"My husband was brave and God gave him many talents," says Ursula Ida Lapp (90) of her husband, who died on April 25, 1987. Oskar Lapp was born on March 20, 1921, in Benshausen, in eastern Germany, one of four children in the family of an artisan. From an early age, he showed an impressive talent for technical things and an inventive spirit.
Oskar Lapp initially worked for Harting, where he was responsible for the southern German region. His innovative ideas began to attract attention internally. For example, he developed the company's first industrial rectangular connector. Thanks to his many meetings with customers, Oskar Lapp knew exactly what users needed. Electrical connections, in particular, were very labor-intensive, as the conductors were all black or gray, and electrical engineers struggled to connect them to the correct ends. Oskar Lapp invented a flexible cable with colored conductors, and thus ÖLFLEX® was born. It was the first industrially manufactured power and control cable, an invention that revolutionized connection technology. He was also innovative in other areas, as Oskar Lapp was the first entrepreneur to brand an industrial product. Today, the ÖLFLEX® brand continues to represent flexible, oil-resistant control cables worldwide.
In 1959, the Lapp family founded their company with the help of a 50,000 Reichsmark bank loan. Since Oskar Lapp was still working in Harting, Ursula Ida Lapp was registered as the company's founder. The company name was created at the kitchen table: UI LAPP KG – UI standing for Ursula Ida. As with some startups today, the Lapp family business began in the garage of their home in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. Oskar Lapp handled sales, while Ursula Ida Lapp managed the accounts, orders, and logistics from home, all while caring for their young children.
With ÖLFLEX®, Oskar Lapp established quality standards that are still applied in cable production worldwide. He even offered ready-made cable assemblies with up to 130 colored conductors. Demand was enormous. LAPP was also one of the first suppliers to offer customized cable assemblies based on customer requirements. ÖLFLEX® was the right product at the right time, and sales grew rapidly. Subsequently, the product portfolio expanded to include UNITRONIC® data transmission systems, HITRONIC® fiber optic cables, SKINTOP® cable glands, SILVYN® cable protection and routing systems, EPIC® industrial connectors, ETHERLINE® data transmission systems for Ethernet technology, and FLEXIMARK® marking systems.
In 1963, the company opened its first factory to produce ÖLFLEX® cables. In 1965, the company moved from the family home in Stuttgart-Vaihingen to Schulze-Delitzsch-Straße, where it is still located today. Later, Oskar Lapp began its geographical expansion by founding the first international subsidiary in the United States in 1976.
At the same time, he positioned the company as a one-stop shop for all connectivity technology solutions, a principle the company still adheres to today. "Our father led our company to success through hard work, ambition, and a clear vision of what truly matters. His persistence, entrepreneurial spirit, and innovation are part of LAPP's DNA," says Siegbert Lapp, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of LAPP Holding AG.
When Oskar Lapp died in 1987, his wife Ursula Ida Lapp and their two sons, Siegbert and Andreas Lapp, took over the management of the company. In the late 1990s, Oskar Lapp's widow handed over day-to-day operations to her sons. Under their leadership, the company has expanded its international presence and adopted a stronger focus on solutions. Today, LAPP is a leading provider of integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology. LAPP currently employs approximately 4,575 people worldwide, has 20 production facilities, and around 43 subsidiaries. It also works in cooperation with approximately 100 official distributors in countries where it does not have a subsidiary.
Andreas Lapp is currently Chairman of the Board of the global holding company LAPP Holding AG, while his brother Siegbert E. Lapp is Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Ursula Ida Lapp is Honorary Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and is present at important company events. Two grandchildren have also assumed responsibilities within the company. Matthias Lapp became CEO for Europe, including South America, Africa, and the Middle East in 2017. Alexander Lapp is responsible for digitalization and e-business at the holding company.
In memory of Oskar Lapp, the founding family established the Oskar Lapp Foundation in 1992. The Foundation provides incentives for young scientists to become effectively involved in cardiovascular research. The Oskar Lapp Research Prize, worth €12,000, is awarded annually, while the Oskar Lapp Grant, which provides up to €20,000 for equipment, is awarded every two years.
