ANDRITZ AG has a long tradition as a machine and plant construction company. It was founded in 1852 by the Hungarian entrepreneur Josef Körösi as a foundry and machine works. Within a couple of years the production range had been extended to include large capital goods such as cranes, pumps and water turbines, later also bridges, steam vessels, steam engines and mining equipment. Ten years after its foundation, the ANDRITZ machine works employed as many as 600 people; this figure rose to 1,300 in the 1870ies.

Josef Körösi, founder of ANDRITZ AG

After Josef Körösi´s death, his son Viktor took the helm.  Soon after, the company underwent its first crisis.  Austria had lost its provinces in Italy, Hungary had started to gain economic independence and relations with Russia had deteriorated.  As a result, ANDRITZ lost important marketsand customers and 1000 workers had to be dismissed. When things did not improve, Viktor Körösi decided to sell ANDRITZ to Oesterreichische Alpine Montanunion, a merger of large Styrian iron and steel companies.  Within this union, the company produced steel works equipment, rolling mills and steam engines.

ANDRITZ AG in 1875

In 1900 ANDRTIZ was sold to the Gutmann Banking Group and transformed into a stock holding company.  It soon proved its worth under the new ownership, winning a large contract in railway tunnel construction.  It was also very successful in building high-pressure centrifugal pumps and cranes.

In 1932, the global economic crisis compelled ANDRITZ to close its gates, but the company survived thanks to the dedication of its staff and the tireless efforts of its managers.

After Anschluss in 1938, ownership changed and ANDRITZ produced Diesel compressors for Berlin-based KÄMPER MOTORENWERKE.

In 1941, ANDRITZ was taken over by DEMAG and mainly made cranes and conveyor plants.

At the end of World War II, the occupying authorities took away most of the production machinery and it looked as if the end of Andritz had come.  However, the management decided to borrow second-hand machinery and production of small-to-medium-sized pump and turbine equipment recommenced in the old buildings.

In 1949, ANDRITZ started its long-lasting cooperation with the ESCHER WYSS Group of Zurich, first for water turbines.  It streamlined its manufacturing program, dropping steam engines and air compressors and concentrating on water turbines, centrifugal pumps, cranes and steel structures.  In 1951, ANDRITZ took up the production of complete paper machines in cooperation with ESCHER WYSS.

In 1950, the majority of the ANDRITZ shares was acquired by CREDITANSTALT BANKVEREIN, Vienna.

By 1952, the year of its centennial, the manufacturing plant had been extended and modernized and the number of people employed had risen to over 1,000 again.

ANDRITZ AG in 1952	Turbine casting by ANDRITZ, 1959/60