When in 1929 Georg Dechentreiter founded his small company in Asbach-Bäumenheim in Bavaria, Germany, nobody could have imagined that he had laid the foundations for the global company of today. Back then the company sold and repaired agricultural machinery, with construction equipment following on later. This was the start of a success story.

In 1963 his son, Georg Rudolf Dechentreiter, took over the company and focused on the production and sale of construction winches, laying the foundations for the future construction hoist product range. In 1964 the company exhibited at bauma in Munich for the first time under the name GEDA (GEorg Dechentreiter Asbach).

Ten years later the company launched the GEDA LIFT, which thanks to its sales figures surpassing 86,000, has now become a market classic and ensured GEDA continues to be well-established name in the building trade. The company has worked continuously over the decades on further expanding its product portfolio which is unparalleled across the world – from compact 60 kg wire rope lifts for workmen through versatile transport platforms along with passenger and material hoists with load capacities up to 3.7 tonnes and lifting heights up to 400 m, GEDA’s height access solutions meet all construction site requirements. Added to this are the building maintenance unit and since 2004 the industrial elevator product ranges for permanent use on power stations and cement works, offshore plants, etc.

In 1995, Johann Sailer, who since 1990 had been working at the company as the plant manager, was appointed managing director of GEDA. Since 1999 Johann Sailer has been running the company as the managing partner.

Global Expertise Made in Germany

90 years after it was established the small company of yesterday has grown into the international company of today. GEDA is a huge name in the construction hoist sector and on building sites across the world represents quality and unique expertise “Made in Germany”. The continuous development of new market segments has also resulted in the establishment of new sites. GEDA now has seven subsidiaries worldwide with 550 employees who work continuously to ensure the high quality of the GEDA products. As well as the head office in Asbach-Bäumenheim, GEDA has other sites in Germany, in Gera (Thuringia) and Bergkamen (North Rhine-Westphalia). With its additional subsidiaries in the USA (Houston), Russia (Moscow) and Turkey (Istanbul) and Korea (Seoul), GEDA has been able to further consolidate its market position as an internationally operating company.

Whether on the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Munich, on Australian building sites on the other side of the world, or on oil rigs in the Atlantic, GEDA products have prevailed in world markets over the competition. The lifts from Bavaria have contributed to the accomplishment of outstanding construction and industrial projects in over 80 different countries.

Unique corporate philosophy

A long-term vision and the right strategic orientation have been propelling GEDA forward for many years in conjunction with its high levels of investment, not only in state-of-the-art technologies and sites but primarily also in the employees who stand behind the GEDA name. The company focuses intensively on training its next generation of employees from within its own ranks. Excellent training and study opportunities, offers of internships and final theses along with the prize-winning school partnership with the Staatliche Realschule Rain awarded with the Wilhelm Hübsch Prize, all make GEDA an interesting employer for young school leavers.

As part of our “People are our focus” concept, employees and also their spouses and life partners, have the opportunity to participate in a wide-ranging and comprehensive seminar programme. “Through this unique concept we want to offer added value to our employees, from which our customers will ultimately also benefit. High-quality, on-time deliveries and a customer-orientated service are general expectations and naturally they go without saying for GEDA. It is specifically our company culture that often makes the crucial difference,” explains managing partner Johann Sailer.

Setting the course for the future

GEDA has remained loyal to its roots. Despite its presence abroad, the company has made a conscious decision to continue its commitment to Germany as a production location. The title “Made in Germany” also stands for unique quality outside Europe. Always with its eye on the market, GEDA aims to offer its customers both in Germany and worldwide, customised height access solutions to meet all their specific individual requirements. This is why all GEDA hoist solutions are, and will continue to be, completely developed and manufactured at the company’s head office in Asbach-Bäumenheim.

And GEDA is continuing its upward trend as the declared objective of managing partner Johann Sailer is to continue to run the company at the head office site in Asbach-Bäumenheim into its next generation. In 2017 Sailer took over the shares of brothers, Gerhard and Harald Dechentreiter, grandsons of the company founder and thus became the sole partner of the company.

To continue running GEDA at the head office site in Asbach-Bäumenheim into the next generation is the declared objective of Johann Sailer. As the company site has now reached its limits thanks to the many new investments in production halls and warehouses, GEDA has purchased 60,000 m² of extra space on the other side of the road, thus perfectly positioning itself for future developments. This will more than double the size of the previous company site and through

this expansion at the company's head office in Asbach-Bäumenheim, GEDA is clearly signalling its commitment to strengthening and ensuring the future security of the company and of the industrial location of Asbach-Bäumenheim.

Through its long-term vision, constant innovations and investments dating back 90 years, GEDA has secured its pioneering role in the construction hoist and industrial elevator sectors, yet always with the aim of offering perfect solutions to its customers throughout the world – today and in the future.

What originally began with repairing agricultural machinery, has now become an internationally operating company that can look back with pride on its unique success story.