The history of Hymatik

From the skipper's grocery business in 1830 to ParkerStore and a webshop today

Hymatik ApS is one of Denmark's oldest trading companies with almost 200 years of history. The company was founded in Odense in 1830 by Rasmus Holbeck and has since developed from trading in colonial goods, coal and metals into a specialised supplier of hydraulics, pneumatics, instrumentation and connection components. Since 2019, the company has been known as Hymatik.

When was Hymatik founded?

Founding: Hymatik was founded in 1830 by Rasmus Holbeck, who was a skipper for the merchants of Odense. He had a vision of starting his own business and traded in colonial goods, coal, metals, iron, steel, pipes and sanitary ware, among other things. In 1851 he made his son a partner, and the business was named Rasm. Holbeck & Søn.

How has the company developed over the years?

Timeline: Below are the most important milestones from 1830 until today.

Year	Milestone
1830	Rasmus Holbeck founds the business in Odense.
1850	Growth leads to larger premises at Nørregade 69 in Odense. His son H. C. G. Holbeck joins the management.
1851	The son becomes a partner, and the name becomes Rasm. Holbeck & Søn.
1870	Rasmus Holbeck retires and hands the business over to H. C. G. Holbeck, who brings new knowledge home from his education and time abroad.
1879	The eldest son, Niels Alfred Erasmus Holbeck, is employed by the firm.
1913	Alfred Holbeck retires without a son to hand the business over to. The company becomes a limited company: A/S Rasm. Holbeck & Søn.
1914	A/S Fyens Rør- og Sanitetslager in St. Graabrødrestræde is attached to the company.
1926	The department in St. Graabrødrestræde moves in with the head office in Nørregade.
1953	A/S Rasm. Holbeck & Søn becomes part of the H. J. Hansen group.
The 1960s	Earnings peak, and the company employs several hundred people.
1965	The business outgrows Nørregade, and the company moves to Victoriagade at Odense Harbour.
The 1970s-2016	Competition in the industry intensifies, and the company becomes a heavy burden for the H. J. Hansen group, which divests several business areas in 2016.
2016-2018	Michael Harder takes over and focuses the company on hydraulics, pneumatics, instrumentation and connection components under the name Rasm. Holbeck Hydraulik. The company moves to Hvidkærvej 27A in Odense SV and opens a ParkerStore.
2019	Relaunch as Hymatik with a new website and webshop.

Visit our webshop

Why did Rasm. Holbeck change its name to Hymatik?

The name change: In 2019, Rasm. Holbeck Hydraulik changed its name to Hymatik because demand for online trading had grown. The name is a combination of hydraulics, pneumatics and technology (hydraulik, pneumatik, teknik) and was chosen to give the company a more international-sounding name. At the same time, Hymatik launched a new website with a webshop where customers can search for part numbers from Parker Hannifin, among others.

What is Hymatik today?

Three pillars: Today, Hymatik is organised in three parts:

ParkerStore Odense: The store at Hvidkærvej 27A is located close to the motorway network. Here we have more than 7,000 part numbers in stock, and customers can have hydraulic hoses crimped to their own measurements. Read more about ParkerStore here.
National sales and support: Guidance by phone, e-mail and web for customers throughout Denmark. Contact us here.
Hymatik.com: The webshop, open around the clock.

Hymatik's employees are specialists in hydraulics, pneumatics, instrumentation, electromechanics, filtration and seals, and the company's mission is to help customers increase profitability and maximise efficiency in their businesses. Read more about Hymatik here.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How old is Hymatik? Hymatik was founded in 1830 in Odense as a merchant's business and has therefore existed for almost 200 years.

Who founded Hymatik? Rasmus Holbeck, who was a skipper for the Odense merchants, founded the company in 1830.

What does the name Hymatik mean? Hymatik is a combination of hydraulics, pneumatics and technology (hydraulik, pneumatik, teknik). The name was adopted in 2019.

Who owns Hymatik? Michael Harder took over the company in 2016 and focused it on hydraulics, pneumatics and technology.

Where is Hymatik located? Hymatik is located at Hvidkærvej 27A, 5250 Odense SV, close to motorway exit 52.

Do you have questions? Call +45 63 12 83 00 or write to ps@hymatik.com.