240:
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24:
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635:, the responsibility of the Daimler-Benz group was reminded and public pressure was built up to create alternative jobs in the Wilhelmshaven–Friesland region. Despite this, the Roffhausen factory was ultimately shuttered in 1992. As a positive result of the labor dispute, Technologie-Centrum Nordwest (TCN;
666:
Olympia Office Sales
Company) was established to lease and sell office machines (in practice, machines were mostly sold). Another, OSG Office Service GmbH offered brand-independent service contracts for all office machines on the market. Lastly, a holding company was established to lease factory real
490:. Two years later, Olympia-Werke acquired Brunsviga Maschinenwerke in its entirety. The manufacturing of Olympia cash registers was then relocated to Braunschweig. Focus turned to the development and manufacture of four-function adding machines, with the Brunsviga name kept alive for these machines.
626:
decided in
December 1991 to withdraw from the office equipment industry and to close the location with its workforce of around 3,600 employees. Under the motto "Olympia—the heart of the region must live on", a nationwide strike by Olympia employees to keep their jobs ensued, lasting for several
449:
Olympia-Werke's profit and the workforce increased throughout the 1950s. In 1957, the company had a workforce of 12,000 employees. Factories and offices were raised throughout northwest
Germany, acting as parts suppliers and supportive assembly lines for the main manufacturing facilities in the
571:. By 1976, seventy Multiplex 80s were installed in Germany, with a combined value of more than DE 10 million (equivalent to $ 19,243,659 in 2021). Distribution of these mainframes were handled by two different companies: Olympia delivered Multiplex 80s to financial institutions; while
278:, to develop such a device. Hefner-Alteneck then designed the Mignon, an inexpensive pointer typewriter that was not only affordable for larger companies, but also for craftsmen and private individuals. On 15 August 1903, Olympia-Werke was founded as the
517:, following an investment of around DM 10 million. By this point, Olympia had expanded production internationally: in addition to the plants in Roffhausen, Braunschweig, Leer, Norden, and Kaufbeuren, Olympia-Werke had production facilities in
667:
estate and production capital. It was not long before AEG Group sold off OSG Office
Service GmbH and Olympia Office Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH. OSG Office Service GmbH found a new owner on 1 May 1993 in the form of Elcosa AG in
379:. On 1 October 1946, the government of West Germany granted Bielefelder Schreibmaschinen a production permit. In its first year, the company's workforce consisted of 28 employees. Under difficult conditions, the production of
540:
computer expo in 1970 marked another milestone in
Olympia-Werke's history. By the end of the 1950s, office equipment manufacturing had become the third most profitable branch of industry among those who participated at the
533:. The total workforce peak at 20,000 employees in the beginning of 1969. Olympia was not only the number one German office equipment manufacturer; it was also one of the three largest office manufacturers in the world.
715:
appears to be operational and working, with numerous products advertised, as well as it receiving a few Plus X awards in 2019 for the company's customer service and its Secure AS 302 alarm system.
