With a celebration for employees, their families, customers, and long-time companions, Wohlrab Aufdampftechnik GmbH marked its 50th anniversary on July 24, 2026. At the company premises in the Mühlsteig business park—home to the administrative headquarters and the TechLab for Research & Development—attendees looked back on a journey that began in 1976 in a small workshop in Langenzenn. In the basement of the family home, Johann K. Wohlrab, father of today’s owner and managing director, Christian Wohlrab, founded an engineering firm for special-purpose machinery. This soon evolved into a specialization in the design and manufacture of PVD coating systems and high-quality surface coatings.
Around 220 guests accepted the invitation, enjoying perfect weather and a varied supporting program. A highlight—eagerly taken up: the ride on the 1. FC Nürnberg youth academy’s team bus to our optical coating facility. There, the plant manager provided insights into state-of-the-art coating and process technologies for high-precision optical thin-film systems. Many guests took the opportunity to ask questions and experience cutting-edge technology for the photonics, sensor and laser technology industries up close.
In the afternoon, Christian Wohlrab opened the official ceremony with a speech. He paid tribute to the achievements of the generations who built and shaped the company, and thanked the entire team, his family, and all partners who have helped shape this journey with commitment and passion and continue to support it. Representatives of the city of Langenzenn and the district also took the floor to extend their congratulations.
Of course, on an anniversary like this, we must take a look into the future: with the appointment of his son, Lukas Wohlrab, as director of Wohlrab Indonesia, the transition to the third generation has been achieved. He had previously worked for several years in various areas of the company and most recently headed the plastic injection molding department at the Indonesian site.
Wohlrab aims to continue the success of recent decades—by investing in a state-of-the-art machinery park for future-oriented applications, strengthening the Langenzenn site as a research hub, and launching an apprenticeship program to train skilled workers in coating technology.
