About Us - History

For more than 10 years On Top Klettern stands for highest Competence, for innovative, high-quality products and a fair price-performance-ratio! We also guarantee an environmentally sound production, ecological and social commitment.

Company residence is Wesseling, situated between Cologne and Bonn. About 10 collegues work here, were the development of new products and the production also takes place. Every year we build about 50 climbing facilities of which the bigger part is installed in Germany, the others in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Austria. We even export construction sets all the way to Asia.

Milestones

Since the foundation of our firm in 1995 many milestones document the way of On Top Klettern to what it has become today – a company with tradition and innovation.  We will tell you the latest first:


2006

  • Reengineering of the holds-sortiment and development of a new holds-series for playgrounds, which now also obtain a TÜV-certificate after
    DIN EN 1176-1!
  • Completely new Internet-site with new, high-performance online-shop.
  • Our module-wallsystem is beeing enhanced and optimated. It is now possible to build a wall out of numerous modules to gain more individuality fitted to your needs. The walls were reengineered in that way, that a bigger part can be manufactured in our workshop. This way the time for installation at the face can be reduced to a minimum.

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2005

  • Delivery of the first mobile ropes course „Action-parc“. Because the subject ropes course is closely connencted to the subject „teaching through experience“ we have decided to give our knowledge on to our customers. We do this together with the help of an co-operation partner, who has perennial experience in this field.
  • Further development of the module-wallsystem and conception concept development of special liftable climbing walls for sports halls.
  • World wide patent for the TopStop rope brake
  • Beginning of the cooperation in distribution with a partner in Japan.

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2004

  • In the meantime our team has grown to 8 permanent employees and 4 temporary personnel.

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2003

  • Construction of climbing facilities in Austria and The Netherlands
  • Construction of the first ropes course
  • Partner of foundation and membership in the federation of sports climbing („Sportkletterverband Bonn e.V.”)
  • Development of special sets of climbing holds including material and guidance for assembly for self-construction as well in the communal section as in schools and kindergartens.
  • TÜV-permission for climbing holds and the panel-system after DIN EN 12572 (norm for artificial climbing walls). It is now certified, that safety is our ultimate ambition!
  • Launching of our online-shop.

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2002

  • Relocation into new built premises in Wesseling (between Cologne and Bonn). Besides our new office and a new manufacture we now have the possibility to test our concepts and products in an cooperating climbing hall (www.bronxrock.de). This way new products are developed together with our clients. For you aswell!
  • Development of a time measurement-systems for speed-climbing-contests.signals from the start-holds and the top-hold are sent to a laptop via radio. The requirements for a professional time measurement for the established discipline of ‚speed-climbing’ are now fullfilled. Advantage: the system is very flexible and can be used everywhere!

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2001

  • Conversion to the mechanical production of elements of a climbing wall.
  • Development of the first electric liftable climbing facility for schools together with our partner Erhard Sport.
  • Introduction of a new CAD-programm and new a software for the static calculation of the climbing facilities. This way the construction and the dimensioning of the substructure and the connecting points are done completely on the computer. Additionally our customers can climb on “their” virtual climbing wall. Fabrication of the several components is carried out with the data of the CAD-system.Climbing facilities aren’t built at the customer any more, but are delivered prefabricated and then put together.

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2000

  • Building up of the product range „equipment”. After a great demand we now sell climbing equipment, too. Our customers are now able to purchase all needed articles from one source.
  • Beginning of the cooperation with Erhard-Sport. This established and quality-conscious firm equips sport halls world wide. Climbing walls for Erhard Sport are constructed exclusively through us. This for both sides successfull partnership continues to this day.
  • Development of a variable modul-wall-system, especially for schools. Our customers can now arrange their climbing facility out of different mudules. This system is very popular for architects and planners and is used in sport halls.

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1999

  • Size of orders has become so extensive, that we have to move into new premises. From our old ‚cellar’ underneath a former foundry we move to our new domicile in Cologne-Rodenkirchen consisting of e big office and a ‚heavenly’ large production hall.
  • Export of the TopStop rope brake to the Netherlands
  • Development and patent application of playground climbing holds.
  • Finally our own Internet presence is launched!


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1998

  • And again a new development! As a result of our experience in the field of teaching through experience and the know how in commercial climbing halls, we are able to develop and applicate the patent for the TopStop-rope brake. Today approx. 70% of all facilities in Schools and Clubs are equipped with thios belaying device. Additionally the system is established in commercial climbing halls, too.
  • Extension of our assortment of climbing holds to more than 400 different holds.
  • Construction of the first therapeutical climbing walls in hospitals, clinics and practices. These walls (mostly bouldering walls) haver very flexible in inclination and can be adjusted to every patient individually.

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1997

  • Adoption of a quality management system and certification after
    DIN EN ISO 9001.
  • Development of a concept for mobile climbing towers and start of renting mobile climbing facilities.
  • It becomes clearly visible, that climbing is of big use in the field of teaching through experience. In the focus: We develop special concepts for schools, kindergartens, therapeutical facilities etc.. These have direct influence on the construction of a climbing wall for particular target group. The first projects with schools and welfare services are realized. More and more climbing walls are build in schools.

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1996

  • A successfull beginning with 4 permanent employees and 2 temporary personnel with a first big project! Within the project ‘Opel der Unterschied’ we receive the order to build 3 mobile climbing towers with a height of 11 m and 225 m² climbing surface for a nationwide employee training. The towers are planned, produced, delivered and nationwide installed and attended in different locations. More than 10.000 employees of Opel Germany take part in these events!
  • Development of an On Top system for climbing walls and parallel construction of different climbing facilities.
  • Design of a various number of climbing holds and beginning of our own production of climbing holds.


03.11.1995 Foundation of On Top Klettern Ges. für Freizeitsport mbH 
 
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