Logistics, made in Germany
Located in South Baden and with over 65 years’ worth of experience as a shipping company, Knöbel Specialised Transport can organise any kind of heavy-duty transportation. We can safely deliver almost any kind of goods to their destination with our vehicle fleet, consisting of over 30 specialised vehicles. It doesn’t matter if your cargo is too high, long, heavy or wide: Knöbel Specialised Transport will find the right solution. Our company is medium-sized, economically sound and owner-managed. Not only are we able to make quick decisions, but we can react fast and adapt to a change in circumstances where necessary. What’s more, we have ample staff potential and management expertise, as well as being financially strong.
Our company at a glance
- Our own, state-of-the-art specialised vehicles
- Trucks with a loading crane, low-bed vehicles, semi-low bed trucks, tractor-trailers, jumbo tautliners and mega trailers
- Integrated planning, organisation and implementation of projects involving heavy cargo, all from under one roof
- Expert staff trained in specialised transportation
- National and international authorisation services
1950
company was founded by Franz Knöbel
Company-founder Franz Knöbel registered the company on the 01/05/1950 with just one truck. The headquarters for Knöbel Specialised Transport was located in Vogtsburg-Schelingen, Kaiserstuhl, for almost thirty years.
The company depot was located next to the barn which was still used to house animals. Marie Knöbel used their living room as her office.
1960
the company kept on growing and growing
Little by little, more trucks were added to the fleet and in turn, the company gained more customers and the demands on Franz Knöbel grew. 1960 saw the first crane truck welcomed onto the Knöbel Specialised Transport vehicle fleet. The company expanded and cargo was becoming increasingly longer, wider, higher and heavier.
Journey distances were also growing and eventually the expanding company decided to relocate to a site which was more conveniently situated.
1979
the company relocated to Umkirch
After almost 30 years, the depot in Schelingen became too small and the company decided to leave their home, having found land in Umkirch near the A5 which posed an ideal opportunity for development. After building works were completed, the company moved into their newly constructed office space and adjoined hall.
The company were now able to have all maintenance work performed in their own workshop by their specialist staff, even having the work done as quickly as overnight.
1997
Josef Knöbel takes over the management role
Josef Knöbel had already begun to work for the company as a driver in 1967, at the age of just 18. He later undertook some administrative tasks and went on to take over the management of the company in the 2nd generation.
The 3rd generation has already made an appearance in the family business in the form of Mr. Frank After years’ worth of experience in specialised and heavy-duty transport, Josef Knöbel was now the sole manager of Knöbel Specialised Transport.
2000
the office building in Umkirch was extended and the company celebrated its 50-year anniversary
On the 01/05/2000, the company moved into their newly extended office building, held an open house day and celebrated their 50-year anniversary. They celebrated their new office building extension and both customers and visitors were free to marvel at the company’s truck fleet.
2000
company founder Franz Knöbel passes away
On the 3rd August 2000, Franz Knöbel passed away at the age of 81. He worked to provide support and advice on behalf of Knöbel Specialised Transport to that very day. Masses of people flocked to attend his funeral which took place in his home of Schelingen, a telltale sign of how important Franz Knöbel was to the local community, as well as to those much further afield.
2001
Knöbel Spezial-Transporte GmbH was founded
In the previous years, Knöbel Specialised Transport had existed under sole proprietorship, yet in 2001 Knöbel Spezial-Transporte GmbH was founded, with Josef, Frank und Melanie Knöbel as partners.
The company under sole proprietorship still remained in existence.
2003
World Champion 2003 - Truck pulling
In 2003, the Truck Pulling world championships took place at our site in Umkirch. Among other events, Mark Crookes attempted to set a new Guinness world record in Truck Pulling with ten of our trucks.
He bet on being able to move 10 of our trucks, weighing a total of around 90 tonnes, across a distance of approx. 200 m from a standing position with just his own muscle strength.
2006
Frank Knöbel takes over the management role
Josef Knöbel handed over the company management to his son, Frank Knöbel, and in doing so the company entered into the 3rd generation. Frank Knöbel had previously trained to be a car mechanic at Wisser, a company located in Gundelfingen. He then started to work at Knöbel Specialised Transport as a truck driver, just like his father.
