The bronze plaque that commemorates the site in the centre of Cologne where DEUTZ AG was founded will be on display in its usual position on the corner of Servasgasse and Johannisstrasse once again from 4 December 2009, after having been temporarily removed because of building works. The plaque was unveiled in 1964 by Theo Burauen, at that time the mayor of Cologne, to
commemorate the centenary of the founding of former Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG.
It marks the site of a disused oil mill where, in 1864, Nicolaus August Otto founded N. A. Otto & Cie., the world's first engine factory and the predecessor of today's DEUTZ AG. The company
quickly outgrew the simple, backyard workshop, so in 1869 the company moved to larger premises on Deutz-Mülheimer Strasse in Deutz, at that time still an independent municipality and changed its name to "Gasmotoren-Fabrik Deutz AG".
Today, DEUTZ AG is one of the world's leading independent engine manufacturers. Its core competences are the development, production, distribution and servicing of diesel engines for professional applications. As a full-line engine specialist, DEUTZ offers a broad spectrum of liquid-cooled and air-cooled engines with capacities ranging from 10kW to 500kW, which are used in construction equipment, power-generation plant, agricultural machinery, commercial vehicles, rail vehicles and ships. DEUTZ's customers are supported by 16 distribution companies, 12 sales offices, 16 service centres and over 800 sales and service partners in more than 130 countries around the world.
