company

His sons, Josef and Bernhard, initially jointly took over the business of the father. Later, in 1908, they went separate ways in terms of business. Bernhard continued to manage the father's business until it was dissolved in 1930, whereas Josef Fiege opened his own forwarding business and simultaneously a public house. The forwarding focused mainly on the transport of groceries between Greven and Münster, as well as the delivery of coal between Ibbenbüren and Greven. During the first World War the public house was the main source of income. Only after the end of the War did the continued rise of the carriage trade begin.

Following the death of the father in May of 1938, Josef Fiege jun. took over the entire business as the sole proprietor. Since long-distance road haulage, compared to forwarding, was more profitable, moving the focus to long-distance haulage brought with it distinctive economic advantages. By 1939, the fleet of trucks had grown to 18 vehicles with trailers. During the harsh years of the war, it was no easy task for the owner Josef Fiege jun. to keep the business going. As of August 1939 the transport business was assigned to the "Fahrbereitschaft Münster-Land“, the regional motor pool. The supply of railway stations and other "strategic and vital"operations were the priorities. Except for six vehicles, all trucks were "requisitioned". The remaining commercial trucks were used during this period of time exclusively for the transport of foodstuff and fuel in the vicinity of Greven. Agriculture and the continued operation of the public house now sustained the livelihood of the family.

The company's third phase of development starts with the establishment of the first branch offices in Haltern and Neuß in 1951. During the following year already, the Schötmar branch is opened; Letmathe-Östrich followed in 1953 and the Emsdetten branch in 1955. That very same year also marked the start of the construction of self-built vehicles. Following the sudden accidental death of Josef Fiege jun. in 1959, Karl Fischbach and his wife Anne, née Fiege assumed the management of the company. The construction of the Bremen branch, initiated by Josef Fiege jun. in 1958, was completed by Karl Fischbach. The "transport" focus of the business concept shifted under Fischbach already to forwarding.

The chassis for the superstructures became larger and longer. In 1958 Karl Bannas bought a plot of land in Lappenstuhl from the Kreisbaugenossenschaft Bersenbrück to build a business. Approval and construction phase dragged on. In the middle of 1961 the first construction phase was completed and the production could be moved from Engter to Lappenstuhl.

In 1969, aluminium profiles were used for the first time instead of wood to clad the superstructures. No one could have imagined at the time that this would be a new era for the construction of cattle transporters, as the wood panelling disappeared completely in the following years.

The era of double-decking began, i.e. loading and transporting livestock on two floors. Here, too, technology helped to solve the loading and unloading problem. Lifting platforms were designed especially for transporting livestock.

The company's final breakthrough and expansion followed the firm's relocation to Greven-Reckenfeld. The head office and the administration were established on a 100,000 square metres-large compound at the local business park. The hexagonal goods distribution centre is known beyond the region by now. The company concept of the Fiege brothers changed from "forwarding and transport" to "forwarding and logistics". Following the take-over of the international forwarder Klein-Wiele in Bocholt (DE), the number of employees at FIEGE rose to over 1,000. Two years later, the forwarder Wilken, headquartered in Berlin and Munich, was taken over by the FIEGE Group, allowing Germany's south to be better served than before. In 1988, branded logistics were followed by industrial goods logistics. FGT, FIEGE Gerresheimer Transportgesellschaft, is an outstanding example of this logistical segment for Europe's largest European hollow glass manufacturer. FGT, with eleven branches and a managed warehouse area of 250,000 square metres, operated here also in pursuit of the best-possible ecological aspects. Even the fragile glass goods were delivered without packaging. After adding beverage logistics to the diverse product range of the services concepts in 1990, the FIEGE Group became one of the largest distributors of wine. 16 major German wine importers are united as customers under a single roof. With FIEGE EBL Getränkelogistik (European Beverage Logistics), a renewed shift of the corporate structure was once again introduced: logistics over forwarding.

In view of the fact that FIEGE as a logistics company was planning to dismantle its own fleet in future, the workshop has developed into an independent truck workshop. At that time the workshop was called: Greven Damm repair shop.

In connection with fleet management, technology in the form of cars, commercial vehicles, etc. was increasingly purchased. FIEGE tec has also taken over the complete mobile radio handling.

Development of the first self-propelled vehicle for all common swap body systems and parking heights. Due to the hydrostatic drive, a diesel consumption of approx. 10-12 litres per hour could be achieved without coupling. The trucks used at that time required 30 to 40 litres of fuel in a very small space (articulated trucks). The requirement for a special vehicle was initiated by Heinz FIEGE, who wanted to reduce the high costs of moving trucks and at the same time make the moving process faster and more efficient.

The Josef Fiege Foundation, formed in 1998, bears the name of the deceased father of the founders Heinz Fiege und Dr. Hugo Fiege. To preserve his memory, the foundation allocates donations to facilities and projects which are committed to the well-being of man and nature. The Josef Fiege Foundation is an independent private law foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to develop appropriate recommendations, especially – but not exclusively – for the affiliated companies of the Fiege Group in regard to the sustained allocation of donations for ecological, social or medical purposes. The Foundation determines the need for donations and checks applications requesting contributions that have been submitted to the Foundation, in order to pronounce recommendations to individuals and companies willing to provide funding. A further purpose of the Foundation is the organisation of events with an ecological and social orientation. Projects and facilities with a clear reference to the home region of the founders have been and are supported in particular.

At the beginning of the new century, the four-decker vehicles Pigliner and Horseliner were developed and added to the range.

While numerous forwarding and logistics companies are preparing a move to the Far East, the FIEGE Group completed theirs long ago: In 2005, the management in Shanghai was able to accept the certificate which permits FIEGE to carry out all forwarding activities in Asia under its own name. Also, FIEGE established a further mainstay for the company in Asia with Far East Holding Ltd. based in Hong Kong. The Alicence crowned the many years of tried and tested work of the company in China, as before this, all transport activities required the assistance of an external license holder. Now, FIEGE can independently operate under its own name.

Heinz and Hugo Fiege are honoured as Entrepreneurs of the Year 2007. The award, called to life by the logistics journal DVZ Deutsche Logistik-Zeitung, pays tribute to entrepreneurs who, as a leading figure in the transport and logistics business have the courage to expand and to enter new markets, while being aware of their responsibility as an employer, as well as the need to protect the environment and the climate.

The generation change has taken place: The fifth generation of owners, Jens Fiege, son of Heinz Fiege, and Felix Fiege, son of Dr. Hugo Fiege, together with Alfred Messink and Peter Scherbel, form the executive board of the Fiege Group.