1982 – The original, built to last
More than 40 years shaped by inventive spirit
On April 1, 1982, the registration of ORTLIEB Sportartikel GmbH by its founder Hartmut Ortlieb marked the official start of a unique success story. What began as a one-man show in a backyard in Nuremberg has now developed into a globally active, medium-sized company. ORTLIEB stands for innovation, waterproof, durable products, genuine “Made in Germany” with a deep value chain in Germany and excellent (repair) service. ORTLIEB has always remained an owner-managed, completely independently financed and regionally rooted company. A true original.
Waterproof and durable – without compromise.
That's what we work for every day at ORTLIEB. We now have more than 40 years of experience in waterproofing and durability. It's not just the manufacturing technology that is special at ORTLIEB; every year, a large number of patents are registered, and the ideas never run out.
Our roots and our future in one place – Made in Germany.
Our bags travel around the globe, but when it comes to their development and manufacture, we deliberately choose short distances. All waterproof products are manufactured on our campus in Heilsbronn, Franconia. This allows us to continuously optimize our processes and ensure that every step is carried out according to our specifications. In fact, almost 70% of our raw materials are purchased in Germany.
Broken? We repair it!
Customers expect ORTLIEB products to be fairly produced, durable, and repairable in case something does break. The issue of product repairability has always been important at ORTLIEB, which is why we have our own team for repairs and conversions. All individual parts of our products are designed and assembled in such a way that they can be easily replaced. Even after years of intensive use, our service team in Heilsbronn or our service dealers in specialist stores can usually repair the bags. This allows ORTLIEB to achieve an even longer service life for each individual product, which is certainly the most sensible thing possible for products of this type.
Warranty? Guaranteed.
Service is a top priority at ORTLIEB, which is why all products come with a five-year warranty. In addition, a 10-year spare parts warranty is provided after a product has been discontinued from the collection.
Company Facts
Legal Form
ORTLIEB Sportartikel GmbH
Location of Company
Heilsbronn, district Ansbach, Bavaria, Germany (since 1997)
Year of foundation
1982 in Nuremberg, Germany
CEOs
Hartmut Ortlieb und Martin Esslinger
Business fields
Waterproof bags, backpacks, travel luggage, camera bags
Number of employees
About 300
Position in the market
A leading manufacturer of waterproof outdoor equipment and global market leader for waterproof bicycle panniers.