The decades following reconstruction and the first breakthroughs in large-scale equipment manufacturing marked a decisive new chapter in TAKRAF Group’s history: international expansion. From the 1960s onwards, bridge conveyors and bucket wheel excavators from Lauchhammer were no longer limited to German open-pit mines but became sought after in projects around the world.
A new brand is born
In 1964, the TAKRAF trademark association was founded, bringing together 26 member companies in open-pit mining equipment, cranes and conveyor systems. On February 26, 1965, the trademark was officially registered, and later that year the “VVB Bergbauausrüstungen und Förderanlagen” (VVB Mining Equipment and Conveyor Systems) was renamed “VVB TAKRAF.” This laid the foundation for a brand name that would soon become globally recognized.
World records in open-pit mining
Lauchhammer engineers pushed the limits of what was technically possible. In the 1970s, they built the SRs 6300 Bucket-Wheel Excavator – one of the largest of its kind in the world. With a total weight of over 13,000 tons, a length of around 240 meters and a height of nearly 100 meters, it held a genuine world record in open-pit mining at the time of its commissioning.
Yet the engineers didn’t stop there. In the late 1970s and 1980s, TAKRAF developed the F60 overburden conveyor bridge. At more than 500 meters long, this colossus is still considered the largest mobile technical machine in the world today. Together, these mining giants became global symbols of TAKRAF Group’s pioneering spirit and engineering expertise.
Export and international presence
From the Soviet Union to India and South America, TAKRAF technologies powered large open-pit mining projects across the globe. Especially the combination of bridge conveyors and bucket-wheel excavators set new benchmarks in continuous material handling and efficiency.
From Lusatia to the world stage
By the 1980s, TAKRAF was synonymous with excellence in mining equipment. Continuous innovation and the construction of ever larger machines established Lauchhammer and Leipzig as international centers of heavy mining machinery manufacturing.
“With our world record-breaking excavators and our international expansion, TAKRAF Group became a global player. This period had a decisive impact on our reputation as a leading supplier of mining technology,” says our CEO Thomas Jabs.
In October, we will explore the political changes of 1989/90 and the associated challenges and opportunities for TAKRAF Group.
Innovation out of tradition - It pays to talk to a specialist!