MWM History for Your Library: 150 Years of Tradition, Innovation, and Engine Building
Mannheim, December 20, 2021
This year, MWM celebrates its 150th anniversary. Around the globe, MWM gas engines are considered the epitome of high performance and reliability in a broad application spectrum. The brand’s history goes all the way back to the year 1871. Over the decades, the tradition-rich company’s development has been guided by prominent, impressive personalities such as the automotive pioneer Carl Benz and the engineer and inventor Prosper L’Orange. In celebration of the 150th anniversary, a book recounting the eventful history and evolution of the MWM brand has now been released.
A Journey Through 150 Years of Innovation History
On about 100 pages, the high-quality hardcover book describes how the MWM brand came into existence and draws attention to the various developments over the decades that have made the brand what it is now. The book was written by Norbert Eisinger, who worked for the company for many years and authored numerous MWM publications and is therefore considered an expert in the field of historical engine building. The book project was coached by Frank Fuhrmann and Aljoscha Kertesz, both Managers Communications at Caterpillar Energy Solutions. The book “150 Years of Continuous Innovation” takes readers on a journey that start in 1871 and ends in the anniversary year 2021.
When he founded his “Mechanical Workshop” in Mannheim, automobile inventor and pioneer Carl Benz laid the basis for Benz & Cie., which later became MWM. Especially Benz’s invention of the horseless carriage and of the “patent motorcar” in 1886 represented a milestone in engine building. The invention of the prechamber principle by the engineer Prosper L’Orange culminated in the development of the compressorless diesel engine, which soon played a key role in vehicles. In 1924, MWM’s “motorized horse” was presented, the world’s first tractor with a diesel engine—a technical sensation at the time. In 1931, MWM built its first vehicle diesel engine, and in 1938, the first MWM diesel engine with turbocharger was launched. The first MWM engine building program after World War II was introduced in 1950. The 1960s and 1970s saw various technical enhancements of the MWM engines. In 1992, the company introduced the TEM system for gas gensets, a control and monitoring system for all key functions of the gas genset, consolidated in a single electronic unit. The MWM brand has been part of Caterpillar Inc. since 2011.
These milestones are some of the many historical highlights of the MWM brand, which are described in detail in the anniversary book. Additionally, the book features numerous photographs, drawings, and charts that have been retrieved from history archives.
“Inventive Genius, Passion, and Inventive Drive Have Made the MWM Brand What It Is Today”
The drafting, production, and print of the book on MWM’s 150th anniversary took about a year. The book is published by Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH in Mannheim. “The inventive genius of the engineers as well as the ideas and commitment of all employees of the company regularly deliver outstanding results”, says Norbert Eisinger, who wrote the book. “This publication draws attention to various technical and social milestones in chronological order. Frank Fuhrmann, Manager Communications at Caterpillar Energy Solutions, too, is proud of the book that was issued on the occasion of the great anniversary. “Despite the many economic and social changes that occurred over a period of 150 years, MWM remains a world-famous engine and genset manufacturer”, says Frank Fuhrmann. “Inventive genius, passion, and inventive drive have made the MWM brand what it is today.”
MWM would like to express its gratitude to all who cooperated in the production of the book for their efforts, which have made this anniversary project possible.
The book can now be ordered in the MWM web shop in English and German: https://mwm.mentor-net.net/neuheiten/mwm-buch-150-jahre-englisch.html
Further information:
- MWM web shop
- MWM Gas Engines and Gensets
- MWM Cogeneration Power Plants
- MWM History
- MWM press release: Visual Tour Through 150 Years of Engine Building in Mannheim on the Occasion of the Big MWM Anniversary
- MWM press release: MWM Celebrates Major Anniversary: 150 Years of Innovation and Progress in Distributed Energy Generation with Highly Efficient Gas Engines