814:
844:
414:
671:. Olympia Office Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH—along with its global sales network, its production facility in Mexico City, and the Olympia trademark which it owned—was taken over by the
971:
412:
companies had the right to trade under the "Olympia" name. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the
Wilhelmshaven company. The Erfurt plant then called itself
699:, today the Olympia brand survives in name only. In Germany, the trademark is owned by the entrepreneur Heinz Prygoda. As of 2022, Olympia International Holdings Ltd and
364:
of
Bielefeld Schreibmaschinen, while looking for more suitable production facilities and more qualified workers, came across the former naval equipment warehouse of the
475:
1034:
550:
1029:
1009:
822:
643:
and continuation of divisions of
Olympia as independent companies and the establishment of new companies on TCN. The concept received support from the
297:. The last "Mignon" from 1933 was called the Olympia-Plurotyp. On 31 December 1936, the company's name was changed to Olympia BĂĽromaschinenwerke AG (
852:
1039:
514:
369:
209:
1024:
979:
777:
1004:
875:
426:
281:
1019:
703:
also stock products under the
Olympia name. At the beginning of 2019, Olympia Business Systems Vertriebs GmbH merged with the
952:
419:
88:
905:
60:
707:-based office supplies wholesaler Genie GmbH & Co. KG (formerly Dieter Gerth GmbH), to form GO Europe GmbH, based in
662:
Parts of AEG Olympia AG were turned into smaller, leaner companies. The first, Olympia Office
Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH (
425:
and branded its products under the "Optima" name. Orbis Schreibmaschinen-Werke changed its name to Olympia-Werke West
383:-based typewriters began, and soon after, amid high demand during the beginning of the West German economic miracle (
321:
239:
107:
67:
652:
603:-built calculators that were hitting the market. To gain market share, Olympia-Werke formed a joint venture with
497:, starting with the SGE models. In 1961, every second typewriter produced in Germany came from Olympia. In 1962,
936:
760:
401:
74:
45:
41:
271:
389:), the company reached profitability. At the end of 1947, Bielefelder Schreibmaschinen changed its name to
458:), which employed up to 2,500 people. Specialized portable typewriters were manufactured in this factory.
56:
676:
622:
Olympia-Werke's financial health continued to worsen in the mid-1980s. After a string of losses, AEG and
480:
599:—were already too heavy and too expensive for the average consumer, who were taking a preference to the
647:
government, union representatives, parent company Daimler-Benz, the district of Friesland, the city of
317:
651:. In the beginning of 1993, TCN had 14 companies with around 750 employees. In 2012, the newly formed
231:
607:
of Japan to manufacture Olympia calculators. Other components such as copiers were purchased from
397:
Orbis Typewriter Works). The popular SM series of typewriters were introduced the following year.
555:
34:
684:
611:, among others. The slow but steady demise of traditional office equipment in favor of smaller
429:
beginning in 1950; and in June 1954, the company finally changed its name to Olympia-Werke AG.
929:
The History of the German Typewriter Factories, Volume 1: Large and Medium-Sized Manufacturers
753:
The History of the German Typewriter Factories, Volume 1: Large and Medium-Sized Manufacturers
925:
Die Geschichte der Deutschen Schreibmaschinen-Fabriken, Band 1: GroĂźe und mittlere Hersteller
749:
Die Geschichte der Deutschen Schreibmaschinen-Fabriken, Band 1: GroĂźe und mittlere Hersteller
250:
1014:
498:
455:
333:
263:
235:
A chart depicting the development of the typewriter, produced by Olympia-BĂĽromaschinenwerke
81:
791:
549:. Olympia was the largest exhibitor at the first CeBIT in 1970; there, they displayed the
312:. For reasons of secrecy, the Olympia-built machines bore no branding. Olympia's plant in
8:
604:
494:
275:
883:
640:
575:
handled distribution for the commercial sectors (the computer's predominate use case).
560:
361:
286:
200:
138:
817:[Double anniversary for AEG Olympia – planning for TCN started in 1993].
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55 million. In 1969, Olympia-Werke acquired typewriter maker Alpina BĂĽromaschinen in
385:
285:
to sell the Mignon. Beginning in 1930, the company traded as Europa Schreibmaschinen
587:
in addition to mechanical adding machines; these calculators displayed digits using
293:
Europa Typewriters AG); internationally, the products were sold under the trademark
955:[Company]. Olympia Business Systems Vertriebs. January 2008. Archived from
787:
563:. Manufacture of the first unit of the Multiplex 80 was completed in 1969 for the
956:
451:
348:
came into being after World War II, when employees of the Erfurt factory fled to
329:
909:
466:
309:
244:
461:
Acquisitions provided another avenue for Olympia-Werke's expansion during the
998:
782:
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on 1 July 1994; it continued as Olympia International Holdings Ltd, based in
612:
564:
506:
502:
470:
374:
345:
220:
214:
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with their design documents and founded Bielefelder Schreibmaschinen Werke (
668:
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542:
487:
409:
365:
349:
325:
305:
974:[Change of name: Genie and Olympia under one roof in the future].
