Wilfried Bornemann studies in Hamburg and works for companies in the fastening industry in Paris. On June 15, 1960 he registered PREBENA as a trademark.
Hardly anyone knows: PRE stands for ‘Pressluft’ (German for pneumatic) – BENA stands for ‘Benagelung’ (German for nailing).
Wilfried Bornemann starts with a capital of 5,000 Deutschemark. The initial trading company should quickly become a self-manufacturing company.
A disused weaving mill in Schotten serves as the production facility.
In 1963 the first PREBENA machine for the production of staples was developed.
While customers have to be acquired and looked after during the day, operating the machines is on the entrepreneur’s to-do list in the evenings, at night and on the weekend.
In 1967 a flood of the century destroys all machines and manufactured products. But Wilfried Bornemann decides to continue. And so in 1969 the first construction phase for the production facility, which is still located there, was built.
“The second phase of the PREBENA story began in 1971.”
(Wilfried Bornemann)
Wilfried Bornemann accepts an invitation to Australia and comes up with the idea of opening a partner company there. This happened in 1973.
In 1977 there was a cooperation with the company PREBENA Steen + Klentze in Ahrensburg.
The image as a reliable and high quality supplier continues to grow. The know-how of the company PREBENA is recognized in the professional world. The turnover rises to 8 million marks.
In the 1980s, sales rose from 10 million marks to an incredible 40 million marks.
The mechanical engineering team (Maurer, Becker, Repp and Augat) together with Wilfried Bornemann developed a world novelty – the WBT wire band system. Sales companies are set up in Austria and Switzerland.
PREBENA sells its steadily growing product range as well as production machines to the USA, Japan and the whole world. In 1986 a modern production facility of PREBENA America was established in Bridgeport, USA. 1986 the mechanical engineering company PWM Maschinen- und Apparatebau GmbH is founded.
„Anyone can start a company – just like me!“ (Wilfried Bornemann)
PREBENA continues to grow steadily in the 1990s.
In 1990 and 1995 branches were founded in Poland, Leipzig and Russia with their own productions.
„What PREBENA managing directors agree on: Success is good teamwork and partnership Cooperation within the PREBENA family owe“
(Quote from the report „40 years of PREBENA“)
2003-2006 the PREBENA cordless air technology is developed and presented.
For this, PREBENA is awarded the German Business Innovation Prize.
2007 Foundation of PREBENA Austria GmbH located in Kuchl.
In 2010 PREBENA celebrates its 50 year company history with a big event.
After a serious illness, the founder of PREBENA Wilfried Bornemann died in 2011. Mrs. Natalia Bornemann and Mr. Werner Rücklinger take over the management.
In 2016, another subsidiary was founded with BoWiTec GmbH, which specializes in the production of high-quality wire tape.
BoWiTec wire bands are manufactured at the location in Schotten – “Made in Germany” – according to the requirements of ISO quality management and meet the highest ETA quality standards.