He began to help out more and more in the in-house workshop, as well as with anything else that arose. After around 2 ½ years, he began to work in the office and arrange the truck schedules.
2006
the second maypole was transported, with a height of 59 m
Five years after the first, the second “tall” maypole was transported by Knöbel Specialised Transport. Once again, this presented an enormous challenge for the company and was planned and organised by Josef Knöbel together with the client from Nordenham, Udo Venema. The tree was felled and loaded in the Black Forest.
It was then transported to Bavaria to be processed. Its bark was removed and it was painted blue and white. After it had been decorated, it was transported to Nordenham, on the North Sea. A huge celebration was held to mark the pole being erected at the “Butjadinger Tor” hotel.
2010
60 years of Knöbel Specialised Transport
On the 02/05/2010, we celebrated our 60-year anniversary by holding a huge party at our premises in Umkirch. We invited Johann Traber to perform and he wowed spectators with his stunts. Naturally, both our customers and visitors were free to marvel at all the trucks in our fleet. And what's more, the event was also featured in the local media.
www.badische-zeitung.de/umkirch/eine-familie-die-bewegt--30399869.html
www.badische-zeitung.de/umkirch/bevor-es-auf-die-strasse-geht-wird-gemessen--30406644.html
2013
Melanie Knöbel became an authorised signatory for both companies
Melanie Knöbel, daughter of Josef and Zita Knöbel, began to work for the family business on the 12/07/2007 after having completed a business training course in transport and logistics services at Gschwander shipping company in Teningen. She has already made several positive changes within the company using the knowledge she acquired.
She has become a valued and irreplaceable member of the management team due to her hard work and relentless dedication. As such, it was the logical course of action to grant Ms Melanie Knöbel procuration.
2013
third maypole transported, with a height of 60 m
Over 60 m in height, wooden and extremely sensitive, Knöbel Specialised Transport transported the tallest maypole in Germany once again. The tree was felled and loaded at Pfaffenhofen in the Black Forest once again. It was then transported to Bavaria to be processed. Its bark was removed and it was painted blue and white. After it had been decorated, it was transported to Nordenham, on the North Sea.
2014
we’re getting a new petrol station
After a long time in the making, we changed the location of our petrol station in 2014, meaning we were able to refuel all our trucks ourselves. As our company had experienced so much growth over the years prior, as well as due to the increasing numbers of trucks in our fleet, this was a necessary investment in order for us to be able to react to your transportation needs in a more flexible manner.
2015
we delivered the tallest Christmas tree in Frankfurt
In 2015, we delivered a 37-metre tall Christmas tree, the tallest in Germany at that time, to Frankfurt, a feat which received much attention in the media nationwide, despite a slight mishap.
www.fnp.de/lokales/frankfurt/Der-Baum-ist-endlich-da;art675,1681140
www.fnp.de/bilderstrecken/Das-irre-Weihnachtsbaum-Chaos-von-Frankfurt;cme60102,1223883
www.t-online.de/regionales/id_75989652/spitze-von-frankfurter-weihnachtsbaum-abgebrochen.html
Youtube Video
2016
Mediaco set up a branch on our premises
In 2016, we decided to take the next step and invite Mediaco, a French company and one of the largest providers of crane services, to set up its own branch on our premises in Umkirch. In this way, we were able to offer all the crane services which we were no longer able to perform with our own loading cranes.
2017
heavy-duty partner spring festival and expansion of our storage area
We held our first joint spring festival with MEDIACO, our new partner, in July 2017. At the same time, we also increased the size of our storage area at our Umkirch site. Glorious weather welcomed numerous visitors to the event and we presented our vehicle fleet to an interested audience.
www.facebook.com/Luftbilderbecherer/videos/654448824740212/
2017
we’re helping to disassemble the Freiburg Siegesdenkmal
Knöbel Specialised Transport also found themselves mentioned in the media due to this transportation process, seeing as it was the city’s symbol that was being dismantled. However, citizens and visitors have no need to worry - the Siegesdenkmal is just being restored and will be rebuilt in 2018 in its new-found splendour, once again with the help of Knöbel Specialised Transport.