DEBAG Deutsche Backofenbau GmbH is celebrating its 111-year anniversary in 2022, and looking back on an eventful past. Since its foundation in 1911, the company has been dedicated to the production of high-quality oven and baking technology made in Germany.

"The merger of the Munich-based company DEBAG and the Bautzen baking technology manufacturer BOFABA in 1992 was the beginning of a courageous success story of the post-GDR period. The new DEBAG, based in Bautzen, from then on combined very different competencies from East and West—and thus paved the way for a successful future—with a high export share and international clientele on all continents," explains Oliver Theiß, one of the DEBAG managing directors.

Today, DEBAG GmbH is one of the world's leading manufacturers of oven, baking and fermentation and refrigeration technology and sells its products in more than 50 countries worldwide. Customers include traditional artisan bakers, baker's shops – but now also food retail, catering and petrol stations.

MILESTONES IN THE COMPANY'S HISTORY

• 1911: Founding of the company "Dampfbackofenbau Alois Linder" in Munich | 1922 Change of name to DEBAG Deutsche Backofenbau Gmbh
• 1924: Foundation of the company "Gustav Schmidt & Söhne Backofenfabrik Bautzen"
• 1936: Invention of the MONSUN baking system: energy-saving and therefore again in great demand today In 1936, Alois Linder succeeded in realizing his idea of fan circulation heating for ovens. With this special baking technique patented by Linder, the hot air is moved very slowly and is subject to a regular change of direction. Thanks to the principle of direct heat transfer and a very low power requirement, the MONSUN ovens still consume a significantly small amount of energy today.
• In 1972 the transition to VEB Backofenfabrik Bautzen takes place – as a company of the combined "Fortschritt Landmaschinen"
  • 1990 legal independence under a new name: BOFABA Backofen- und Maschinenbaufabrik Bautzen GmbH
• 1975-91: Numerous new baking technology development
  • During these years, numerous baking innovations were developed to market maturity. These included a new generation of MONSUN multi-level ovens and the market launch of the MONSUN SM—a perfect combination of multi-level oven and rack oven—and a successful DEBAG model that is still produced to this day.
• 1992-1993: Merger of DEBAG and BOFABA | Bautzen becomes new head office
  • Merger of DEBAG GmbH from Munich and BOFABA Bautzen GmbH to form DEBAG GmbH. Bautzen becomes the new headquarters.
• 1995–2001: Development of new MONSUN large oven models
  • The post-GDR period is characterised by a spirit of renewed vigour and innovative strength. DEBAG develops numerous new large-scale MONSUN oven models which have been successful to date, including the MONSUN S5 and MONSUN TWIN oven—a highly efficient large-scale oven that can be fed simultaneously with two rack trucks.
• 2002 - 2003: Strong growth in the food retail sector due to new generation of DILA shop ovens
  • With the development of the first "DILA" shop oven, DEBAG succeeded in making a breakthrough for a completely new customer group: the food retail sector. DEBAG thus opened up new markets and experienced rapid growth.
• 2004–2019: Further product innovations in the field of bakery chilling, innovative oven controls
  • At the beginning of the new millennium, the expansion of the business unit Fermentation- and Refrigeration Technology took place. A new development in this area was the "shock freezer"—the integrated vacuum shock system enables bakers to cool down their bakery products quickly, evenly and precisely at all stages of production. 2007 saw the market launch of the new oven control with a modern touchscreen—an important step toward increasing the operating comfort of DEBAG's ovens.
• 2020–2021: Market launch of the DECON multifunction ovens.
  • With the new DECON generation of shop ovens, cooking, roasting, and regeneration of food is now possible in addition to baking.
• 2022: Anniversary 111 years of DEBAG | Strong within the group of companies

After 111 years of company history, today DEBAG is a manufacturer of oven, baking, and fermentation and refrigeration technology. To this day, production is still being carried out in Germany, at the sites in Bautzen, Königsbrück and Cossebaude in Saxony. With 270 employees, DEBAG is one of the largest employers in the region.

"To date, more than 48.000 shop ovens have been delivered worldwide, and more than 100 large ovens leave the factory every year. We manufacture over a total production area of 4,500 sqm. We are more than proud of these figures,, says Theiß, "111 years of DEBAG are more than just a historic milestone in our company's history. At the same time, they are also our motivation to make our customers' daily work even better in the future—through innovative baking technology that simplifies workflows and enables high-quality baked goods to be produced. And more still: Within the strong group of companies of the WIKOTOOL GROUP, DEBAG is more than ready for the next 111 successful years," added Theiß.

Outlook and objectives: Supporting artisan bakers in times of crisis | International growth continues 

DEBAG sees itself as a strong partner of the traditional bakery trade into the future. "Especially in times of raw material shortages and utopian energy prices, our customers need practical and quick-to-implement solutions to keep their costs under control. One possible solution to reduce energy costs is our low-consumption MONSUN baking technology. Another solution is the conversion of the oven from gas to electric. We are happy to advise our customers regarding both ways," says Theiß.

In the future, too, DEBAG will increasingly invest in the development of forward-looking baking technology with smart automation solutions and intelligent control systems. Such new products will already be presented at the Südback trade fair in Stuttgart in October 2022.