Mankenberg Niagara: a steam trap against the odds of time
Welcome to Mankenberg
In the entrance area of Mankenberg GmbH in Lübeck there is an authentic model of a steam trap, upright about as high as a small child. The valve was introduced to the market in 1904 under the name Niagara. At the beginning of the last century, the choice of a name was not limited to a sequence of letters or numbers, but meaningful product names were given. And so the patented condensation pot with the ball float made from welded steel, which discharges such unusually high quantities of water, was given the name of the largest waterfall in North America.
In good times and bad
People often stand in front of medieval buildings or metre-high trees and wonder what these old stones or plants have already witnessed. There were turning points on a political, social, economic and cultural level. World economic crisis and unemployment, war and cold war. Technical progress could not be halted, it entailed nuclear power, space travel and the third and fourth industrial revolution. At the same time, formerly structuring and flourishing industrial areas such as the German Ruhr area and the English coal mines in Liverpool or Manchester were closed down.
The Niagara is no miracle of nature. But from the beginning it was so perfect and so far ahead of its time that it has accompanied its creator Mankenberg through time almost unchanged in form and inner life and still does so today.
In the heart of industry
Difficult political conditions were the environment that Mankenberg had to cope with since its beginnings in 1885. In 1895 the founder of the company, Gustav Mankenberg, relocated to Szczecin, an industrial area and shipyard location. There the Niagara took the first steps into its cast-iron life and became a real success story as a patent.
Mankenberg realised that easy access to the valve was particularly important and designed a special closing cover. The closed steel float was especially suitable for work without loss of steam in case of strong pressure and power fluctuations, even if no condensate was produced. In those days, sugar factories preferentially used the Niagara.
Thanks to the increasing demand for his products, Gustav Mankenberg built a new factory in Szczecin in 1910. Only four years later, the First World War brought the usual war-borne austerities: staff shortages, disrupted supply chains and the fear for the lives of everyone in close proximity to the battle zones.
Perseverance in a world of sickness and death
After the end of the war, a deadly wave of pandemic influenza raged across the continents: the Spanish flu. It killed millions of people worldwide. Today – a hundred years later – another virus determines our lives again.
But Mankenberg still produced unswervingly and continues to do so today. In both world wars it rejected the demanded change over of production to war requirements. However – the company proved time and time again to be a pillar of the German economy, because its valves were needed for the operations important to the war, such as the food production in potato flake factories. And also here one of the most requested products: the robust Niagara.
New beginning in Lübeck
In 1945 the location in Szczecin was closed down, and the allied forces ordered the immediate dissolution of the company. Mankenberg decided to make a new start in Lübeck. The machines were not allowed to be taken along. Therefore the most important capital for the new beginning was the know-how and the customers who remained loyal to Mankenberg in Lübeck. The Niagara got some sibs, such as the ultra-high pressure pot “Corona” or the steam trap with bell float “Vineta”, but it was the only to survive the times, whereas Corona and Vineta no longer play a role today.
Crisis-proof and reliable companion
Also in 2022 no crisis will stop Mankenbergs production. We are able to deliver and are always there for our customers. And the reliable Niagara enriches the range of steam traps both on the homepage and in our online shop.
To Niagara at mankenberg.com To Niagara at mankenberg.shop
With our M-TIME storage and logistics system, most of the valves can be shipped to you within 48 hours after your order has been placed in our online shop. There is hardly a simpler and faster way to meet your valve replacement needs.
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