Few would have expected that on the outskirts of the picturesque spa town of Bad Münstereifel there is a forge.

Hammerwerk Erft was founded in 1950 by the Diederichs family, who have been associated with blacksmithing for four centuries.

In the 1970s, the plant was expanded and production verticalized by investing in the ring rolling mill and a heat treatment department.

Between 2008-2009 a new 3500 t forging press was installed on the site.