about us
In the middle of the industrial area of Hattenhofen in the district of Göppingen you will find the company Sommerfeldt Oberleitungen + Stromabnehmer GmbH.
For over 65 years, the company has been producing overhead systems and current collectors for tracks 0, H0, TT and N.
Günter Sommerfeldt, b. 1923 in Frankfurt / Main, worked in a publishing house, which produced building instructions for model railway accessories. There grew the love of his hobby model railway.
On February 3, 1949, Günter Sommerfeldt announced a manufacturing company for accessories for sheet metal and wire. He realized that the delicate parts of electricity and the touching overhead were badly and too coarsely manufactured by the industry. In these parts, which always required a great deal of manual work, the scale required fine wires, while the stability and operational reliability required coarser wires.
In 1950 Günter Sommerfeldt presented his ideas and products to the industry. When Trix equipped his "Super-Modell" E 94, with Sommerfeldt Stromabnehmern, this pleased the companies and buyers so well that other companies also ordered Sommerfeldt products. Due to the growing demand, the company Sommerfeldt developed into a specialist for overhead line and current collectors.
Outbreaks, such as Köf and V 80, Sommerfeldt soon returned to his limits. Only the idea of a vehicle clutch with pre-decoupling was productively realized and resulted in the first prize of a MIBA competition. A few years later, this idea was handed over to Märklin, which was further developed there.
In 1955, Günter Sommerfeldt built a single-family house with integrated premises in Göppingen, so that production, toolmaking and housing were all under one roof.
In 1969 a new factory building was erected in Hattenhofen, which was ready for occupancy on January 1, All 10 employees then found their new job 8 km further. The number of employees increased to 18 persons in the company and up to 24 home workers.
In 1970 Jürgen Sommerfeldt, the oldest son of the company founder, officially joined the company. The model railway as well as the technology fascinated him at a young age, so it was obvious to him that during his apprenticeship he always worked with the father's company and brought in ideas.
In 1979, the company Sommerfeldt was transformed into a GmbH with the partners Günter Sommerfeldt and Jürgen Sommerfeldt.
In 1988, Günter Sommerfeldt reached the age of retirement and, as Jürgen Sommerfeldt was well acquainted with all tasks, was able to leave the company. Production continued to increase: New types of electricity and foreign overhead lines came to the fore, the quality improved and the number of units rose steadily. Jürgen Sommerfeldt then received support from his wife Barbara, who became more and more involved in the matter.
In 2015, Jürgen and Barbara Sommerfeldt decided to give the estate, which had been owned by the Sommerfeldt families for more than 65 years, into the younger hands. Mr. Andreas Heintel and Mr. Ingo Putschkat took over the company with all employees on 1 January 2016 and will continue the production of overhead lines and current collectors as a family business.
Andreas Heintel previously worked for 4 years in Sommerfeldt Eisenbahn-Modelle GmbH.
Today, Sommerfeldt is a major and sought-after manufacturer of various trolley systems and pantographs. For the fine and detailed items, there is a separate tool shop. Perfect model ironers want the accessories of metal. Screwing and tensioning as well as creative work leads to the exemplary Sommerfeldt model superstructure.
More than 300 different pantographs have been developed, manufactured and refined throughout the years. No compromises were made in terms of functionality and stability.
SOMMERFELDT - A real Swabian company: Everything made in Hattenhofen / Germany
For over 65 years, the company has been producing overhead systems and current collectors for tracks 0, H0, TT and N.
Günter Sommerfeldt, b. 1923 in Frankfurt / Main, worked in a publishing house, which produced building instructions for model railway accessories. There grew the love of his hobby model railway.
On February 3, 1949, Günter Sommerfeldt announced a manufacturing company for accessories for sheet metal and wire. He realized that the delicate parts of electricity and the touching overhead were badly and too coarsely manufactured by the industry. In these parts, which always required a great deal of manual work, the scale required fine wires, while the stability and operational reliability required coarser wires.
In 1950 Günter Sommerfeldt presented his ideas and products to the industry. When Trix equipped his "Super-Modell" E 94, with Sommerfeldt Stromabnehmern, this pleased the companies and buyers so well that other companies also ordered Sommerfeldt products. Due to the growing demand, the company Sommerfeldt developed into a specialist for overhead line and current collectors.
Outbreaks, such as Köf and V 80, Sommerfeldt soon returned to his limits. Only the idea of a vehicle clutch with pre-decoupling was productively realized and resulted in the first prize of a MIBA competition. A few years later, this idea was handed over to Märklin, which was further developed there.
In 1955, Günter Sommerfeldt built a single-family house with integrated premises in Göppingen, so that production, toolmaking and housing were all under one roof.
In 1969 a new factory building was erected in Hattenhofen, which was ready for occupancy on January 1, All 10 employees then found their new job 8 km further. The number of employees increased to 18 persons in the company and up to 24 home workers.
In 1970 Jürgen Sommerfeldt, the oldest son of the company founder, officially joined the company. The model railway as well as the technology fascinated him at a young age, so it was obvious to him that during his apprenticeship he always worked with the father's company and brought in ideas.
In 1979, the company Sommerfeldt was transformed into a GmbH with the partners Günter Sommerfeldt and Jürgen Sommerfeldt.
In 1988, Günter Sommerfeldt reached the age of retirement and, as Jürgen Sommerfeldt was well acquainted with all tasks, was able to leave the company. Production continued to increase: New types of electricity and foreign overhead lines came to the fore, the quality improved and the number of units rose steadily. Jürgen Sommerfeldt then received support from his wife Barbara, who became more and more involved in the matter.
In 2015, Jürgen and Barbara Sommerfeldt decided to give the estate, which had been owned by the Sommerfeldt families for more than 65 years, into the younger hands. Mr. Andreas Heintel and Mr. Ingo Putschkat took over the company with all employees on 1 January 2016 and will continue the production of overhead lines and current collectors as a family business.
Andreas Heintel previously worked for 4 years in Sommerfeldt Eisenbahn-Modelle GmbH.Today, Sommerfeldt is a major and sought-after manufacturer of various trolley systems and pantographs. For the fine and detailed items, there is a separate tool shop. Perfect model ironers want the accessories of metal. Screwing and tensioning as well as creative work leads to the exemplary Sommerfeldt model superstructure.
More than 300 different pantographs have been developed, manufactured and refined throughout the years. No compromises were made in terms of functionality and stability.
SOMMERFELDT - A real Swabian company: Everything made in Hattenhofen / Germany