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PRESS RELEASE
Emmerich, 29 September 2005, No. 2005/10

Ferdinand GOTHOT Maschinenfabrik celebrates
125 years

This year, a member of the PROBAT Group is celebrating a special
anniversary: Ferdinand GOTHOT Maschinenfabrik GmbH is 125 years old
and can look back on an eventful history. Once a competitor of PROBAT,
the companies are today partners in the development of roasters and
facilities and are now writing their success story together.

GOTHOT: the story continues
Rumour has it that Ferdinand GOTHOT, the grocer and coffee roaster from
Mlheim an der Ruhr, wasnt good enough for the Emmerich-based coffee
roaster. Thats a matter of opinion. However, theres no disputing the fact
that the aforesaid merchant founded a factory in 1880 for the manufacture of
coffee-roasting machines. 1899 saw the first patented roasting system that,
together with the Ideal-Rapid, formed the basis for all subsequent GOTHOT
drum roasters.
Thanks to Mr. Gothots industriousness, the factory grew as did his family,
who later divided the company amongst its various members. Although the
members held equal shares, they didnt have an equal say in the running of
the factory. It is said that the anger this caused resulted in various family
members selling their shares to Emmerich-based PROBAT - the
competition.
As GOTHOT wished to continue its business activities despite PROBAT, the
employees built increasingly bigger, better and more sophisticated coffee-
roasting machines. The ongoing improvements to the Ideal-Rapid model
range with a maximum output of approx. 1,200 kg green coffee per hour
gave rise to the GOTHOT Rapido roaster (max. output approx. 3,000 kg/h).
The introduction of the patented Rapido-Nova roasting system in 1969 saw
the market launch of a roasting machine without rotating drum; it roasted
approx. 4,000 kg green coffee per hour. In addition, GOTHOT built all the
necessary components for a coffee roaster.
GOTHOT thus experienced both good and bad times. In the 1970s, the bad
times increasing outweighed the good and PROBAT-Werke consequently




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PRESS RELEASE
acquired further shares in the company. By 1976, it finally held the majority
of shares in GOTHOT and was in a position to call the shots. When the
decision was taken to relocate the company to Emmerich in 1980, exactly
100 years after its foundation, the anniversary celebrations fell quietly by the
wayside. For GOTHOT employees, there was nothing to celebrate anyway.
Most of them looked for new jobs in Mlheim and the surrounding area. Part
of the company was simply thrown out with the waste whilst the remainder
was gathered up during the course of the relocation in June 1980 and ended
up in the corridors of PROBATs administrative building.
The work was redistributed; GOTHOT remained responsible for distribution,
design and assembly. PROBATs departments made their own contribution
and devised switch systems, drew up project plans, controlled plant
components and also managed the whole show. Kirsch & Mausser took over
the manufacture of the roasting machines and the despatch department
(today Ex-Pack) ensured punctual transportation to the customer.
Under these new conditions, GOTHOT roasting machines became even
better and more sophisticated. The Rapido-Nova UII (roasting times of 3 -
8 minutes) was developed and, with the help of R&D, also the RT-roaster
(roasting times of 1.5 - 9 minutes). As the machines had now reached
speeds that were difficult to improve, future developments focussed on size.
The Rapido-Nova 5000 UII was developed in 2000 and is today the largest
standard roasting machine world-wide.

What makes GOTHOT so special today?
More than 120 years of innovative development and the manufacture of
roasting machines for coffee and other grained products. At present, there
are more than 125 industrial roasters from the Rapido Nova and RT model
ranges in operation world-wide with a total hourly output of more than
327,550 kg. The tremendous success of the RT/RN range is also
demonstrated by the fact that orders for six large roasters (total capacity
17 t/h) have already been placed for delivery in 2006.

Inga Jerkovic, Communication Manager
PROBAT-WERKE of Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH
Reeser Str. 94, 46446 Emmerich, Germany
Tel. (02822) 912-313, Fax (02822) 912-7313
e-mail: i.jerkovic@probat.com, www.probat.com, www.gothot.com