The Deutsche Automobil-Industrie Hering & Richard was a German company which produced motor vehicles in its factory in Gera-Untermhaus. From 1904 the company headquarters was in
Ronneburg (Thuringia). Models were produced under the brand names Rex and Rex-Simplex between 1901 and 1923, using engines from
De Dion-Bouton and/or
Fafnir.
- NB Company not to be confused with other contemporary manufacturers with 'Rex' in their name, e.g. in England and US. ''books.google.co.uk'', accessed 30 December 2018 Rex-Simplex models were produced under licence elsewhere, e.g. by Russo-Balt.
History
The company was founded in 1902 as the company Deutsche Automobil-Industrie Friedrich Hering. As early as 1888, Friedrich Hering had already operated a supplier of bicycle and auto parts as well as axles and chassis frames. Hering began producing voiturettes under licence from De Dion-Bouton.Michelin
Michelin (; ; full name: ) is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes '' région'' of France. It is the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world behind Bridgestone and ...
, which were still built in large numbers in the new plant.
The company, with approximately 300 employees, immediately became known in 1902 in the automotive and commercial vehicle industry, because it produced a particularly modern solidly built light truck under the brand "Rex-Simplex". With modifications this was also built as a robust passenger car. This light commercial vehicle was one of the best-known trucks until the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...
.
In 1904, the entrepreneur Carl Richard, who owned a factory in Ronneburg, became a new shareholder. The company now traded as Hering & Richard.
In 1913, the wheel department of Hering was spun off, which was very successful until (and after) the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. During the First World War, the standard 3-ton truck was made by about 600 employees. After the war, the three-tonner was further developed; in this form the Rex simplex has been exported all over the world. Nevertheless, Hering and Richard did not manage to raise the necessary capital to survive on their own: in 1922, the factory was taken over by Elite-Werke AG in Brand-Erbisdorf. The bodywork factory at Ronneburg was spun off. The German automobile company of Hering & Richard and the brand Rex Simplex ceased to trade.
Company names
(1901 - 1904); Deutsche Automobil-Industrie Friedrich Hering; Ronneburg; Germany
(1904 - 1908); Deutsche Automobil-Industrie Hering & Richard; Ronneburg; Germany
(1908 - 1921); Automobilwerk Richard & Hering; Ronneburg; Germany
(1921 - 1923); Elitewagen AG; Ronneburg; Germany
[Rex; Rex-Simplex (1901 - 1923)](_blank)
''allcarindex.com'', accessed 30 December 2018
The wheel-making part of the company continues to the present day.
''mefro-raederwerk.de'', accessed 30 December 2018
References
Literature
* Die Geschichte des deutschen LKW-Baus. Band 1 (''The history of German truck construction. part 1''), Weltbild Verlag, 1994, , Pages 57–59.
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Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of Germany