ABOUT US
1918
The Bruno Will gun and tool factory emanates from the original factory in 1918, which successfully continues the tradition of the founding fathers
1944
The air attacks on Solingen in 1944 forced Orbis to move its production site several times.
After the war the region was originally occupied by Americans. Even before the invasion of the Russian occupation troops in the summer of 1945, Harry Paul Will, the son of the tool manufacturer Bruno Will, and three employees escaped to the West with some machines, blanks and semi-finished goods.
50er Jahre
Harry P. Will immigrated in Toronto /Canada at the beginning of the 1950s. Before the war he had already established close business contacts in the United States and Canada. He was soon well-known under the name "Plier-King". The management of his company in Neustadt was transferred to his partner Richard Gies.
1955
The company of Orbis moved from Solingen to Ahaus due to permanent lack of space.
1965
The sons of Paul E. Groten (left) and Karl Groten (right) joined the management of the company Orbis - here with Paul Groten, sen. in 1965.
1972
In 1972 a subsidiary company was founded in Johannesburg. Since that time “Harry P. Will South Africa” manufactures and sells pliers.
2003
The KNIPEX C. Gustav Putsch KG in Wuppertal acquires Orbis
2008
Orbis-Werk and Will Werkzeuge merged in 2008. The renamed company OrbisWill GmbH + Co. KG is located Ahaus. The production plant in Neustadt remains.
1844
Harry P. Will‘s ancestors founded a tool factory in Schmalkalden (Thuringia).
Schmalkalden is considered as the cradle of the German tool industry.
The first documentary mention of a sledgehammer goes back to the year 1348.
1929
In 1929 Paul Groten sen. founded “Orbis Werkzeugfabrik” as a tool factory in Solingen. Besides the region around the cities of Schmalkalden and Steinbach-Hallenberg, the area of Remscheid, Solingen and Wuppertal belongs to the second stronghold of the German tool industry.
1948
The registration in the commercial register as Harry P. Will Werkzeugfabrik GmbH took place on March 4, 1948.
1955
After several moves in the area of Stadtallendorf, Harry P. Will built a new building in the Gleimenhainer Straße. In January 1955 the company moved in.
1962
In 1962 the company Will was sold to the family of Still, whose worldwide activities were in the field "Design and construction of coke and chemical plants". Harry Paul Will died a few years later in his adopted home of Canada.
70er Jahre
Many construction projects in the 70s and 80s are evidence of the economic boom of company Will. In 1972 a new production hall of nearly 2,000 sqm was taken in operation as well as about 500 sqm office space. Another 1,800 sqm warehouse and production area was added in 1987. Due to extensive modernization in all manufacturing sectors in the years 1990 and 1991 - combined with the largest investment since the foundation of the company - Harry P. Will Neustadt became to one of the latest pliers factories in the world at that time.
1993
ORBIS established a quality system in accordance to DIN EN ISO 9001 as one of the first manufacturers of pliers.
2006
The KNIPEX C. Gustav Putsch KG in Wuppertal takes over Will Werkzeuge from a bankruptcy.