17 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About Roto
Most of us in the glazing industry know something about Roto. But with a company of this size, there are always one or two surprises.
Here are a few things you might not have heard before. You never know – you might even be able to drop one or two into conversations...
1. One of the original Roto products was a loft ladder. Roto loft ladders are now made in Bavaria by the group subsidiary Columbus Treppen GmbH, based in Neusäß.
2. Roto has registered over 4,000 individual patents for products and product features.
3. The Roto Group headquarters are in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, just south of Stuttgart. The factory and office is on a roundabout, which a few years ago, was officially named Wilhelm-Frank-Platz (“Wilhelm Frank Place”) after the company's founder, who died in 1990.
4. Founder Wilhelm Frank invented the first industrially-manufactured Tilt&Turn hardware in 1935 and the world’s first top-hung roof window in 1968.
5. His wife, the late Elfriede Frank, has a charity set up in her name. The Elfriede Frank Foundation for the support of those in need or people in distress. The organisation funds charitable projects around the world.
6. The two divisions of Roto have a total of 14 production sites between them. In order of importance to each division, they are:
Door and Window Hardware Division – 11 sites:
- Lövő(Hungary)
- Kalsdorf (Austria)
- Noginsk (Russia)
- Leinfelden-Echterdingen (Germany)
- Beijing (China)
- Velbert (Germany)
- Sopron (Hungary)
- Chester, Connecticut (USA)
- Toronto (Canada)
Roof & Solar Technology Division – 3 sites:
- Bad Mergentheim (Germany)
- Lubartów (Poland)
- Neusäß (Germany)
7. The roof window factory in Bad Mergentheim was voted 'Beste Fabrik' – Best Factory – in Germany for 2010, placing Roto in the same league as companies like Siemens and the major German car brands.
8. That same factory has its own red BMW Mini, branded with white Roto logos. The winner of the 'worker of the week' award gets to borrow it – with a full tank of fuel – for the weekend.
9. In addition to its factories, Roto has 21 sales offices worldwide.
10. The Roto Group's annual turnover for the year 2011 was 657 million Euros.
11. Roto moved into Canada for the first time in 2012 with the acquisition of the hardware manufacturer Fasco, now Roto Fasco.
12. Unlike many countries, Roto Group has always had a Triple-A credit rating.
13. Roto directly employs a global total of over 4,000 people.
14. Around 38% of Roto Group employees are based in Germany. The others are mainly in the rest of Europe, Russia, Asia, USA, Central and South America.
15. Roto makes wine. The company owns a vineyard in Baden, Germany.
16. Roto also makes electricity. The Austrian factory in Kalsdorf has a water wheel turbine that helps power the factory.
17. Roto Western Europe publishes this blog every week – keep an eye out for the next one.
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