History

How a company acquired the name of a dwarf

PERKEO was the name of the court jester and dwarf serving under the Elector of the Palatinate , Karl III Philipp, in the 18 th century. The little fellow first saw light around 1702 and was baptized with the name Clemens. At sixteen he was appointed court jester by Karl Philipp. The Elector, who enjoyed the pleasures of a good wine, was impressed by the way the young Clemens was able to hold his liquor.

Today there is still a barrel housed in Heidelberg castle, which holds 221,726 liters. When asked by his employer and master the Elector whether he would dare drink the entire contents of the barrel, Clemens, who was just over three feet tall, replied cheekily and brazen-faced: „Perchè no?“ – why not? Clemens often used this expression which became commonly used in the local tongue of the Palatinate . Thereinafter he was called PERKEO. A drinking song written by Josef Viktor von Scheffel described PERKEO with the following words: "...And there was the dwarf PERKEO that housed in Heidelberg’s castle, small and wee in growth was he; his thirst, however, momentous".

This depiction, which was to be an apt description of the young company’s acetylene generator, prompted the company founder, Hermann Stahl, to give the company the name PERKEO, whereupon he adapted the phrase “ … small and wee in growth; but its performance is momentous. This laid the cornerstone for the development of portable and wheeled small-size oxy-gas welding, cutting and brazing equipment and systems.

 

A century of entrepreneurial activity in key words

1919
Foundation of the company in Stuttgart by the
proprietor Hermann Stahl for manufacturing
soldering, welding and cutting equipment.

1925
Utility model for soldering tools with removable soldering iron as well as for welding and cutting torch handles with special single valve control.

1927
Utility model for gas tap with collecting brush in acetylene generators, for hydrogen generators and for soldering tool with replaceable torch attachments.

1928
Utility model for high-pressure acetylene generator.

1929
Utility model for soldering torch valve body with attached tip-cleaning needle and for soldering liquid bottles with brush cap. The first tests and
approvals for an acetylene high-pressure generator are granted by the
Prussian Ministry for Trade and Industry.

1930
Utility model for acetylene soldering gun operating according to the
Bunsen principle with regulating control. 

1932
Utility model for a safety valve in tank farms with unpurified gas as well as
for a device to prevent the occurrence of a vacuum in acetylene plants.

1933
Utility model for gas-soldering torch with mobile hose attachment - forerunner model to the PERKEO heavy-duty soldering iron.


1934

Utility model for carbide basket featuring a groove for condensation
water for acetylene generator as well as for welding torch handle with
adjustable scale.

1935
Utility model for pressure reducing valve with throttle pre-stage.

1936
Utility model for gas blue torch, operating according to the Bunsen principle, comprising screen head with several bores and torch cap with lateral openings for secondary air intake - a further development in the forerunner to the PERKEO heavy-duty soldering iron. The company moves to its own factory premises in Ludwigsburg. First mention of quality control in the manufacturing of acetylene generators.

1937
Utility model for oxy-gas cutting torch with right-angled grip.

1938
Utility model for multi-component handle for welding and cutting torch.
After successfully completing the quality test PERKEO is awarded licenses
for acetylene generators, hydraulic seals and back-pressure valves by the
German Acetylene Committee of the Reich's Ministry for Economic Affairs.

1939
PERKEO participates in the new drafting and revision of different
standards in the German Standards Committee.

1942
PERKEO has its quality monitoring inspected by an external laboratory. The Welding Research Center
of the Reich's Railway Repair Works in Wittenberg (Schweiß-technische-Versuchsanstalt des Reichsbahn-Ausbesserungswerkes Wittenberg) carried out this
first audit.

1950
First external tests in the fields of HV safety valves through the Stuttgart Regional Economic Development Agency (Landesgewerbeamt).

1951
PERKEO supports the DVS Society (Society for the promotion of welding and allied processes) with acceptance certificates for the development of the new acetylene ordinance.

1958
Utility model for torch handle with arrestor. Death of Hermann Stahl. The management of PERKEO passes into the ownership of the founder's son, Eberhard Stahl.

1960
Production and sales of the first portable small-size welding, cutting and brazing equipment. This marked the birth of PERKEO on-site equipment which became firmly established on the market; a great relief for every fitter which meant he could now take his welding or brazing equipment with him to the workplace, putting an end to any maneuvering of large cylinders or even extensive dismantling work.

1964
PERKEO is active in the technical standards committee for pressurized
gas systems at the German Standards Committee.

1972
The first external testing in the fields of cylinders for compressed gases,
liquefied gases and gases dissolved under pressure is carried out by the
Technical Inspectorate (TÜV) of Baden.

1980
Utility model for portable and wheeled small-size equipment for oxy-gas
welding, cutting and brazing - PERKEO on-site equipment and systems.

