Gleistein
Encyclopedia
Gleistein is a prominent German cordage factory with head office in Bremen
. To the group of companies belong the Gleistein Slovakia s.r.o. in Trencin and Gleistein Ropes Ltd. in Great Britain. According to own data Gleistein has about 170 employees and 13 million euro conversion are obtained.
Gleistein has an internationally outstanding market position with the solution of technical special problems regarding textile connections (e.g. equipment of High Tech racing yachts and super yachts or component solutions for wind-driven sea transport system on basis of large course kites (Skysail
).
Arising new fibers such as Sisal
and Manila
opened new technical possibilities. Starting from 1890 on, the Herkulestauwerk (lit. Hercules cordage) was used for dragging nets for fishing. At that time Bremen-Vegesack
, the former company headquarters, was the port of registry of Europe's biggest herring fleet. Starting from 1920 basic researches for standardisation and computation of ropes were established. In the year 1947, the first ropes made of chemical fibres were produced. 1978, the enterprise shifts its head office to Bremen-Blumenthal. 1997, a production is set up in Slovakia, 1999 the enterprise existed 175 years. In his hometown Vegesack (part of Bremen today), the Georg-Gleistein-Strasse wears the founder's name.
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
. To the group of companies belong the Gleistein Slovakia s.r.o. in Trencin and Gleistein Ropes Ltd. in Great Britain. According to own data Gleistein has about 170 employees and 13 million euro conversion are obtained.
Gleistein has an internationally outstanding market position with the solution of technical special problems regarding textile connections (e.g. equipment of High Tech racing yachts and super yachts or component solutions for wind-driven sea transport system on basis of large course kites (Skysail
Skysail
*A skysail is the uppermost sail in many old square-rigged sail-plans .It was also on the royal mast above the royal sail....
).
History
Founded in 1824 by sailor captain Georg Gleistein as well as his oldest son Johann, Georg Gleistein & son started out with 12 workers converting natural fibers (hemp, tow) manually into ropes. Equipped were freight- and riverboats, shipping companies and farmers.Arising new fibers such as Sisal
Sisal
Sisal is an agave that yields a stiff fibre traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. The term may refer either to the plant or the fibre, depending on context...
and Manila
Manila hemp
Manila hemp, also known as manilla, is a type of fiber obtained from the leaves of the abacá , a relative of the banana. It is mostly used for pulping for a range of uses, including speciality papers. It was once used mainly to make manila rope, but this is now of minor importance...
opened new technical possibilities. Starting from 1890 on, the Herkulestauwerk (lit. Hercules cordage) was used for dragging nets for fishing. At that time Bremen-Vegesack
Bremen-Vegesack
-Geography:Vegesack is located at the mouth of the river Lesum, beside the Weser River . Abutting the district of Vegesack to the northwest is the district of Blumenthal, in the southeast the district of Burglesum...
, the former company headquarters, was the port of registry of Europe's biggest herring fleet. Starting from 1920 basic researches for standardisation and computation of ropes were established. In the year 1947, the first ropes made of chemical fibres were produced. 1978, the enterprise shifts its head office to Bremen-Blumenthal. 1997, a production is set up in Slovakia, 1999 the enterprise existed 175 years. In his hometown Vegesack (part of Bremen today), the Georg-Gleistein-Strasse wears the founder's name.
Products
- Gleistein supplied the ropes for the Reichstagsverhüllung (the wrapping of the Reichstag in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) in 1995 performed by the artists Christo and Jeanne-ClaudeChristo and Jeanne-ClaudeChristo and Jeanne-Claude were a married couple who created environmental works of art... - Exclusive cordage supplier for Arved FuchsArved FuchsArved Fuchs is a German explorer. On December 30, 1989, he and the famous mountain climber Reinhold Messner were the first to reach the South Pole without animal or motorised help, on skis and with wind-assistance...
since many years on all expeditions with his boat Dagmar Aaen in the polar seas. - Exclusive cordage supplier for racing yachts as the illbruck, winner of the Volvo Ocean RaceVolvo Ocean RaceThe Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
in 2001/2002, as well as for the participant in the America’s Cup 2007, BMW Oracle RacingBMW Oracle RacingOracle Racing is an American sailboat racing syndicate initially formed to compete for the 2003 America’s Cup. They competed again in the 2007 event before winning the 33rd America's Cup regatta in 2010 - representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club.... - Official Rope Supplier for PUMA Ocean Racing for the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009
- Rope supplier for Francis JoyonFrancis JoyonFrancis Joyon is a professional sail boat racer and yachtsman, and currently holds the record for the fastest single-handed sailing circumnavigation....
with his world record in single-handed non-stop circumnavigation - Development partner for rope for the course kite drive of ships (SkysailSkysail*A skysail is the uppermost sail in many old square-rigged sail-plans .It was also on the royal mast above the royal sail....
) - Gleistein self-publishes the German standard Spleißbuch (Splicebook) for expert rope splicingRope splicingRope splicing in ropework is the forming of a semi-permanent joint between two ropes or two parts of the same rope by partly untwisting and then interweaving their strands. Splices can be used to form a stopper at the end of a line, to form a loop or an eye in a rope, or for joining two ropes...