Deuter History
1898-The beginning – The company was founded by Hans Deuter in Augsburg-Oberhausen. At the turn of the century, the company supplied the Bavarian Royal Mail with mailbags and post sacks.
1905-Expansion – The “mechanized sailcloth and linen weaving, sackcloth, freight, car and horse blanket manufacturing firm” was expanded to include a tent rental department.
1910-First major client – Satchels, backpacks, knapsacks, belts, mess tents and store tents were in increasing demand, especially for the military.
1919-Opening up new business segments– Hans Deuter starts manufacturing suitcases, backpacks, tents and truck canopies. The bag production division becomes a joint-stock company. The tent rental section reaches its space limit of 10,000 sq metres. "Deuter-Zelthallen "exhibit for the first time at the Oktoberfest.
1934-Deuter TAUERN – The first real test for Deuter TAUERN backpacks on the Nanga Parbat Expedition. Even then, Deuter’s TAUERN set high standards and became a household name for the next 30 years. The following years see Deuter equip several expeditions.
1938-Anderl Heckmair – The first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger from July 22 – 24 with a Deuter backpack. Ludwig Vörg, Fritz Kasparek and Heinrich Harrer were his team mates.
1939-The dark years – All equipment and tent production was taken over for the armed forces.
1945-The consequences of the war were severe – By developing new products, the aim was to use the existing capacity to its best and to expand.
1953-Hermann Buhls first ascent of the Nanga Parbat (8,125 m) – Deuter equips the expedition with backpacks, bags and tents. Some the Tauern backpacks were manufactured from perlon, an alternative to nylon. In the following years, Deuter equips numerous expeditions. The feedback strongly influences the development of new, innovative products.
1957-The family business is changed to a joint-stock company. The company is now called "Deuter Industriewerke AG-Augsburg".
1962-The Hallenbau branch became an independent branch: "Deuter Hallenbau GmbH, Augsburg". One of the many Deuter-equipped expeditions reaches the summit of Nanga Parbat by way of the extremely difficult Diamir Flank.
1968-A step into the future – Deuter produce the first range of Nylon backpacks. It soon becomes the new fabric norm.
1971-Market leader – Deuter is recognized as the leading manufacturer of backpacks, suitcases and bags in Germany.
1972-Steady growth – Production and warehousing space for the suitcase factory doubles to 40,600 sq m. For the fourth time, Deuter supplies the German Olympic team with sports and travel bags.
1958-Deuter AIRCOMFORT – The very first ‘aircomfort’ is born and patented. The mesh carry system is completely revolutionary and redefines the rucksack market.
1987-Peter Habeler, world famous mountaineer, enrolls as a partner and technical advisor at Deuter. He tests on his expeditions new developments in the most extreme conditions up until 1991.
1988-A new era begins – Mountaineers, mountain guides and bikers join the development team and have a direct influence on the collection.
1989-Separation – 1.1.1989 Separation of the two product sectors, travel and backpacks, from the main company "Deuter AG" into "Deuter Sport & Leder GmbH".
1990-The first bike backpack – Mountain biking becomes more and more popular at the beginning of the nineties. Together with Andi Heckmair, Deuter develop a totally new kind of backpack – the bike backpack. The first model, BIKE I with the new AIRSTRIPES back, is launched.
1996-Expansion of the product range – With the AIRCONTACT backpacks and sleeping bags, Deuter introduce new lines. The very first, and for a long time the only, TÜV/GS approved child carriers are developed for the family market.
1997-Well proven – A close partnership begins with the German Association of ski and mountain guides. Kitted out with Deuter backpacks and sleeping bags, their advice on improvements
is invaluable.
1999-An all-time classic is born – Later to become incredibly popular, the AIRCOMFORT-FUTURA range emerges.
2000-Specialists on the path to success – Once again, Deuter is confirmed as the market leader in Germany. Concentration on the important issues, a long history of tradition and the collective experience of an expert team are the key success factors.
2001-Deuter international – Deuter sets up "Deuter USA" subsidiary.
2002-Trendsetters – The multifunctional AC-LITE series with the AIRCOMFORT carry system wins everyone over with its light weight. More specifically it sets a new trend with its innovative design.
2004-Child sleeping bag – Sleeping bags become more and more important. The range includes kid’s models and 4-season down sleeping bags.
2005-Deuter developed a new backpack concept with their SHIELD System. The integrated and TÜV/GS- approved back protector offers bikers and winter sports fans more safety. The ATTACK bike model wins the Eurobike Gold Award for innovation.
2006-SL-WOMEN'S FIT – The design of the SL models is perfectly trimmed and optimized for the women’s anatomy by a team of passionate (female) athletes. One of the team was mountain sports pro Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who brought her knowledge of climbing 8000m peaks to the table.
2006-Bernd Kullmann – The Schwan Stabilo Group purchases Deuter. After 20 years with the brand, Bernd Kullman becomes CEO.
2009-EL-Series – Tall people can enjoy a perfect fit with the Extra Long EL-models: Favorite Deuter backpack models are available to suit taller people with extended back lengths by 6-9 cm. SPECTRO – Deuter presents a new lightweight range equipped with a new Aircomfort back system: the AIRCOMFORT FLEXLITE SYSTEM.
2010-Sleeping Bag Innovation – The sleeping bags Exosphere and Neosphere are introduced to the market. The stretchable sleeping bags make a huge impact with their innovative construction and high comfort.
