Welding machines, plants and automation for the construction and concrete industry

In 1961, Georg Pfender decided to become self-employed and set up his own small mechanical turning shop – initially at his home in a garage. What started in a small way soon got around and more and more companies began to trust Pfender’s quality and inventiveness. A parallel development represented a milestone for the company: in the 1960s, the reinforced concrete pipe came onto the market. As a result, the first cage welding machine from Pfender was created and became a signpost for the next decades.

The name Pfender was becoming increasingly well-known, even beyond Germany’s borders. In wise foresight that there might be difficulties with the pronunciation of the name Pfender, the name was changed. Georg Pfender Maschinenbau became today’s mbk Maschinenbau. That the abbreviation mbk would one day become synonymous with cage welding machines for numerous customers in many parts of the world – Georg Pfender would probably never have dreamed of that.

As the product portfolio grew, so did the space needed in production. The move took place, bringing mbk to its current headquarters. Courage, diligence and inventiveness – three qualities that are essential to build such a business. In the years that followed, the company was continuously expanded, the machines and systems were constantly developed further and the product and service quality was optimised.

Since 2011, the company has been managed by Mario Pfender in the third generation. With the right mix of technical and business understanding, respect for the past and the passion not to stand still in the future but to look ahead, the trained mechatronics engineer and graduate industrial engineer brings something to the table that has once again raised mbk to a higher level. After all, it is necessary to keep reinventing oneself and to continue optimising processes in order to survive in a market that is becoming more and more complex.

Quality – made in Germany
Today, 11 years after the third generation took the helm, mbk can look back on over 60 years of company history. The company now has subsidiaries in the USA and Russia and employs around 110 people worldwide. Over 1,200 machines have now been installed in more than 60 countries.

mbk offers its customers quality Made in Germany, ensured by qualified specialist staff, by a state-of-the-art design and development department that works to current standards, by the latest generation of machinery and, last but not least, by ISO 9001 certification. And so, through technical finesse, know-how, years of experience and very high quality standards, mbk has developed from a small craft business in the Allgäu region into a structured industrial company and, above all, one of the leading manufacturers of welding machines and equipment for the construction and concrete industries.

The order of the day: automation
In addition to the welding machines for the production of concrete pipe reinforcements, the product portfolio has been continuously supplemented over time by a wide range of cage welding machines for driven and drilled pile production, mesh girder and mesh welding machines as well as wire straightening and cutting systems together with a wide selection of matching accessories . And more topical than ever: individually adaptable automation solutions characterised by very high performance with low manpower requirements – from simple automation accessories to fully automated production lines.

Optimisation is a maxim that determines the daily production routine of many industrial companies. And it is precisely this requirement that mbk serves with its latest solutions, which are equipped with modern machine control along with remote maintenance and up-to-date software solutions. Another step on the way to a successful future.

At the bauma again in 2022
mbk has been an integral part of the bauma for 30 years now. This year, the mbk team will once again be present at booth 112 in hall B1, will come up with interesting innovations and will be available to answer any questions. In addition to various further developments in the machine portfolio, the main focus this year is on a completely new control generation for the machines, including new remote maintenance solutions. This offers completely new possibilities and takes into account emerging topics such as predictive maintenance.
In addition, mbk will again be offering factory tours in Kisslegg with a shuttle service due to the close proximity to Munich. During the bauma, interested customers will be able to see, among other things, a mesh welding machine, a machine for processing lattice girders and various cage welding machines in test operation. If you are interested, please contact the mbk team in advance.