Austrian family business has been ensuring smooth draining since 1950

Strong partner for installers, planners, architects and wholesalers

In 1950 two ambitious young men - Leopold Hutterer and Viktor Lechner - founded a new company for the purpose of gaining a foothold in the lead business. Their technical and commercial qualifications allowed them to build up an enterprise which was able to meet the demands of such complex branches of trade like the chemical industry and wastage installations.

From humble beginnings the two men were soon able to build a little shed. A few years later they purchased a bigger factory building, which is still the company’s location now. With hard work and judiciousness the business was slowly extended.

Through the years it turned out that the branch of plumbing had the tendency to use more and more plastic instead of lead. This change was realized in time and within a few years the production was systematically switched over from lead to plastic. Choosing this way was hard but successful. Today not only the Austrian market is being served with plastic products, more than half of the goods are being exported. In 1993, the neighbouring area of 6.000 m2 could be acquired to grant further expansion.

The partner Leopold Hutterer died in 1982. Representing the heirs, his daughter, Mrs. Christiana Schütz-Hutterer, joined the company as a managing partner and managed the businesss together with Viktor Lechner until his death in 1998. Since then Mrs. Schütz-Hutterer has been leading the company on her own supported by an experienced team of excellent technicians. In the year 2001 the company has been reorganized and now operates under

Continuous development of new products and intensive contact to the wholesalers and plumbers made it possible to build up an excellent reputation throughout and outside Europe.
These days the factory is proud of having very modern and highly competitive production facilities on an area of 10.000 square meters. That also comprises a shop for the independent construction of injection molds and tools. The company employs about 100 people.

In 1990 the first information bureau in the Eastern European countries was founded in Budapest and rapidly others succeeded. Today HL is represented in Brno, Bratislava, Maribor, Milan, Warsaw, Sofia and Moscow. The markets of Western Europe are served from Germany. The innovative high-quality HL-products and the intense market support are the basis of an actual 60% exporting quota. In 1995 the company was awarded the quality certificate ISO 9001. Product innovation, quality and reliability as well as the effort to meet the customers´ demands promptly are the highest goals of HL.

1950 - Foundation of HL by Leopold Hutterer and Viktor Lechner. Lead products for water drainage installations and the chemical industry. Turnaround: foresighted systematic switch from lead to plastic.

1982 - Change of generation: After Leopold Hutterer´s death, his daughter Christiana Schütz joined the company as a managing partner and managed the business together with Viktor Lechner until his death in 1998. Thereafter, the heirs sold his 50 % shares to the remaining shareholders, i.a. business admin. Leopold Hutterer jun. who left the company in 2000 and sold his shares to his sister Chriatiana Schütz-Hutterer.

1990 - The first information bureau in Hungary, Budapest was founded. Rapidly others succeeded in Brno, Bratislava, Maribor, Milan, Warsaw, Sofia and 1998 Moscow.

1995 - Due to constant striving for quality, HL awarded the ISO 9001 quality certificate. An internal department is responsible for quality assurance, adherence to high standards and thus the maintenance of the classification as top supplier in the wholesale trade and various quality tests on the product. HL is conscious of the relevance of the high quality standards and, as market leader in Austria, has always played a decisive role in the development of standards in the field of wastewater.

2001 - Restructuring of the Company into a limited company (ltd.= GmbH) Since then the company operates under the name HL Hutterer&Lechner GmbH.

2003 - Christoph Schütz supports Christiana Schütz-Hutterer as 2. managing director.

2007 - Market launch of stainless steel shower channels, in-house 3D printer for the construction of prototypes.

2008 - Governor Dr. Erwin Pröll granted Christiana Schütz-Hutterer with the golden medal of honour for gainings to the federal state of Lower Austria.

2009 - Christiana Schütz-Hutterer receives the professional title “Commercial Council” from the federal president DR. Heinz Fischer.

2011 - Celebration of the 60th company anniversary of HL
Governor Dr. Erwin Pröll congratulated Christiana Schütz-Hutterer to, entrepreneurship, vision, effort and courage for making decisions. Because making the right decisions on time and standing with both feet on the ground of a healthy entrepreneurial mind are the success factors for 60 years of entrepreneurial success".

2013 - Christoph Schütz succeeds Christiana Schütz-Hutterer as sole managing director.

2016 - Foundation of the GmbH HL RUS in Schukowski/Moscow, production and assembly of plastic Drains.

2018 - Construction of the service and training centre "HL Haus" on 600m², including a showroom for barrier-free showers and a training room.

2019 - Start of construction of a new logistics centre approx. 1,800m² on the existing location, completion and commissioning 2020.

2022 - Niklas Schütz (in the company since 2019) receives procuration and thus supports the management team.

2024 - Commissioning of the new production hall on the company premises in Himberg.