facturer of drill rigs, rotary heads and accessories. The transi-tion was completed by the early 1970s when the first drill rig(model KB 2), new drilling methods (overburden drilling) andthe first hydraulic hammers with rotary drive were developed.In 1974, they filed major patents for frequency control of theimpact piston and for a protection of the accumulators’ circuit,thereby staking its claim as a technology leader in the market.Because of their process and technologies that were used at thetime, KLEMM laid the foundation for much of what is consid-ered the standard today. The driving force was then, and remainstoday, to find solutions for customers. The company continuesto work closely with customers on their drilling operations, pro-viding advice, visiting job sites all around the world, and iden-tifying and developing the best ways for them to approach

customer drilling opera-tions in terms of efficiencyand performance. KLEMMdrill rigs were used atGround Zero in New York,and on the expansion ofthe Panama Canal, for mo-torway construction inThailand, and to extin-guish coal fires in China.What Günter Klemm onceso casually formulated stillapplies for the companytoday...his motto, “I've al-ways said I'll do it!”

In 2013, the year of the company’s jubilee, they decided notonly to celebrate but also to take stock. This was undertaken inthe context of preparing for the Anniversary celebration thatwas held on the company grounds last September. Guests fromGermany and abroad were in attendance to celebrate along withthe entire workforce. The company took advantage of this re-view to create a branding process in order to define its marketpositioning and their brand more narrowly and more precisely.Such a process demonstrates where a company stands and re-veals existing potentials which can be used to achieve further

milestones along the ongoing path to success. In so doing, thecompany is actively facing the challenges of global competitionand setting the course for it’s successful activity in the future.Today KLEMM is a company with worldwide operations whichin 1998 was integrated into the global structure of ADSC Con-tractor and Associate Member, the BAUER Group.

KLEMM was founded in 1963 and today employs more than230 people, including 18 trainees. Their production capacity is200 drill rigs per year and 75% of that production is exportedoutside of Germany. They hold 101 patents and 25 trademarks.

The ADSC congratulates KLEMM Bohrtechnik on its 50th An-niversary and looks forward to many more years of working withthe company as a valued Associate Member and generous sponsorof ADSC events. (Editor).

Foundation Drilling magazine encourages its member firmsto submit “Anniversary” articles for publication. Send to: scotlike@ att.net.

FOUNDATION DRILLING November/December 2013 Page 47

As we head deeper into the 21st century more and moreADSC Member companies will be celebrating long and suc-cessful years of operation. This applies equally to Contractor(Constructors), Associate (Manufacturers and Suppliers), andTechnical Affiliate (Design and related engineering profes-sionals), Member firms. Throughout this and next year we willbe sharing “their stories” with readers of Foundation Drillingmagazine. (Editor)

ADSC Associate Member KLEMM Bohrtechnik GmbHof Drolshagen in the German state of North Rhine-West-phalia is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. Abrief glance into the company’s history reveals the force

and dynamism with which KLEMM has evolved from asimple drilling company into a company with global op-erations specializing in the research and development ofexceptionally robust, high-performance drilling equip-ment.

What characterizes KLEMM today is its focus on thecustomer and on specific drilling operations. That focusultimately comes as no surprise given the traditional ori-entation of the company. Günter Klemm the foundingfather of KLEMM moved from Berlin to the Ruhr region

and then to southern Westphaliawhere he led drilling operations inconnection with the construction ofthe Bigge Dam, and where in 1963he founded his own drilling com-pany. Because he was able to find so-lutions for drilling operations whichwere especially tricky or complicatedGunter quickly established a namefor himself throughout Europe. Soonexisting conventional drilling toolsno longer met the project require-ments, and he began manufacturinghis own tools.

The company transformed itselffrom a drilling company to a manu-

Page 46 FOUNDATION DRILLING November/December 2013

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KLEMM’s facilities in 2013.

KLEMM’s first facilities.

1971 KLEMM drill rig KB 2 on jobsite in Switzerland. KLEMM drill rig KR 807-7 on jobsite in Toronto, Canada.

Anniversary ceremonies held in one of KLEMM’s assembly halls.

Award Presentations.

KLEMM’s Managing Directors, left Rudolf

Grueneberg, right Dr. Carl Hagemeyer.