In family hands since 1938: August Bertrams GmbH
Founded in Köln, manufacturing today in Thüringen — and one name since 1938: The Bertrams family forms sheet metal for German industry — today with around 45 employees and 1,200 tonnes of material per month. This page tells the story of how it came about. Every date is documented.
What carries us: continuity
August Bertrams GmbH is a family-run sheet metal processing company, founded in 1938 in Köln. What began with stamped and bent parts grew over the generations into a full-service provider: the second generation made press-braked profiles the core product — hence the name “Bertrams Profile” that is still common today —, and today’s management built up the plant in Werra-Suhl-Tal in Thüringen from 1992. That is where all manufacturing is now consolidated; the Köln head office manages sales and order processing.
For you as a customer, this history means above all one thing: reliability. A company that has produced continuously for over eight decades, invests in crises rather than cutting back, and consistently renews its machinery will still be here tomorrow — with the same contacts, the same quality and growing capacities.
The history on a timeline
Gold dots: company milestones. Blue dots: investments in the machinery.
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1938
Founding in Köln
The grandfather of today’s company head founds the business — classically with stamped and bent parts as well as sheet metal formed parts.
Source: trade article blechnet.com (2013) -
2nd gen.
Press-braked profiles become the core product
The second generation expands the range to include press-braked profiles — to this day the heart of manufacturing and the origin of the name “Bertrams Profile”.
Source: blechnet.com (2013) -
1979
Move to Köln-Porz
The business relocates from Köln-Mülheim to Köln-Porz — to this day the headquarters of the company.
Source: blechnet.com (2013) -
1984
Expansion in Köln
The production floor space at the Köln location grows from 2,000 to 2,500 m².
Source: blechnet.com (2013) -
1992
Second plant in Werra-Suhl-Tal
Shortly after reunification, the sheet metal processing centre is established in Berka/Werra (Thüringen) with around 4,000 m² of floor space. Jörg Bertrams — a trained production engineer and today’s Managing Director — is responsible for the concept, plant setup and production planning from the very first hour.
Source: blechnet.com (2013) -
2013
Specialization in large formats
The hall in Berka grows by around 2,160 m²; the trade press reports on the “processing of very large sheets” — parts weighing up to one tonne each.
Source: blechnet.com, 20.08.2013 -
2019
TruMatic 7000
Investment in combined punch-laser processing up to 7,000 × 1,500 × 8 mm — forming and laser contours in a single operation.
Source: bertrams.org/news, 21.01.2019 -
2022
TruBend 7050 & welding certificate renewed
An in-house small-part press makes even small dimensions economical; the EN 1090-2 certificate for load-bearing steel components is renewed for three years.
Source: bertrams.org/news, 2022 -
2023
The 1,000-tonne press
With the new press brake — 1,000 t pressing force, 12 m processing length — Bertrams delivers press-braked profiles up to 12,050 mm from a single piece.
Source: bertrams.org/news, 2023 -
2025
Farewell to Ernst August Bertrams
The company bids farewell to Ernst August Bertrams, who shaped the business over decades.
Source: bertrams.org/news, 23.12.2025 -
2026
Quality, externally confirmed
Lloyd’s Register confirms the quality management according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 — for both locations.
Source: bertrams.org/news, 07.05.2026 -
2028
Outlook: 90 years of Bertrams
In two years the company will celebrate its 90th anniversary — with the same attitude as in 1938: quality, precision and closeness to the customer.
From the trade press
“We have a high level of vertical integration and can deliver right up to the ready-to-install product.”
Independently documented: The trade press reports on August Bertrams GmbH (blechnet, Vogel Communications Group); the company is listed, among others, on Wer liefert was and in the Regio Manager and is entered in the commercial register (Amtsgericht Köln, HRB 12317).
What of the history reaches you
Investing rather than administering
TruMatic 7000 (2019), TruBend 7050 (2022), 1,000-t press (2023): The machinery grows continuously — your parts run on up-to-date technology.
Established processes
A company that has manufactured for plant, vehicle and mechanical engineering for decades has proven its processes under load — documented according to ISO 9001, EN 1090-2 and ISO 3834-2.
Decision-makers at the table
Family-run means: short paths. Anyone who inquires at Bertrams does not negotiate with a corporate structure, but with people who know the plant.
Get to know us
The easiest way is via a concrete part: send us your drawing — we respond with an honest assessment and a quote.
Direct:
Köln +49 2203 9345-0
Werra-Suhl-Tal +49 36922 223-0
E-mail info@bertrams.org