591:. By the end of the 1960s, however, these machine—fitted with hundreds of
879:
522:
437:
328:
occupying forces on 3 June 1945, the remaining operating facilities were
501:
acquired further shares in Olympia-Werke and had come to own the entire
815:"Doppeljubiläum rund um AEG Olympia – Planung für TCN begann 1993"
616:
592:
588:
584:
546:
510:
259:
205:
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signaled the end of Olympia-Werke AG. AEG, which had been acquired by
262:
became increasingly popular in Germany in the early 20th century, the
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23:
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931:]. DelbrĂĽck: Verlag Kunstgrafik Dingwerth GmbH. p. 86.
755:]. DelbrĂĽck: Verlag Kunstgrafik Dingwerth GmbH. p. 81.
313:
267:
127:
780:[Kabelmetal sold to DE Systems for 10 million marks].
847:[Acting in solidarity in the region preserves jobs].
600:
596:
537:
639:
Technology Center Northwest) was formed, which oversaw the
608:
583:
From the mid-1960s, Olympia began manufacturing electronic
972:"Umfirmierung: Genie und Olympia kĂĽnftig unter einem Dach"
845:"Solidarisches Handeln in der Region erhält Arbeitsplätze"
320:
artillery fire from 11 to 13 April 1945. After Erfurt was
696:
619:, was unable to provide any decisive innovative impetus.
254:
Brunsviga 20 adding machine manufactured by Olympia-Werke
778:"Kabelmetal verkaufte fĂĽr 10 Millionen Mark DE-Systeme"
223:
was closed in 1991, only the brand name has survived.
450:
Roffhausen factory. In 1957 a new plant was built in
465:. In 1957, Olympia-Werke took majority stake in the
48:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
996:
701:Prygodas Olympia Business Systems Vertriebs GmbH
339:
1035:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1992
908:[An eventful history]. Archived from
969:
775:
1030:Manufacturing companies established in 1903
513:. Three new production lines were built in
264:Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG)
1010:Defunct manufacturing companies of Germany
878:[Cherry picker without scruples].
126:
922:
873:
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627:months. With campaigns in Wilhelmshaven,
226:
108:Learn how and when to remove this message
493:In 1959, Roffhausen began production of
436:
432:
249:
238:
230:
204:was an important German manufacturer of
243:An Olympia typewriter, photographed in
997:
874:Ehrenberg, Herbert (18 October 1991).
812:
578:
1040:Defunct computer companies of Germany
659:) moved into TCN's former premises.
280:Union Schreibmaschinen-Gesellschaft
46:adding citations to reliable sources
17:
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13:
441:An Olympia mechanical calculator,
308:, the company produced a model of
14:
1051:
1025:1992 disestablishments in Germany
990:
851:. 10 October 2009. Archived from
813:Abeldt, Gerd (17 December 2011).
408:had to judge whether the West or
970:Staff writer (21 January 2019).
713:https://www.olympia-vertrieb.de/
22:
1005:Companies based in Lower Saxony
963:
505:of Olympia-Werke, amounting to
415:Optima BĂĽromaschinenwerk Erfurt
356:Bielefeld Typewriter Works) in
301:Olympia Office Machine Works).
33:needs additional citations for
1020:1903 establishments in Germany
945:
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906:"Eine wechselvolle Geschichte"
898:
867:
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806:
776:Staff writer (19 March 1976).
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402:International Court of Justice
1:
718:
545:, one of the world's largest
442:
340:Post–World War II (1945–1954)
272:Friedrich von Hefner-Alteneck
923:Dingwerth, Leonhard (2008).