2011-FAIR WEAR FOUNDATION _ Deuter becomes a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF). As a member of the independent initiative, which is committed to high working and social standards, we are systematically reviewing the working conditions at our production partners in Asia and our company headquarters in Gersthofen.
2013-New Headquarters – Since its move to Gersthofen in 1997 Deuter has grown by 800%. Committed to continuously guarantee the highest quality and to handle the growing workload efficiently, Deuter builds new headquarters. The new building utilizes state-of-the art engineering and resource efficient technologies such as geothermal energy to lower the environmental impact.
2013- CHANGE IN THE MANAGEMENT BOARD _ Martin Riebel becomes Managing Director of Deuter Sport GmbH.
2013- THE FIRST BLUESIGN® PRODUCTS_ Deuter offers its first BLUESIGN® products: the KIKKI (bluesign® approved fabric) children‘s backpack and the DREAMLAND children‘s sleeping bag (bluesign® product).
*bluesign: The bluesign® system is the solution for a sustainable textile production. It eliminates harmful substances right from the beginning of the manufacturing process and sets and controls standards for an environmentally friendly and safe production.
2015- OUTSTANDING _ In April, Deuter receives the "Best Practice Award" from the Fair Wear Foundation for the "brave investments in the production plants and the company center" to reduce overtime. Deuter again achieves top scores with 90 of 98 possible points, and thus the "leader status" in the annual control of the independent organizations.
2015- DEUTER BECOMES MEMBER IN THE TEXTILBUENDNIS _ The "Textilbündnis" is an initiative started by the German Federal Government. Its goal are social, ecological and economic improvements along the textile supply chain.
2016-THE FIRST SERIES FOR CLIMBERS _ The Gravity Series embraces many years of experience and the highest professional competence: developed by competition climbers, passionate boulders, mountain guides, expedition leaders and other top athletes, the Deuter climbing collection fulfils the special requirements of both use in the hall and in the alpine environment.
2016- ATTACK _ The Attack – prime father of the protector backpack – gets a modern facelift and a lot of new features. Equipped with SAS-Tec's lightest and most advanced protector, protector holders, a new helmet holder, goggle & smartphone pocket as well as a brand-new departure-oriented carrier system, the attack is ready for the future.
2016- BIKE BACKPACKS WITH SMARTPHONE POCKET _ With the Attack, Deuter introduces the Smartphone Pocket which allows quick access to the phone without removing the backpack.
2017- DEUTER COMES UP WITH THE POWER BOX _ Down does not slip when kicking thanks to the innovative PowerBox construction with a waffle structure, which results from the combination of longitudinal chambers and transverse stretch seams on the sleeping bag’s upper side from the knee down.
2017- AIR CONTACT PRO WITH VARI SLIDE _ The new VariFit-Slide adaptation guarantees perfect fit of the support system for different back lengths.
Deuter VALUES
We enjoy our work. This is what motivates and drives us. With our authentic passion we can inspire our customers and convince them of Deuter products.
Outdoor sports is at the heart of Deuter. Our products are engineered to perform in the outdoors. Every one at Deuter takes personal responsibility to protecting the environment and to preserving nature for generations to come.
Deuter strives for long-term success. We do not believe in short term profit maximization. The fusion of economy, ecology and social commitment is the foundation for a safe future at Deuter.
Safety is important. This includes a safe job as well as safe wages. We can guarantee this thanks to the company‘s high reputation as well as our sustainable corporate approach, which is the core of the company.
The team defines the brand. We believe that it needs the team to fulfil tasks and to solve problems. Our actions are based on fairness, loyalty and tolerance. We respect and value our colleagues, customers and business partners. For us, it is a given to offer our support and also to accept support from others.
Leadership is something positive. It encourages motivation on all levels. We strive towards goals that we have developed together, that are clearly defined and transparent.
We believe in a good work climate. It guarantees a high identification with the company, the brand and our daily tasks. Our down-to-earth approach to work is defined by an open, trustful way of dealing with each other. Mutual respect is essential, in particular when it comes to integrating new colleagues.
Individuality is our creative core. Every single employee has the opportunity to realize and develop him-/herself. This requires the dedication to work independently – a dedication that has to be lived by each employee. We are committed to educate and train young people, to foster their personality as well as their professional expertise.
Reliability plays a key role for Deuter. We fulfil our promises and we are prepared to be measured by them. We take full responsibility for mistakes and are eager to always solve them to our customers’ complete satisfaction. We are reachable for our customers, business partners as well as colleagues and we believe in maintaining long business relations.
Specialization allows us to stay true to our key competence. This is what enables us to always be innovative and to stay ahead of the rest of the market. This is a crucial factor, because Deuter’s success is based on the brand‘s strong reputation. The competence applies to all levels: our products as well as all of our services.
Market orientation is the key to making our customers happy. Deuter products are not overloaded with superfluous extras – every single feature brings a true customer benefit. Similarly, all our services are customer oriented. We are continuously working on improving both by staying in close dialogue with our business partners and customers.
Our target: the highest expertise. We want to perfectly understand and master every single thing we do. A high demand that involves all levels: from customer service to staff training. We embrace complex challenges. We are focused and ambitious and we are always looking for the best solution.
Deuter is a fully authentic brand. We are passionate about our work and the outcome. Every team member is active and loves the outdoors. We are a down-to-earth company and we stay grounded – even during great business periods. This mentality is reflected in our integrity and our friendly, loyal way of dealing with each other and our customers.