Cold War era
Little remained of the company's operations save for numerous blueprints that several employees had managed to retrieve.[4] During 1946, Knorr-Bremse was re-established in Volmarstein, West Germany, and efforts commenced to rebuild the company proper. Three years later, its reconstruction was aided by the United States' Marshall Plan, which financed the Deutsche Bundesbahn's building of 18,000 new freight cars equipped with Knorr-Bremse brake units.[4]
During 1953, its new headquarters were completed at the Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG plant in Munich.[4] That same year, the company introduced two key products, the automatic load-dependent braking system, that was designed to be effectively used on the increasing size, weight, and speed of trucks, and the Knorr Standard Brake (KE brake) train brake with graduated release control valve. The latter received International Union of Railways (UIC) approval and led to sales across 40 different countries, totaling almost 1.3 million units.[4]
During the 1960s, Knorr-Bremse started offering a newly-developed air compressor program to customers; it also made greater use of compressed air to perform various functions, including air suspension, level regulation, pneumatic gearshifts, and door actuation.[4] In 1969, it presented its first disc brake for heavy trucks at the IAA trade fair in Frankfurt; it comprised a hydraulically-operated hinged caliper brake. By this point, the company was already undertaking research into advanced control systems, which included microelectronics and digital techniques, seeking to develop commercially viable innovations for sale.[4] In 1973, Knorr-Bremse established the Knorr Brake Corporation with the purpose of developing a presence in the lucrative North American market.[4]
During 1981, the company undertook the first installation of an anti-lock braking system (ABS) as standard equipment upon trucks being produced by MAN Truck & Bus, which had partnered with Knorr-Bremse on the development of ABS.[4] Four years later, the company secured approval from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) for its recently developed DB 60 direct-release control valve for freight trains; via its US subsidiary, the DB 60 entered use in North America in 1985, where it was commonly used on exceptionally long freight trains hauled by multiple locomotives.[4]
In 1985, Knorr-Bremse GmbH merged with Süddeutsche Bremsen AG to form Knorr-Bremse AG, after which numerous structural changes were made and the business was reoriented around its core activities.[4] By 1988, the Thiele family had acquired 100 percent of the shares in Knorr-Bremse AG.[4]
During 1987, the company revealed its prototype pneumatic disc brake; it would be a sales success, with 20 million Knorr-Bremse disc brakes being in operation across the world by 2024.[4] In 1989, Knorr-Bremse also released its electronic braking system (EBS), which integrated brake control, ABS and traction control into a single electronic-based system, possessing shorter response times and reduced braking distances compared to traditional pneumatic control, and thus greater safety. During the early 1990s, Knorr-Bremse's electro-pneumatic independent brake units were installed into the ICE 1 high speed trainsets operated by DB Fernverkehr.[4]
Between 1993 and 1994, the company was reorganised; the rail and commercial vehicles were separated into independent companies; thereafter, management pursued a strategy orientated around international expansion.[4] In 1999, a joint venture was created between Knorr-Bremse and Bosch. Three years later, the company acquired the American brake manufacturer Bendix Corporation.[7][4]
