WDS celebrates 100 years

Winkler und Dünnebier Süßwarenmaschinen GmbH (WDS) is acknowledged as one of the world‘s leading manufacturers of confectionery machines. The company – headquartered in Rengsdorf, Germany – plans, constructs and manufactures machinery and production systems for the confectionery industry in Ger­many and around the world.

Winkler und Dünnebier Süßwarenmaschinen GmbH (WDS) is acknowledged as one of the world‘s leading manufacturers of confectionery machines. The company – headquartered in Rengsdorf, Germany – plans, constructs and manufactures machinery and production systems for the confectionery industry in Ger­many and around the world.

WDS is known for continuously developing its machines, production systems and the technologies they are based on, so it’s no surprise that the motto for this important company anniversary is ”Innovation as a Tradition”. A year after WDS was founded in 1913, the young company already received its first patent in the confectionery machinery sector and two years later it delivered its first confectionery machine in Germany. The original prototype of today’s WDS Mogul production systems, known worldwide for their flexibility and quality, was already being built in 1919.

In the years that followed the WDS engineers developed innovative chocolate machinery systems for ­massive products and filled products. In the 1950s the company introduced its first injection moulding machines onto the market, still mechanical at that time. In 1984, WDS equipped its dispenser machinery with electronic hydraulic drive technology for the first time. In the early 1990s WDS followed up with the introduction of various starch-less systems and servo-electro drive technology.

In 1997 the Winkler und Dünnebier confectionery segment was taken over by Maschinenbau Runkel GmbH. Since then the CEO has been Rainer Runkel. In 1999, the company built its first completely servo-electro controlled system with servo-synchronous transport, followed a few years later by the development of cold stamping technology (WDS-FSC). 1999 was also the year that the WDS Product Technology Lab was opened. The lab was expanded in 2004 and 2008, and today it is the company’s innovation centre. Thanks to continuously increasing its capacities, WDS today is an innovative, globally active company with 280 employees who guarantee the highest level of quality, performance and availability.