Vögele looks back on 190 years

Founded as a small blacksmith's forge, Joseph Vögele AG has grown into a versatile paver manufacturer with an extensive portfolio. The company continues to innovate its machine offerings with alternative drive concepts, digital solutions, and machines that meet today's construction challenges. 

Roadbuilding innovations since 1836

To mark Vögele's 190th anniversary, the company has taken a moment to look back on some of its crucial milestones over the years. 

Founded as a forge in the city of Mannheim in 1836, Vögele became an internationally known railroad engineering company, branched out into road construction equipment, and then, around 100 years ago, presented the first towed spreader — the precursor of today's road pavers. 

Since then, innovations from Vögele have been moving road construction forward: the first floating paving screed, the first electric screed heating system, the first spray paver, new technologies, and paving methods were just a few of the milestones along the way. 

The company continued to expand even during phases of global economic turmoil. In 1996, Vögele joined the Wirtgen Group, which, in 2017, became a part of John Deere. With the Wirtgen Group factories in Brazil, China, and India, numerous sales and service organizations, and a worldwide network of dealers, Vögele has continued to participate in the global marketplace. 

In 2010, Vögele moved to Ludwigshafen am Rhein and built a modern factory to produce road pavers. Today, around 1,200 employees develop and manufacture highly specialized asphalt construction equipment on the 370,000 square metre site. 

Around 40 different paver models offer paving widths between 0.25 metres and 18 metres and a variety of configurations and technical modifications designed to meet the specific requirements of a broad spectrum of applications and markets. 

"Vögele combines a pioneering spirit with long-established traditions and has consistently demonstrated an unerring feeling for the signs of the times and the needs of the various markets," says Dr. Michael Kulok, who took over the position of CEO in 2024. "In addition to our commitment to quality, we are now setting new standards with electrically-powered pavers and process and automation solutions, and are assisting our customers around the world with their transition to efficient paving with net zero operational emissions."