I History I

An anvil from the 15^th century: the incredibly long history of the Metall-Auer company

In the year 1600 a certain Mayster Mördt “Blacksmith in Tobl by Rutzenberg” appears nominally in the parish records of Wernstein. The hammer mill at Rutzenberg had of course at this time already been in existence for over 100 years. This is proved by an anvil which was discovered through historical research and bears the year 1456. Mayster Mördt worked as a blacksmith in Tobl by Rutzenberg from 1600 until 1616.

He was followed by the Steininger family from 1616 to 1680 and then over several generations from 1680 to 1773 by the Hauzinger family.

A certain Hölzl Peter ran the mill from 1773 to 1811, then from 1811 to 1822 Osterkorn Anton.

The moment came for the Auer family in 1822: The blacksmith’s daughter Osterkorn Kreszenz married the blacksmith’s son of Kneiding (Schardenberg), a certain Johann Auer, on 19.2.1822.

And to this day, that is for over 180 years, the mill at Rutzenberg has been owned by the Auer family.

On the 12.6.1823 Kreszenz and Johann’s son is born, also christened with the name Johann.

On the 1.3.1855 this Johann Auer marries Maria Bauer from Brunnenthal (by which the almost unbroken tradition of wives in the Auer family named Maria was founded).
Johann and Maria Auer become parents to a son on 17.6.1856 – the next Johann Auer.

In 1872 / 1873 the hammer mill chapel was constructed.

On the 5.8.1890 Johann Auer jun. marries Haberl Theresia from Brunnenthal – she gives him a son on the 10.7.1892: Johann Auer, of course. He takes over the business from his father in 1915 and marries Maria Bangerl in 1924. The only son from this marriage: Johann Auer.

A barn burns down on the 7.8.1939: cause of the fire is unknown to this day.

December 1943 results in another fire, which burns down home and stable. Arson is suspected as cause of the fire, but this can never be proven.

The foundation walls of the centuries-old hammer mill with an area of approx. 120m2 were however spared from the flames and still survive today.

Two functioning tilting hammers powered by a water wheel, two anvils and two blacksmith’s chimneys still survive in the old hammer mill today. The upkeep of the mill is taken care of with much patience and love by Mr. Johann Auer, the current senior partner.
More information + Video about the old hammer mill – click here

Features of our hammer mill
From 1960 to 1989 master blacksmith Auer Johann and his wife Maria, born Reiter, run the business after he in turn had taken it over from his father. They build a workshop in 1965 with an area of approx. 700m2. Both are very active members of the business to this day.

In 1989 Johann Auer hands the business over to his son Erich Auer. Auer Metallbau GmbH (Auer Metal Construction Private Limited Company) is founded and the new office and staff rooms with a total size of approx. 100m2 are furnished.

In 1997 Erich Auer marries Maria Berndorfer from Schardenberg (children from this marriage: Hans-Peter and Theresa Auer). The old hay barn is pulled down that same year and a production plant with an area of approx. 1000m2 as well as new offices with an area of approx. 100m2 is built in its place.

A further phase of major investments follows from 2001: This began with the building of a new additional industrial premises with a production area of 2600m2, office buildings with an area of 600m2 as well as the company’s own sewage treatment plant.

In 2007 the Auer Company finally grows out of the constriction of Dobl by Rutzenberg: A new production plant with an area of 3000m2 is built on the new location in Sachsenberg, housing a large powder coating plant, rounding off the Auer Company’s range of services.

Thus the central operating data in the year 2008:
Total production area (including offices): approx. 10.000m2 roofed
Installed production plant / area: 35.000m2
Employees: approx. 100 persons