Anniversary
Today, NAP looks back on a turbulent and exciting 30 years – with its sights set on the future to continue growing, conquering new sectors and writing new stories.
To mark the occasion, we have produced an anniversary book from which we give a brief insight into our company history.
On May 2, 1994, Roland Klein founded NAP automotive Produkte GmbH to take over the series production of electronic products for the sister company Helmut Klein GmbH, as well as various mechanical and electronic components to ensure the supply of spare parts for well-known manufacturers. This increased the focus on electronics production and set the course for the future. After a short time, regional companies became aware of NAP‘s electronics expertise.
With a business partner from the „building technology“ sector, a decades-long, successful collaboration began, which still plays a key role today.
With the intention of developing NAP into a mechatronics specialist in southern Germany, the company took over three business units of Bosch GmbH in the small series sector in January 1996.
This was followed in 2001 by the outsourcing to Pforzheim, for which the old company building of the ballpoint pen manufacturer Diplomat in Fritz-Neuert-Straße in Eutingen was purchased at the end of 2000. In two construction phases, the existing old building was first modified and then extended. These measures made it possible to expand the production area to 6,000 square meters. This created space for the development and production of vehicle instrumentation and OEM assemblies for special vehicles.
Perhaps some of you have already asked yourself: What do the three letters NAP actually mean? Here is the answer:
Roland Klein took over the company „Nagel Apparate und Poliermaschinen“ over 30 years ago. When Mr. Klein then decided in 1994 to focus on electronics production and to separate it from his then newly founded Helmut Klein GmbH, „Nagel Apparate und Poliermaschinen“ became „NAP automotive Produkte GmbH“. The original name was replaced by the three letters and the logo design visually reflected the origin of the polishing machines.
Over the years, the „grinding arches“ were removed and the three letters were „modernized“ a little. With this logo, the hexagon or „honeycomb“ was introduced as a graphic element and used in the image folder, for example.
In 2019, it was time for a complete redesign of the „NAP brand“. The reason for this was the idea of moving away from the term „automotive“ and therefore also from the seemingly one-sided focus of the product range – the new „NAP technology“ logo was born. The serious blue was added with the complementary color orange. Completed with the honeycomb signet, the logo now has a technical, modern and contemporary look.
For this year‘s anniversary, the new logo was supplemented with a pictogram, which fits perfectly with the logo because of its „clean“ structure, but can also be used as a separate element. In stylized form, it shows the glazed tower of the company building.
Today, the three letters NAP are increasingly becoming a brand associated with electronic services and are still a reminder of where NAP comes from.
Not only the logo has adapted to the times over the years, the development of the products is also especially recognizable: Where in the past components were still produced „as if carved“ in standard plastic housings, today those with the same function are significantly smaller, the technology is more filigree and is designed and produced in its own design.
What began with the series production of complete products 30 years ago has been further developed over the years and has carried NAP for decades. This is still the case today and will remain the strategic focus of NAP in the future.
Based on long-term business relationships and orders, investments are made in new production processes and technologies, such as laser marking, intelligent soldering processes using piston soldering robots or the automation of several work steps.
Combined with modern machinery, innovative ideas and solutions, NAP will continue to develop and manufacture high-tech products in the future and is a reliable, flexible and long-term partner for customers from a wide range of industries. This contributes to a substantial, constant and stable company development.
