As Heinrich Schaffer registered his “Schaffer Maschinenfabrik“ in 1956 in the commercial trades register of Erwitte/Westfalen, he could not have foreseen the illustrious success story he had set into motion.

Right from the beginning, it was the customer who stood in the middle point of the company strategy. It was not to be a mass production based only on quantity but rather a production trimmed for the special requirements of the individual customers. Success was soon achieved. The two first production runs were front loaders and silo block cutters, they sold well. New production works were erected in the years 1966 and 1973 to keep up with the increasing demand. As one of the first companies, Schaffer introduced their industrial front end loader to the market in 1970 – even then Schaffer had the cleverly thought out arm geometry and parallel guides.

The year 1979 is remembered as a mile stone for the company as the first yard loader left the production line. Only two years later a complete new building for planning and management and further new production works on an area of 6600 m² were built. Heinrich Schaffer died the same year. Since 1981 the company is directed by Jurgen Jachalke and Siegfried Schaffer. The year 1987 saw the first successful steps with the production of wheel loaders designed to win customers from outside the agricultural business. After the unification of Germany, new subsidiary branches in the old east were opened in Parchim and Ostrau. In 1996 the first telescopic articulated loader opened further important areas for marketing. The newly built spare parts stores and an apprentice and training centre in 2003 made sure that also the service department would also be able to meet the increase in demands.

Since 1980 Schaffer has sold an increasing number every year of loaders than the in the previous year. The prognosis for further growth is excellent. Schaffer loaders are not only to be found in Europe but also in every corner of the globe. It is the satisfied customers who have ensured that Schaffer is today one of the most important and successful compact loader manufacturers in the world.