1898: The year it all begins
Blacksmith H. S. Hansen steps off the train at Lem Station in Denmark. A short time later he establishes his first smithy in the town, his wealth of ideas and initiative making him immediately successful. He later inspires many of his apprentices to open their own businesses, and Lem eventually becomes a major centre for the trade.
1928: Success for Dansk Staalvindue Industri
"Blacksmith Hansen" and his son Peder Hansen establish Dansk Staalvindue Industri, which manufactures steel window frames for industrial buildings. The company is a success and four years later is restructured into a joint stock company. The success continues until World War II, but during the German occupation of Denmark, metal is in short supply and staff can only be given intermittent work.
1945: Establishment of Vestas
Peder Hansen leaves Dansk Staalvindue Industri. Together with nine other people he establishes VEstjysk STaalteknik A/S, which is quickly abbreviated as simply Vestas. With initial capital of DKK 75,000, they set themselves up in a wooden barrack and begin manufacturing household appliances such as mixers and baking scales.
1950: The first venture into exporting
Production mainly consists of agricultural vehicles. First rubber tractors, then vacuum tankers, tankers, crop sprayers, ploughshares and other products, which become big export items, particularly in Finland, Germany and Belgium.
1956: Production of intercoolers
Soren Hansen, deputy director at B&W shipyards and Peder Hansen’s brother, tells his brother that the shipyard is interested in the development of a new type of cooler for marine engines. This marks the birth of yet another Vestas product. Peder Hansen takes on the task of developing and producing intercoolers - which together with the agricultural vehicles - are now Vestas' main products.
1959: “Blacksmith” Hansen buys out the others
Peder Hansen buys the other shareholders out of Vestas and sells the production of milk coolers and troughs to Boerge Agerbo, owner of Agerbo Maskinfabrik and one of Vestas' former shareholders.
1960: A fire and a sales record in the same year
On 27 January 1960, Vestas’ office and warehouse burn to the ground. Fortunately, it is possible to move to new premises and despite the accident Vestas has more sales in 1960 than the year before. The factory is rebuilt and production continues with 100-120 on staff depending on the time of the year.
1968: Hydraulics are high priority
In 1968, after rebuilding and a couple of years of consolidation, the people at Vestas start yet another business line: Hydraulic cranes for light trucks. Working together with a crane exporter, Vestas is successful again – 96 per cent of the cranes are exported to 65 countries.
