100 years Oskar Lapp
— Pioneer for the future
Oskar Lapp was a great inventor and a passionate entrepreneur. Together with his wife Ursula Ida Lapp, he has created a company with a global reputation. The LAPP Group founder would have turned 100 on 20 March 2021. His inventions have shaped connection technology worldwide to this day. The Lapp family and employees all over the world honoured this great entrepreneurial personality by laying a wreath at the old cemetery in Stuttgart-Vaihingen and by holding various commemorative events.
“Our father is still a major role model today. The LAPP company would not exist without Oskar Lapp. We continue his life's work with the deepest gratitude. The fact that the third generation has now taken over the running of LAPP would definitely make him very proud”, says Andreas Lapp, Chairman of the Board of LAPP Holding AG.
“My husband was brave and God gave him a lot of talents”, says Ursula Ida Lapp (90) of her husband, who died on 25 April 1987. He was born on 20 March 1921 in Benshausen in the eastern part of Germany, one of four children from a craftsman’s family. From an early age, he showed an impressive talent for technical things and an inventive spirit. After being a prisoner of war and subsequent fleeing across the “green border” to escape the former Communist GDR, in the mid-1950s he began a new life with his family in West Germany.
Starting again was tough, as he had left behind everything he owned when he fled to the west. Oskar Lapp initially worked for Harting, where he was responsible for the Southern Germany region. And his innovative ideas also started to attract attention. For example, he developed the first rectangular connector for industry for the company.
Thanks to his many meetings with customers, Oskar Lapp knew exactly what users needed. The electrical connection in particular was very laborious: The cores were all black or grey and the electrical engineers had difficulty assigning the cores to the correct ends when connecting. This required a complex process, known as continuity testing.
Oskar LAPP invented a flexible cable made of coloured cores. ÖLFLEX® was born. It was the first industrially manufactured power and control cable - an invention that revolutionised connection technology. It was innovative in another way too: Oskar Lapp was the first entrepreneur ever to give an industrial product a brand name.Today, the ÖLFLEX® brand still stands for exceptionally oil-resistant and flexible control cables across the world. In 1959, the Lapps founded their company with the assistance of a 50,000 Mark bank loan. As Oskar Lapp was still employed at Harting, Ursula Ida Lapp was entered in the commercial register as the company’s founder. The company name was created at the kitchen table: U.I. LAPP KG - U.I. Stands for Ursula Ida.
As with so many start-ups today, the Lapps’ business began from the garage of their house in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. Oskar Lapp took care of sales while Ursula Ida Lapp looked after the accounts, orders and logistics from home, while taking care of their young children.
With ÖLFLEX®, Oskar Lapp set quality standards that are still applicable all over the world in cable production today. He was even offering ready made cable harnesses with up to 130 coloured cores. Demand was huge. LAPP was also one of the first suppliers to offer and cut the cable harness length to customer requirements. ÖLFLEX® was the right product at the right time and sales grew rapidly. Later, UNITRONIC® data transmission systems, HITRONIC® fibre optic cables, SKINTOP® screwed cable glands, SILVYN® cable protection and guiding systems, EPIC® industrial connectors, ETHERLINE® data transmission systems for ETHERNET technology and FLEXIMARK® marking systems were added.
ÖLFLEX® Power and Control Cables
The flexible, oil-resistant connection and control cables for universal use.
EPIC® Industrial Connectors
Rugged, reliable and flexible industrial connectors as system components.
UNITRONIC® Data Communication Systems
The fast, safe, pioneering data cable for safe data transfer in office and industrial sector.
Wide range of strain relief cable glands for simple, fast and securely sealed installations.
ETHERLINE®Data Communication Systems
Industrial grade cables designed for static, continuous flex and torsion applications.
SILVYN® Protective Cable Conduit Systems
Universal line of protective conduit and accessories for all-round protection.
HITRONIC® Optical Transmission Systems
The super-fast fiber optic cable for safe data transfer in office and industrial sector.
FLEXIMARK® Cable Marking Systems
Wide variety of marking systems for simple, lasting, and clear cable labeling and identification.
In 1963, the company opened the first factory of its own to produce ÖLFLEX® cables. In 1965, the company moved from the family home in Stuttgart-Vaihingen to Schulze-Delitzsch-Straße, where it is still based today. Because of his painful experiences as a Soviet prisoner of war, Oskar Lapp was always committed to establishing international business relationships and friendships in the west. He found his first sales partners in Switzerland and Israel back in 1960. Oskar Lapp founded the first international subsidiary in the USA in 1976, which he no doubt saw as the exact counterpoint to the Soviets during the Cold War.
"We offer leading solution for every business needs
– from tried and tested standard products to sophisticated customised solutions."
