Karcher

Alfred Karcher was one of those inventors-entrepreneurs that Württemberg has brought forth in great numbers since the beginning of industrialisation – illustrious names such as Robert Bosch and Gottlieb Daimler, or Count Zeppelin. They fought to realise their ideas with commitment and enormous diligence.

 Ex- employee sees him in retrospect as follows: “When Alfred Karcher was in his element, when we were running trials and test, the atmosphere was simply exciting. He just couldn’t be stopped; he had a constant flow of new ideas.”

Alfred Karcher specialised in the plan of industrial submersible heating elements in early thirties. The so-called “Karcher Salt-Bath Furnace” was produced after numerous experiments, a hardening furnace for alloys. Till 1945 over 1,200 units were sold.

Alfred Karcher was not to gain the benefits of his great invention. The company founder died from a heart attack on September 17^th 1959 at 58. Karcher left behind his wife Irene, his nine-year old son Johannes and his three-year daughter Susanne.

 “Heat from Winnenden / A Visit to Alfred Karcher, Makers of Heat Generators” – that was the heading of an article that appeared in the “Rems Valley” magazine in 1960. The report concludes: “Alfred Karcher initially focused almost exclusively in the manufacture, development and distribution of heating systems.

An extract from a report of the company that appeared in 1940: “The Alfred Karcher factory has grown from modest beginnings into an attractive industrial complex with spacious buildings, large storage areas and broad streets. It originally built its own patented electric industrial furnaces, especially salt-bath furnaces for tempering steel and hardening alloys."

In the year 2006, the Karcher achieved his highest ever turnover of 1.254 billion euros and sold a record 6.07 million units. Turnover growth resulted to more than 13%. All Karcher sales regions in Europe, Asia Pacific, America and other regions of the world contributed to this success.

Karcher’s acquisition of Castle Rock Industries, the largest U.S. supplier of commercial carpet cleaning units, was a planned move of considerable importance for the favorable overall development of the company. This has made Karcher the market leader in commercial cleaning equipment in North America. Innovation continues to be the company’s most important growth aspect. At the company’s engineering centres more than 500 engineers and technicians work on designing and developing new products and problem solutions.

Karcher was again involved in environmental protection projects, charitable and cultural activities as well in numerous countries in 2006, and participated in the restoration of valuable monuments with its own technology.

Products

Karcher’s SCP 12000 Level Sensor is an Electronic Level Sensor which features infinitely variable trip height, higher indexing precision, easier handling based on compact size, increased handling comfort through continuously adjustable Level Sensor which is also removable. Changeover from normal mode to flat pick-up facility helps in foot adjustment of the pump which can be used for slightly dirty water as well as for low level suction. Suction already starts at a low water level automatically at a level of >= 1 cm with extension of application areas, increase of handling comfort.

Other features include push-button priming, comfortable carrying handle, optimised union and Incl. adapter with G1 1/4 inch inner thread which is suitable for 1 and 1 1/4 inch hoses. The sensor is applied for evacuation and water exchange of ponds, basements, laundries and pools

Karcher’s SDP 7000 is the compact entry class submersible pump for a quick evacuation or transfer of dirt water. It is powerful and strong. The ergonomic rail handle guarantees not only comfortable transport, but also makes it possible to lift the pump from all sides. In addition it facilitates the attachment of a rope for lowering the pump. It increases the switching accuracy in comparison to the competitors. Its optimised union enables the simplest connection especially with large diameter hoses. In addition it minimises the danger of damages to the thread. It also includes adapter with G1 inch inner thread.
The pump is applied for evacuation and water exchange of ponds, basements, laundries

Karcher’s K 6.80 M is a high pressure Top class outdoor cleaner which is having stringent demands for its unit and its cleaning performance, as well as widely varied cleaning jobs involving heavy soiling, Maximum operating convenience features to cut down on time spend cleaning.  It is applied for frequent and powerful cleaning of large areas around the home e.g. moss-covered and very dirty surfaces such as facades, drive-ways, and swimming pools as well as cleaning vehicles.

Karcher’s RB 6000 is a fully automatic gantry wash which is recommended for commercial vehicles, in which the vehicle is positioned by the customer. After positioning, the vehicle is washed by the portal based on the selected washing program. The main emphasis has been put on a gentle yet thorough removal of the traffic film by rotating washing rollers. The washing cycle is controlled by fully automatic PLC system. On the gantry the stainless steel control cabinet is installed. Programs can be started by means of manual operation or via a service desk. In every washing process where water and detergents are used during the wash cycle, an aggressive environment is created. For this reason, Kärcher puts special emphasis on optimum protection against abrasion and rust of the plant components.