Measuring and drawing instruments have been used and manufactured in the middle Franconian region for hundreds of years.

In 1442 in Nuremberg, for example, steel smiths specialized and developed the new profession of drawing compass maker. They produced compasses and scientific instruments. In 1525, Albrecht Dürer’s “Instruction in Measuring with Compass and Ruler” was published, giving an important impulse for the advancement of this craft.

When Edmund Boden founded his business to produce drawing instruments in1892, almost nothing had changed in the production methods. Technical skill, sensitive execution, and innovation were needed to produce highly precise tools.

The original compass set from the period before 1900, is the best proof for the superb quality of “Boden” products. These handmade works of cast and filed German silver were awarded a medal at the Bavarian State Exhibition in 1896. At the same time they were the basis for the growth of the company. Because quality was also in demand at that time. Soon machine production was implemented. So in a very short time, the company was able to develop into an efficient supplier, recognized all over the world.

Today customers in more than 70 countries rely on Boden precision drawing instruments. The production line is automated to the fullest extent possible and is capable of producing up to 20 million drawing instruments a year. Despite automation, Boden products still have the best precision. Highly engineered machinery, in which many of the company’s own designs are integrated, generates drawing instruments that are popular, in demand, and very reliable.

For more than 10 years, the Boden Company has also been producing drawing instruments in its own factory in China. The 200 employees at this 100 % subsidiary produce school compasses for sale all over the world. Delivery and processing of orders is effected in Germany. In this reason and to be able to serve our customers as well, we opened an other manufacturing in China with around 600 employees.

These compasses are representative of a strong product assortment which ranges from school compasses to highly precise drawing instruments for professionals and cartographers.