At the same time, he positioned his company as a one-stop shop in connection technology and this principle remains a successful formula to this day. “Our father led our company to success with hard work and ambition and with a clear view of what is really important. He exhibited persistence, entrepreneurial spirit and innovation and these are still part of LAPP’s DNA today”, says Siegbert Lapp, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at LAPP Holding AG.
When Oskar Lapp died in 1987, his wife Ursula Ida Lapp and his two sons Siegbert and Andreas Lapp took over the running of the company. At the end of the 90s Oskar Lapp’s widow handed over day-to-day operations to her sons. Under their aegis, there has been greater internationalisation and a focus on solutions. Today, LAPP is one of the leading suppliers of integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology. LAPP currently employs approximately 4,575 people across the world, has 20 production sites and around 43 sales companies. It also works in cooperation with around 100 international representatives.
Andreas Lapp is currently Chairman of the Board of the global holding company LAPP Holding AG, while his brother Siegbert E. Lapp is Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Ursula Ida Lapp is Honorary Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and is present at important events in the company. Two grandchildren have also already taken on responsibility within the company. Matthias Lapp assumed the position of CEO for Europe, including South America, Africa and the Middle East in 2017. Alexander LAPP is responsible for digitisation and e-business at the holding company.
In memory of Oskar Lapp, the founding family set up the Oskar Lapp Foundation in 1992. This provides young scientists with incentives to effectively engage them in cardiovascular research. The Oskar Lapp Research Prize, worth 12,000 Euro, is presented annually, while the Oskar Lapp Grant, which provides up to 20,000 Euro for equipment, is awarded every two years.
About Lapp
Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, LAPP is a leading supplier of integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology. The company’s portfolio includes standard and highly flexible cables, industrial connectors and cable entry systems, customized system solutions, automation technology and robotics solutions for the intelligent factory of the future, as well as technical accessories. LAPP’s core market is in the industrial machinery and plant engineering sector. Other key markets are in the food industry as well as the energy and the mobility sector.
LAPP has remained in continuous family ownership since it was founded in 1959. In the 2018/19 business year, it generated consolidated revenue of 1,222 million euros. LAPP currently employs approximately 4,575 people across the world, has 20 production sites and around 43 sales companies. It also works in cooperation with around 100 foreign representatives.
History
History of LAPP showcasing how a German SME has managed to become a global and a market leader in cable and connection technology.
Milestone
LAPP is a leading supplier of integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology. We have over 60 years of experience in manufacturing industrial cables, connectors, cable glands and conduits and other cable related accessories. We are a one stop solution provider for all our customer requirements.
About Lapp China
Lapp entered China in 1999, and set up representative offices in Beijing and Shanghai. In 2003, Lapp Kable Group's wholly-owned subsidiary - Lapp Kable (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, was officially established, mainly responsible for the marketing promotion, technical support, and sales business and logistics service as well. Expect for the Shanghai headquarters, Lapp China currently has branches in Suzhou, Taicang, Shenyang, Beijing, Wuhan, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Qingdao, and Shenzhen areas. In 2012, Lapp Cable works (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. was formally established in Shanghai Lingang Industrial Park. Since its establishment of several years, Lapp Shanghai Factory has passed the international quality management system ISO9001: 2015 certification and environmental management system ISO14001: 2015 certification. The cable products have obtained certification from domestic and foreign authoritative institutions (VDE certification, CCC certification, UL certification, TÜV certification).
The factory covers an area of 11,167 square meters and has 75 employees. Middle and upper managers have many years of experience in cable production and factory management. The factory is equipped with world-class advanced automated cable manufacturing equipment, with an annual cable production capacity of 36,000km and annual sales of RMB 170 million in 2019.The factory is mainly responsible for the production of Lapp standard cables, including the research and development of 1KV and below power control and data cables, flexible harnessing solutions as well, providing self-produced products and related after-sales services, technical consulting services as well as diversified connection technology solutions for the Chinese market. In addition, the factory has 3 high-standard laboratories, and its core testing procedures have adopted international advanced experimental equipment, which can independently complete daily product testing, cable research and development experiments.
As a global company with a family business culture, Lapp group has been focus on customer, innovation. With the core idea of providing better quality, Lapp group try new cable connection technology to provide systematic industrial connection solutions. Today, Lapp group has become synonymous of global competitiveness, quality assurance and innovation.
Who are we?
LAPP China is a 100% subsidiary of LAPP Germany, a leading supplier of integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology. We are the pioneers in introducing the concept of “Reliably connecting the world” with our unbeatable range of cabling products and solutions
Where to find us？
As a pioneer cabling company in China, our branchs are distributed throughout China. You can find the nearest LAPP employee at any time. We will wholeheartedly provide you with better sales support and after-sales service.