Kurt Altendorf, son of the founder of German sliding table saw pioneers Wilhelm Altendorf GmbH, has died aged 95.
Kurt Altendorf was himself a highly qualified and innovative engineer and he guided Altendorf’s development throughout much of the last century.
He had a hands-on approach to management, touring toured the shop floor every day and halting production on the spot if he saw an opportunity for improvement.
Mr Altendorf was committed to making his company’s products “better and cheaper”, a philosophy summed up recently with the introduction of the Altendorf WA80, a sliding table saw named after Mr Altendorf’s own highly-successful 1950’s model.
Mr Altendorf officially retired in 1992, but was still intensely interested in the company and was looking forward to taking part in its centenary celebrations next year.
Wilhelm Altendorf GmbH is today managed by the third and fourth generations of the family business, Kurt Altendorf’s son Wilfried and grandson, Tom.
