In 1920 Friedrich Kleemann (1868–1949), financial manager at the Rex Konservenglas Gesellschaft (preservative jar manufacturing company) in Bad Homburg (Germany) bought Columbus Motorenbau AG, a small motor factory in Oberursel by Taunus, which was in the neighbourhood. The factory made the later Horex model and the name remained the same for almost 30 years. Fritz Kleemann, the son of Friedrich Kleemann, made the first cycles with a GNOM engine, delivered from the Columbus-Engine factory. In 1923 Fritz Kleemann (1901–75), founded Horex-Fahrzeugbau AG. He derived the name from his town HOmburg and his father's preservative jar company Rex. He was also a motorcycle racer and was riding his own Horex machine. He built the first "real" Horex, a 248cc, OHV, which he himself tested in racing. So, Horex was built for motorcycle riders by motorcycle riders. In 1989 CK Design in Japan developed the Horex 644 OSCA with Fritz Roeth in Hammelbach. The 644cc single cylinder Honda RFVC engine made its debut in Berlin in 1990 . On 15 June 2010, it was announced that the brand would be revived and that a
Horex motorcycle with a narrow-angle, six-cylinder supercharged engine would be available for sale in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at the end of 2011, with international sales to follow. Besides the new
VR6 supercharged engine, an aluminum bridge frame with a steel steering head forms the chassis. A single swing arm controls the rear wheel, while the engine power is transferred by a belt drive system. The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2014, and in late 2014 announced that all employees had been let go and the factory was closed. 3C-Carbon Group AG is going to be the new owner of motorcycle brand Horex. Under the direction of the insolvency administrator, Rainer U. Müller from the law firm Anchor Rechtsanwälte, the 3C-Carbon Group AG came out on top in the quest to purchase Horex on 6 February 2015. ==References==