Dr Ing Erich Dinglinger was born in Schmalkalden, Germany, on 27 February 1900.

1946
With his wife and children Dr Ing Erich Dinglinger fled from the then GDR to Bremen Mahndorf / Uphusen after the Second World War. There he continued to run the company “HWG”, which his father-in-law had founded in Schmalkalden. Later the company was known as “Heller Werkzeug-und Maschinenfabrik”.

Dr Ing Erich Dinglinger and Herrmann Mindermann develop the first filter for their company. This was a simple barrel that was filled with soil.

As filtration was in great demand at that time, Dr Ing Erich Dinglinger founded the company “Dr Ing Erich Dinglinger” on the premises of “Heller” and his colleague
Herrmann Mindermann founded the company “Mindermann & Co. Maschinenbau GmbH”.

1955

It soon became clear that there was not enough space on the Heller premises. In 1955, Dr Ing Erich Dinglinger decides to buy a villa in Bremen Schwachhausen and further expand the company there.

1962

The portfolio expanded and the company “Dr Ing Erich Dinglinger” was able to establish itself better and better on the market, due to which the company needed more space. The decision was made: In 1962, an extension was built and a centre for filter technology was created.

 

1964

POLO was the first supplier of self-cleaning backwash filters, as a result of the demand for watch-free operation on overseas vessels.

 

1965

The “Dr IngErich Dinglinger” company was transformed into a limited partnership.

 

1970

Changes in the economy caused an expansion into another important sector of the economy, the machine tool industry and its users. In the mid-seventies, POLO offered the patented suction belt drum filter, a compact device that worked with fleece and was predestined for machine tools. This is an important step in the direction of environmental protection.

 

1980

In this year, the subsidiary “POLO Filter-Technik Bremen GmbH” was founded.

 

1986

CAD systems replaced the drafting machines and the workforce grew to 23 employees.

1990

Demands for easy disposal and cost reduction became louder and more urgent. Due to increasingly strict regulations, disposal costs were rising, especially for consumables. This led to the development of filters without consumables (fleece).

Various filter systems with endless plastic belts or stainless steel mesh were offered, although fleece filters were not replaceable for extremely low filter fineness.

Many people are probably wondering where the name POLO comes from?
As the name Dinglinger was too complicated for communication, a catchy brand name was sought for the filters. The name developed historically from certain events in the 1960s. On the one hand, the company built magnetic filters, on the other hand, the company supplied filters for shipping that travelled from pole to pole. Since that time, the name POLO has been synonymous with high-grade, durable quality products.

1997

POLO Filter-Technik was certified according to WHG.

 

1998

POLO Filter-Technik introduced a quality management system according to DIN EN ISO 9001 and increased its staff to 27 employees.

 

1999

50 years of POLO Filter-Technik Bremen GmbH

 

2001

Technology and organisation moved into a new building near the production and warehouse and now benefited from short communication paths and modern office technology.

 

2005

POLO set up a new laboratory to analyse customer samples more professionally. Thus, exact filter designs could be made.

 

2007

POLO Service was founded as a further service provider in Ravensburg, Germany. There Polo Service offers all kinds of metalwork on a production area of approx. 800 sqm (8,611 sq.ft.) All service work on Polo Filter systems for southern Germany and southern Europe is carried out from here.

Dr. Ing Erich Dinglinger (Founder )
1949 – 1972

Erhard Funk-Dinglinger (Son-in-law )
1972 – 2002

Günter Grigo
2002 – 2014

Lutz Funk-Dinglinger (Grandchild)
2014 – heute

2014

With the generational change to the grandson of the company founder, POLO is setting the course for the future. The portfolio is becoming more extensive, the external presentation more contemporary and the “team” larger. Innovations are successfully adopted and implemented in filter systems.

 

2019

POLO celebrated its 70th anniversary. We would like to thank all employees, customers and suppliers for the great cooperation and look forward to further successful years.

 

1949 – 2023

Filter-Technik Global from pole to pole