History | LESER - The Safety Valve

The foundation of LESER

Born in Klosterneuburg near Vienna, Georg Wittmann (picture) set up his own business in Hamburg on 16 March 1818. His adopted sons Georg, Theodor, Ferdinand and Wilhelm Leser continued the company after his death in 1870 as Gebr. Leser G. Wittmann's successor.

LESER today

With 1200 employees, nine subsidiaries and sales partners in over 80 countries, the Hamburg-based company LESER is the largest manufacturer of safety valves in Europe and one of the leading companies in its industry worldwide. LESER produces over 150,000 safety valves per year in the production plants in Hohenwestedt, Germany for the global markets as well as in Pathain, India and Tianjin, China for the local markets. The production of LESER is characterized by a high manufacturing depth.

(picture: LESER Headquarters Hamburg)

LESER specializes exclusively in safety valves. No two products are alike. Application conditions, such as set pressure, temperature, medium or approvals, determine the variety of LESER safety valves. With its products and services, LESER offers solutions for all requirements, independent of original equipment in major projects, maintenance, repair or overhaul of safety valves as well as replacement delivery within 24 hours. LESER is the contact for overpressure protection with safety valves.

LESER invests most of its profits in the further development of the company. Investments in recent years have been the development of the production and sales site in Tianjin, China (€6 million), the expansion of the German production site in Hohenwestedt (€7.3 million) and the construction of the new LESER office in Hamburg (€22 million). Together with the expansion of the international sales network, this lays the foundation for further business growth. LESER not only looks back on 200 years of company history, but is well positioned for the future.

A look into LESER's future

LESER sees market changes as an opportunity for growth and continuous improvement. New markets and customer groups determine the way as well as new technical solutions or determine the way for new technical solutions as well as process improvements in the company. LESER took up the changes in digital transformation at an early stage and is actively creating its image of the future.
(picture: production in Hohenwestedt)

An integrated SAP landscape or the LESER web services are just a few examples that put LESER in a successful starting position for the new age of digitization. At the same time, LESER conducts basic research on safety valves and deals with the trends in process engineering. LESER is already setting the basis for the overpressure protection of tomorrow.

Company history in figures

1818 LESER is founded as a brass foundry in Hamburg-Neustadt by Georg Wittmann.

1856 John Ramsbottom invents a flanged spring safety valve.

1884 LESER offers the complete product range of steam fittings, including safety valves.

1914 The company expands and acquires the property in Wendenstraße.

1943 Production is moved to Hohenwestedt.

1944 André Ramseyer AG is founded in Flamatt / Switzerland, in which LESER holds a share.

1959 The first component test is carried out and successfully completed.

1970 LESER specializes in safety valves.

1980 LESER is market leader in the field of safety valves in Germany and Europe.

1987 FAINGER-LESER is founded in Mumbai / India as a joint venture.

1990 LESER receives the first ASME certification and can thus operate worldwide.

1998 Protego LESER do Brasil is founded in Brazil.

2001 LESER introduces the API product group as an important step towards a global presence.

2003 LESER LLC is founded in Charlotte, NC / USA.

2004 LESER S.A.R.L. is founded in France.

2008 LESER Middle East is founded as an office in Bahrain.

2010 LESER introduces the pilot operated safety valve.

2010 LESER LLP is founded in Singapore.

2013 LESER - The Safety Valve (Tianjin) Ltd. is founded in Tianjin, China.

2017 LESER introduces the change-over valve.

2018 200 years of LESER

2021 Undertaking LESER Poland