You are there when the going gets tough. You are there when people get hurt. You rush to places, where others run away. PAX bags are always at your side. They are made for real-life situations and your daily routine: the accident sites, disaster operations and crisis areas. Since 1997, we at PAX have been making high quality and innovative rescue products. We make sure that both material and workmanship are of the highest quality. In short: We are only happy if our PAX bags are both indestructible and convenient. Before delivering a PAX product, we perform extensive tests to make sure that it meets PAX quality bench-marks. Our test procedures and practical tests are designed to meet the highest standards.
In this chapter we tell you how PAX became the quality brand we are known for today.
“I can do this better” thought Andreas Harms as a colleague from the Emergency Services proudly presented his brand new Medic Backpack from the USA. This was in 1994 and Mr. Harms was just Andreas living with his parents in Achternmeer, Germany. He excused himself to the garage and tinkered for 14 days and 14 nights on his first PAX Bag: a prototype of today’s “Wasserkuppe” (the Koup) model. For the next few years he built on his idea of developing resilient quality backpacks for the Rescue Services. The backpacks were successful and in 1997 he celebrated the formation of his first business.
In the year 2000 Thomas Busch crashed Andreas Harms car. Thomas, Andreas’s good friend from the Emergence Services, survived completely unharmed - unlike the vehicle – and unwillingly demonstrated the “street toughness” of a genuine PAX bag, which also was in the car and made it through the accident without a single scratch. In that same month they founded the company X-CEN-TEK. Soon after, the two friends strapped on their backpacks and started sales in Europe.
The rest is best shown in this chart:
Andreas Harms sews the first PAX Bag prototype.
The idea grows. Andreas produces and sells the PAX Bags initially as a side business.
Thinking bigger: Establishment of X-CEN-TEK GmbH. Thomas Busch, a friend from the rescue service times becomes second Managing Director.
Expansion of storehouse capacity.
Three letters that make a difference: PAX becomes a trademark.
PAX global: The beginning of worldwide sales.
The Irish Emergency Services start using PAX emergency backpacks.
ISO 9001: 2008 Certification.
PAX keeps growing - Expansion of warehouse space.
Implementation of the Wasserkuppe ( the Koup) as standard backpack for the Rescue Services in Romania.
PAX goes Aussie– First shippment of emergency backpacks to Australia.
Our products get a new look: Contemporary design and reliability with even better brand visibility.
PAX keeps on growing: new office rooms and facilities for product management of prototype and product development.
Further innovations: Pax introduces the world’s first welded emergency backpack P5/11.
Acknowledgment: PAX receives the Red Dot Design Award with the P5/11.
Boundless opportunities: PAX starts sales in the USA.
Acknowledgment: PAX wins Good Design Award Chicago Athenaeum with the P5/11.
Acknowledgment: We receive the German Brand Award Health & Medicine for the brand PAX.
First transactions with MENA region countries.
PAX celebrates 20th anniversary.
PAX keeps on growing - the warehouse moves to a new and bigger location
Establishment of PAX USA
Now that you know the PAX history in brief we’d like to list up in a few concise sentences what PAX stands for.
No matter if you are in the USA, Europe, Asia or any other continent. Our international team constantly works to achieve the same objective – to manufacture high end products worthy of the three letters PAX. This is and always will be our prime concern.
Sometimes we wonder ourselves what a journey our PAX bags have made out of Andreas garage. Today, our bags are available in Spain, Sweden and even in the high latitudes of Iceland.
In total, more than 50 distributors around the world have included PAX-Bags in their assortment. Surely there's one near you, too. If not, please give us a call. We are used to discover new territories.