From visionary to world market leader
When Wilhelm Altendorf developed “the first Altendorf” in 1906, he actually only wanted to design a machine that would perform a straight edging cut on a plank of wood. But with the addition of the 90-degree cut, the principle of the sliding table saw, which is still valid today, was born – a groundbreaking invention and the first milestone in a success story that has already spanned more than eleven decades.
The success story of a machine category. And that of a family-owned company that rose from a small engineering firm to become the world market leader and has stood for generations for continuous further development, outstanding quality, innovation and helping to shape the future.
Altendorf – a success story
With the development of the first sliding table saw “System Altendorf” at the beginning of the last century, Altendorf designed a machine that has become indispensable in wood processing. More than 200,000 sliding table saws have been sold worldwide to date. A success that makes history and the success story of a family that further developed a ground-breaking idea and expanded a company that is now the world market leader for the sliding table saw machine category.
The saw.
To mark the 100th anniversary of our company, we have compiled our history of the sliding table saw in book form: “The Saw” is an entertaining foray through a hundred years of woodworking – a history and technical book in one: contributions, for example, on automation in the carpentry trade or on the systematic selection of woodworking machines, lighten up the historical outline and make the book well worth reading all round.
1906
Berlin: Foundation of the company and development of the sliding table and trimming panel saw “System Altendorf” by Wilhelm Altendorf.
1956
Product streamlining and concentration on the production of the Altendorf sliding table saw, introduction of series production.
World’s first aluminium sliding table.
1975
First annual production of 3000 sliding table saws.
Swivelling saw unit. World’s first aluminium double roller carriage.
1995
Takeover of the company Hebrock.
2000
World record: The 100,000th Altendorf leaves the factory.
Operator-guided machine control.
2006
100th anniversary of the company.
Opening of the new sales and service centre in Minden.
2015
Introduction of the new F 45.
2018
Takeover of Maschinenbau Hebrock GmbH.
2021
Introduction of the new HAND GUARD sliding table saw.