tanks. In 1952 the name had been changed to Erndtebrücker Eisenwerk Hermann Klein & Co. GmbH. Even today, the bus route R27 which runs between Siegen and Bad Berleburg has a bus stop outside works 1 which is listed as “Eisenwerk Klein”. During the oil crisis in 1974 the production programme was changed to include large DSAW steel pipes under the leadership of the new managing director Jörg Schorge. Not only did EEW supply these pipes to the machine manufacturing industry, but the new emerging offshore industry in the North Sea was also a perfect fit for EEW’s production programme, which starting from 1976 furthermore only included pipes. Structural pipes for many of the first offshore platforms have been supplied by EEW.

The founder of EEW Hermann Klein with his wife Elise, Anno 1949
EEW pipes, Anno 1936
Filter produced for Lurgi in 1936/37
A view of the newly erected works hall in May 1942, EEW Works 1, as it is today, is easily recognizable.