876:"Rosinenpicker ohne Skrupel"
747:Dingwerth, Leonhard (2008).
657:MarineunterstĂĽtzungskommando
391:Orbis Schreibmaschinen-Werke
158:; 121 years ago
7:
677:Elitegroup Computer Systems
336:Optima BĂĽromaschinenwerke.
332:, producing typewriters as
176:; 32 years ago
10:
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736:: XIV–XV. 21 January 2010.
360:. At the end of 1945, the
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152:
144:
134:
125:
476:Brunsviga Maschinenwerke
316:was severely damaged by
849:Wilhelmshavener Zeitung
819:Wilhelmshavener Zeitung
734:Wilhelmshavener Zeitung
711:. Olympia's website at
732:"Special supplement".
685:British Virgin Islands
605:Matsushita (Panasonic)
446:
255:
247:
236:
227:Beginnings (1903–1945)
653:Naval Support Command
440:
433:Expansion (1954–1970)
344:Olympia's factory in
310:Enigma cipher machine
253:
242:
234:
208:. Since the plant in
794:on 29 September 2007
551:Olympia Multiplex 80
495:electric typewriters
42:improve this article
976:BusinessPartner PBS
959:on 8 December 2008.
579:Decline (1970–1993)
276:electrical engineer
122:
855:on 3 February 2014
825:on 3 February 2014
695:As in the case of
561:mainframe computer
454:district (east of
447:
362:board of directors
256:
248:
237:
139:Aktiengesellschaft
120:
982:on 14 March 2022.
912:on 28 March 2008.
463:Wirtschaftswunder
386:Wirtschaftswunder
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118:
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978:. Archived from
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886:on 14 May 2011
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31:This article
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980:the original
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853:the original
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792:the original
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669:Schaffhausen
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645:Lower Saxony
624:Daimler-Benz
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543:Hanover Fair
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488:Braunschweig
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366:Kriegsmarine
350:West Germany
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330:nationalized
306:World War II
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135:Company type
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98:October 2022
95:
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40:Please help
35:verification
32:
15:
1015:Typewriters
880:Zeit Online
593:transistors
589:Nixie tubes
585:calculators
554: [
547:trade fairs
523:Mexico City
479: [
418: [
410:East German
373: [
322:handed over
260:typewriters
213: [
206:typewriters
192:Dissolution
999:Categories
938:3921913381
890:25 January
859:25 January
829:25 January
798:25 January
762:3921913381
719:References
675:branch of
515:Roffhausen
511:Kaufbeuren
370:Roffhausen
210:Roffhausen
68:newspapers
709:Hattingen
705:Wiesbaden
681:Road Town
673:Hong Kong
649:Schortens
633:Stuttgart
629:Frankfurt
573:KME Group
456:Friesland
406:The Hague
358:Bielefeld
641:spin-off
601:Japanese
527:Santiago
145:Industry
683:in the
664:transl.
637:transl.
617:Daimler
569:Hamburg
531:Toronto
519:Belfast
395:transl.
381:typebar
354:transl.
324:to the
304:During
299:transl.
295:Olympia
291:transl.
179: (
171:Defunct
161: (
153:Founded
82:scholar
935:
759:
691:Legacy
631:, and
597:diodes
529:, and
473:maker
326:Soviet
314:Erfurt
282:m.b.H.
268:Berlin
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77:
70:
63:
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927:[
751:[
558:]
538:CeBIT
483:]
445:1950s
422:]
377:]
274:, an
219:near
217:]
89:JSTOR
75:books
933:ISBN
892:2014
861:2014
831:2014
800:2014
757:ISBN
609:Agfa
595:and
469:and
452:Leer
427:GmbH
318:U.S.
189:Fate
181:1992
174:1992
163:1903
156:1903
61:news
697:RCA
567:in
499:AEG
486:in
404:in
368:in
334:VEB
266:in
258:As
44:by
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