Founded in the post-war period
Like many founders in the post-war period, Friedel Bohnenkamp relied on pragmatism and a wealth of ideas - virtues which shaped the early years. The young entrepreneur set off by bicycle and train to supply blacksmiths and small manufacturers of agricultural trailers with the incidentals they needed. There was huge demand, and the company quickly developed into a supplier of components for vehicle production. Complete wheels were soon added as a supplement to the vehicle components supplied. 24 years later, the company found its new location in Osnabrück-Atter, where it is still located today.
A family business with visionary power
Friedel Bohnenkamp's passion for sales and retail was infectious. He inspired his staff and created close, trusting relationships with customers and suppliers from all over the world. After his untimely death in 1990, his wife Gisela led the company into the new decade with an appointed management team. Her establishment of the Friedel and Gisela Bohnenkamp Foundation in 2008 not only embedded a lasting social commitment within the company, it also placed the independence of the retail company on a stable, future-proof footing.
The expansion began in 1992 with the first branch in eastern Germany (Kletzin) and continued in 2000 with a branch in Landshut, Bavaria. Bohnenkamp then opened its first foreign branch in Modra (Slovakia) in 2005, followed by the takeover of Agriband in the Netherlands in 2010 and the establishment of companies in Austria and Switzerland. From 2016, Bohnenkamp expanded its sales area to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia with its acquisition of the Starco retail business. Most recently, new companies in Hungary, Romania and Poland were added to the group.
The product range has also grown significantly. In addition to the agricultural and forestry sectors, Bohnenkamp now also offers comprehensive solutions for tires and wheels in earthmoving, industrial, truck and landscape maintenance as well as yard and leisure sectors. As a partner to the trade, Bohnenkamp unites many brands under one roof and develops services in all areas: from fitting services and tire inflation to professional used tire disposal with certified partners
Down to earth and passionate about the future
Bohnenkamp has retained its unconditional commitment to customer service, its love of retail and the attitude that a company is more than just an employer to its employees. The company headquarters in Osnabrück-Atter has also remained and, with around 100,000 square metres of warehouse space, today forms the backbone of the group of companies which, employing around 700 staff, generates a turnover in the region of approx. 500 million euros.
Despite its size, much has remained of what Friedel Bohnenkamp once initiated, as Gregor Rüth, CEO of Bohnenkamp SE, reports: "Above all, Friedel Bohnenkamp was a man of action and a person who valued the people in the company. Not only is this borne out by by long-standing employees - these are values which Gisela Bohnenkamp's foundation has firmly embedded in the company. She coined the phrase 'We don't manage - we act'. We feel committed to this every day - towards customers and employees."