1996
Eberhard Stahl passes on the management of PERKEO to his daughter
and to the holder of general power of attorney, Yassine Hönes. Decision
to introduce quality monitoring is passed and realized. It is a project for the following two years to draw up a new quality management manual
including the description of the quality management system and the
organization.

1997
PERKEO requests inspection with the DVGW (German Technical and
Scientific Association for Gas and Water) and voluntarily harmonizes
the products with the latest DVGW regulations. This technology and
consequently FMEA and CAQ are introduced. Quality assurance in receiving is modernized, the results of all quality assurance measures
are statistically evaluated.

1998
Prokurist Yassine Hönes becomes sole holder and general manager.

 

1999
The company moves to its current premises in Schwieberdingen.

2001
Filing of a Utility Model Application for the PERKEO soldering backpack - small-size equipment that can be carried on your back for oxy-gas brazing.

2003
First complete catalogue with systematic classification of the products by gas type and pplication. New to the program are the gas cartridge brazing torches and the gas cartridge. soft soldering irons. Introduction of the ZINNLUX soldering piece. Maintenance-free soldering iron with a special coating for the soft-soldering of sheet metal. Subsequent filing and hammering as well as the ammoniac stone are superfluous.

2004
Development of a nationwide sales network across Germany.

2005
First presentation of the innovative QUICKY quick-release coupling. A small propane cylinder filling system for tradesmen, which completes the filling process entirely without tools.

2007
Introduction of the novel soft soldering flux UNIGEL. The gel for every job! A geltype soft soldering flux suitable for almost every material.

2008
Expansion of the range to include the featherweight TITAN roofing torch. A tool for roofers, produced from the high quality material titanium and thus considerably lighter than conventional roofing torches. PERKEO presents a new Air conditioning and refrigeration tool program in a designated catalogue. In addition to the expanded product palette for brazing technology, special tools and measuring equipment are also available from stock.

2009
PERKEO celebrates its 90th birthday with the DELUX 90 anniversary version of its legendary heavy-duty propane soldering iron. It is fully chromium-plated and equipped with the maintenance-free ZINNLUX-LONGLIFE soldering piece as well as an attached support leg.

2010
Introducing ALUWELD aluminum welding rods for aluminum flame brazing with NASA approval! 

PERKEO presents a new range of roofers and plumbers' tools in a special catalogue. The roofer catalog is born.

2011
PERKEO relies on strategic partnerships in sales. PERKEO works with the following purchasing cooperatives: ZEDACH, EUROBAUSTOFF, COBA, FDF, EDE, EIS, PLUS6, STARK Germany, HAGEBAU and EVB.

Establishment of a sales force in France with 3 sales representatives.

2012
PERKEO presents its new roofer and plumber tool catalog version 3.2. Expansion of the sales program to include the hot-air welding machines NOMAD, PANTHER and TYSON as well as the hot-air manual welding machines HOTGUN, HOTGUN ELECTRA and JUMBO with accessories such as slot nozzles, pressure rollers, knives and scissors.

2013
Expansion of the sales program with the small welding machines for propane-oxygen MINI ECO and MAXI ECO.

2014
Contract partnership with well-known welding technology distributors in Australia and New Zealand.

2015
Introducing PIRANHA – a highly active soft soldering flux for pre-weathered titanium zinc.

2016
Introduction of the patented TWISTER "sandblasting brush"!

2017
Introduction of the self-developed high-power burner TITAN BULLFIRE - The lightest high-power burner on the market!

Establishment of sales in Poland.

2018
Introduction of the newly developed welding torch TECTOR TITAN as well as the tool bags MAXIMUS and BARBARIAN.

2019
100 years of PERKEO - PERKEO celebrates its 100th company anniversary!

Introduction of the aluminum soft solder ALUKING 100 and the ecological bitumen cleaner B2MAX.




 

2020
Introduction of the self-developed and Europe-wide patented "dragon wing" torch handle at the DACH and HOLZ trade fair in Stuttgart. This ergonomically ingenious forearm support shifts the weight of the work tool from the wrist to the entire arm. The result is a clearly noticeable relief, wear and tear on the wrist is minimized and the health burden is reduced as a result. At the same time, labor productivity increases.

PERKEO presents its new roofer and plumber tool catalog version 3.3. In addition to the "dragon wing", the patented transfer and transport aid T.RAX is new to the range.

2021
Expansion of the sales program with the practical WARRIOR burner bag.

2022
PERKEO presents its new refrigeration and air conditioning tool catalog version 2.5 at the CHILLVENTA trade fair in Nuremberg. New to the range are the patented pipe cutters EASYCUT and EASYCUT MINI as well as new special tools and measuring devices for refrigeration and air conditioning technology.

We use cookies in order to optimally design our website for you and to be able to continuously improve it. Technical and functional cookies are essential to ensure that everything works when you visit our website. You can find further information on cookies in our data protection declaration. You can determine at any time – even later – which cookies you allow and which you do not (more on this in our data protection declaration).