The vision to become a global player
The history of LAPP
Those who wish to shape the future should know their own past. For us at LAPP, our roots and the values of our company founders Oskar and Ursula Ida Lapp are inspiration for our actions both today and in the future. Throughout our history, our values have determined who we are: customer-oriented, success-oriented, family-oriented and innovative. These are the values for which the Lapp family stands. These are the values that allowed LAPP to develop from nothing to a global market leader for integrated connection systems.
Milestones of success
The era of an economic miracle. Industry is growing, but when machines are being cabled in factories, all the insulated wires must be inserted individually and manually into conduits. This is laborious and time consuming. Oskar Lapp has a better idea. He develops the first flexible, industrially manufactured control cables with differently colored insulated wires. Oskar and Ursula Ida Lapp name the oil-resistant and flexible cables ÖLFLEX®. By doing so, they create the first branded product in this sector. In the beginning, the company is based and stores its products in the couple’s house in Stuttgart’s Vaihingen district.
Ursula Ida Lapp registers U.I. Lapp KG, named after her. For Oskar Lapp, it is the realization of his long-held dream. The company begins operations with a bank loan of 50,000 marks. Oskar Lapp focuses on the technical side, while his wife Ursula Ida takes care of commercial matters.
The LAPP Group found other companies, including Lapp Kabelwerke GmbH in 1963. Even at this early point in its history, the company produces cables to meet customer requirements. In 1965, the company headquarters moves from the couple’s house in Vaihingen to its current location just a few miles away on Schulze-Delitzsch-Strasse.
The Lapps found Ölflex Inc. in the USA, the company’s first international subsidiary. Back then, this was an unusual step for such family-run businesses. The success proves them right: US partners value the customer focus and exemplary service.
Siegbert Lapp, the son of the founder, sets up S. Glaskabel GmbH. Known today as Lapp Systems GmbH, it offers customized connection systems.
The death of Oskar Lapp marks the end of an era – a new one begins: Together with her sons Andreas and Siegbert Lapp, Ursula Ida Lapp continues to run the business in the spirit of its founder.
The Oskar Lapp Foundation is set up to commemorate its founder. It is dedicated to research into heart disease. The Oskar Lapp Research Prize supports young scientists.
The number of international companies is growing. The group is now represented in the main markets of Asia, Europe and America. The LAPP Group employs 2500 people in 50 companies and has over 100 national partners around the world.
LAPP is one of the first companies in connection technology to offer customers the opportunity to order online. The print catalogue continues to be published to this day, however.
It’s a superlative event: the ÖLFLEX® World Tour. On its journey, an ÖLFLEX® cable reel visits eleven LAPP sites, travels over 51,000 km and is signed by over 2,500 people.
LAPP sets new standards with its new service and logistics center in Ludwigsburg. With over 30,000 square meters (322,800 square feet) of floorspace, it stores up to 90,000 cable reels that can be loaded onto trucks via 30 ramps. The warehouse is fully automated and customers in Germany receive their goods within 24 hours.
LAPP increasingly offers system solutions, including servo cables and cable chains. This range of products is bundled under the new name ÖLFLEX® CONNECT.
Matthias Lapp takes over business in Europe, South America, the Middle East and Africa. The baton is therefore handed over to the third generation of the Lapp family.
The company is gaining a reputation as a systems supplier with seamless international service, having long ceased to be solely a cable producer. To match this, the company renames itself: LAPP - The new name is used around the world for all group companies.
LAPP is managed entirely by the third generation. Matthias Lapp takes over as Chairman of the Board at Lapp Holding AG. Katharina Lapp is appointed to the Supervisory Board. This means that there will still be one member of the family on the Board of Directors and on the Supervisory Board and LAPP will remain a family company in future as well.