The foundations for ALTENA & NEUKIRCHEN's success were laid in the century before last. On 01.10.1899, the firm's founders, Robert Altena and Walter Neukirchen registered a business for the manufacture of metal products. The first letters of their first names then became synonymous with quality in the machine cutting field - the trademark "ROWA". So far, more than 105 years of the history of machine knife manufacture have been written under this name.

In the company's early days its main product comprised machine knives of simple design. This included, for instance, plane knives for woodworking and paper knives. As time went by, profile cutters were added to the range - also for the woodworking industry - with which wainscoting and wooden sections could be machined.

This kind of tool had to be sharpened from time to time, for which reason ALTENA & NEUKIRCHEN developed a grinding machine with which these tools could easily be re-ground. After the turmoil of the Second World War, the company was taken over by Paul Pott on 01.05.1955. Tools for the metal industry and special parts for machine construction had already been made under that name - at another site - since 1939. The two production departments were merged, and continued production under one roof at the present site.

Over the years the machine knife field has undergone continued development. The company concentrates its efforts here on the field of special knives.

Thanks to innovative investment and developments the company has learned how to give customers advice specific to their particular problems and to offer customised solutions, or indeed even simply to recreate well-proven methods.