who have been placing their trust in us for many years. Thanks to those who, with their team spirit, their service and their suggestions, ensure that our products are used daily to the satisfaction of the users. Thanks to everyone who has been with us for 35 years in over 100 countries worldwide.
some of whom have been working for PROTEC for more than 20 years and contribute to our success with their dedication, their personality, their zeal, their ideas and especially with their cordiality. We are proud of our entire team!
of exciting and challenging work that has transformed the company from a former manufacturer of X-ray film processors to a renowned software and hardware developer and manufacturer of advanced digital X-ray solutions.
Founded in 1984, PROTEC has developed impressively in the last 35 years. From a small production facility with two employees, PROTEC has become a nationally and internationally known manufacturer of complete digital X-ray systems with 60 employees worldwide. The company’s headquarters are located in the beautiful Bottwartal, a part north of Stuttgart. Here in Oberstenfeld, innovative complete X-ray solutions are designed, manufactured and exported all over the world with our own design, production and software development. In the timeline we have summarized the milestones of our 35-year company history. For 35 years PROTEC has been synonymous with the highest quality, reliability and first-class service in the field of X-ray technology. In the following timeline we have summarized the milestones of our 35-year company history for you.
1984 – Foundation 
1994 – OPTIMAX 
1996 – Erhard Fichtner 
2001 – Digital Imaging 
2003 – PROSCAN 
2006 – Software Development 
2009 – PROVOTEC take over 
2010 – PEDS 600 
2013 – Touch Concept 
2014 – PROSLIDE 
2016 – US/CT/MRT Interface 
2017 – PRS 500 B 
2018 – Shanghai 
2019 – PRS 500 F/E/X Mathias Müller and Gerhard Schmidtchen founded PROTEC. The high ambition of the founders: to create a processing machine for X-ray images that is uncompromisingly designed for quality, technical innovation and high performance. In addition, the machine should be interesting for the fields of medicine, device construction and NDT.
There is almost no PROTEC customer who does not know the name OPTIMAX. With the market launch of this intuitively operable, fast, reliable and space-saving automatic film processor PROTEC achieved international success. Only 2 years after the OPTIMAX, the equally successful COMPACT 2 followed, which together with the OPTIMAX and OPTIMAX2010 still represents the processing machine portfolio today.
In 1996 Erhard Fichtner took over the company as a visionary managing director. Together with him, PROTEC is especially intensifying the development of international business and OEM business. He also started to build the base for the subsequent development of digital complete X-ray solutions. The success proves his concept to be right – today PROTEC with a large portfolio and innovative products is better positioned for the future than ever.
With the foundation of the subsidiary PROTEC medical information systems (MIS), the field of digital X-ray started to gain importance at PROTEC. One reason for the foundation of a digital X-ray section was the now continuous global development away from analogue X-ray developing machines towards fully digital X-ray image reading systems. The first digital product was a CR scanner combined with a device for digitizing existing X-ray images.
The PROSCAN 30, which was presented at the ECR 2003 in Vienna as a new semi-automatic CR system in the PROTEC product portfolio, saved customers time and consumables. The PROSCAN 30 is called a bridge from conventional to digital X-ray, as it is in some way different from the fully automatic CR systems and offers the customer the best possibility to switch from a conventional, analogue system to a digital system.
On 31.08.2006 the company’s own image acquisition software CONAXX was released. Due to the cooperation with a university and university, PROTEC also became known among the students and PROTEC MIS won new employees for the software engineering team, who found their future job here after their graduation. Today, software development is an important part of the PROTEC department landscape.
In 2009, the takeover of the PROVOTEC GmbH in Espelkamp set the course for the future of PROTEC. From now on, the sale and further development of the PROVOTEC products in the PROTEC portfolio followed. After PROTEC had moved to a new location in 2009, PROVOTEC was relocated and finally integrated into the Oberstenfeld facility in July 2010.
As the first own digital X-ray system of the PROTEC portfolio, the PEDS 600 was the spearhead of a successful series. Both X-ray source and image receiver are integrated in the swivel bracket of the system. This has a positive effect on the already low space requirement. Also included in the product are a digital exposure automaton and the organ automaton.
The market launch of the PROTEC TOUCH concept combines a new, intuitive operating concept with a modern design. As a high-end solution in combination with CONAXX as operating software, new standards in user-friendliness could be set. Also in the new PRS 500 system, the touch concept will have an important role in the control of the X-ray system.
The first version of PROSLIDE is introduced to the market. Consistently the completion of the product portfolio is advanced by this. At that time PROSLIDE was only available digitally – this led to the relaunch of the system in 2017. From now on two different systems are available: Proslide 32B and 32SR. The motorized B-version with integrated battery allows the user to benefit from unlimited mobility. The SR version is the entry-level model and has great application flexibility. Both new PROSLIDES are now available for use as DR, CR or analogue systems.
With the expansion of our software interfaces to include ultrasound, CT and MRT, our software solutions developed in-house become even more attractive for you. You now have the possibility to view and diagnose images and video sequences from the mentioned areas via PROPAXX.
As the biggest milestone in PROTEC’s recent history, the launch of the PRS 500 B marks an important step for the future. For the first time PROTEC offers a motorized X-ray system with auto-tracking functions. Thus the system serves you as an inexpensive alternative to cost-intensive ceiling systems. In addition, the system’s tracking function provides a particularly high degree of comfort for the user and patient. Another high highlight is the available auto stitching which allows you to shoot long leg exposures in three bucky positions directly in series. The result: a big time advantage for the user and a significantly shorter strain on the patient.
PROTEC’s China business has tradition: Since 1992 PROTEC is active in the Chinese market. Just recently another milestone was reached: the company moved to a new building and new rooms with modern design and infrastructure. The 7-headed team of PROTEC Shanghai are now perfectly equipped for taking care about the Chinese marked with their new facility. But there is even more to it than that: Since May 2018, a local production site in Shanghai has been established, serving with its own customer solutions for the Chinese market.
The PRS 500 still has its origins in the PROVOTEC halls. It is the backbone of our product portfolio – flexible configurable exactly to your individual requirements. Completely redesigned, equipped with many new features and with an intuitive operating concept, we have continued to develop the PRS 500 consequently. The market launch will take place in May 2019 in a new modern design – we look forward to your feedback on the system!
“I started on 1st January 1985 as the third and youngest employee at PROTEC, meanwhile I belong to the probably most experienced - in any case to the oldest (laughs).
Michael Piecha34 years employee, Technical Service
It is exciting and makes me proud to be part of the team that has shaped the development of the company to this day.”
“For me it is exciting to see how PROTEC has developed. We formerly assembled developing machines, today we have complex X-ray systems. With my work, I enjoy ensuring that customers all over the world can install our systems without any problems.”
Andreas Fink27 years employee, Production Line
“My work at PROTEC is very diverse, trade fairs, the website, new brochures etc. I do not get bored (laughs). I particularly like that I can bring my private PC/Internet affinity into my work. So it is a lot of fun for me to design the external presentation of the company.”
Marvin Karger5 years employee, Marketing
“The family-like atmosphere in the company made it very easy for me to get started. The combination of tradition and innovation can really be felt here - it's great to be part of a company with so much history. Right after I started, I became part of the product film for the new PRS 500 series, the shooting was entertaining and a lot of fun.”
Fabian Knödler1 year employee, Purchasing Department
“I already got to know PROTEC at the secondary school through a educational fair. I was surprised that a local company in my neighboring town has such international customers. The varied work and insights into different business areas help me to understand the theory from my studies in practice.”
Zarah Krebs1 year Student, BWL International Business
