30th anniversary of FPM Holding GmbH

a new building is added to expand manufacturing capacities

FPM Holding GmbH starts its business operations, with the objective to develop, produce and sell geodetic and nautical instruments, to provide repair service as well as contract manufacturing for precision parts, with 23 employees at the Freiberg location

Liquidation of the Freiberger Präzisionsmechanik GmbH

Privatization of the Privatisierung der Freiberger Präzisionsmechanik GmbH. Various branches of the company are spun off as independent entities

The Treuhand (“Trust agency”) takes over after German reunification ; the company is transformed into a private (limited) company

a new lightweight-construction hall is built for mechanical manufacture

Cooperation begins with Carl Zeiss Jena. The traditional product line is expanded to include instruments for X-ray analysis and metrology

new buildings are added

The buildings are expanded

The company VEB Freiberger Präzisionsmechanik is founded.

The Soviet Red Army occupies the factory, dismantling some of the machinery and equipment. Fifteen workers continue to carry out smaller repairs on surveying instruments.

Walter Hildebrand takes over management of the factory after the death of his father Max Hildebrand

a new factory is built at Hainichener Strasse 2a

Lingke sells the business to his master mechanic Max Hildebrand Industrial-scale production of instruments begins, with 80 employees. Quality and accuracy is improved; new instruments are developed

Master mechanic Schramm becomes a partner in the company and places his premises in the “Hainichener Strasse” at the workshop’s disposal

His son August Friedrich Lingke becomes owner of the business. Julius Ludwig Weisbach , Professor at the “Bergakademie Freiberg” (Mining Academy of Freiberg) uses Lingke’s instruments for surface and underground measurements during construction and driving of the famous “Rothschönberg Tunnel” mine

Wilhelm Friedrich Lingke becomes “Bergmechanikus” and expands the workshop

Johann Gottfried Studer assumes ownership of the workshop and starts production of improved and newly developed instruments, including the theodolite.

Gottlieb Friedrich Schubert is appointed “Bergmechanikus” (Mining Master Mechanic) by Elector's decree. He establishes an independent business for the production of mining and metallurgy instruments.