Fascination Liner

1955

Elfriede and Hugo Niesmann start selling camping cars. At the end of the fifties the enterprise represents the most important German camping car manufacturer of that time.

1960

The company moves to a ground of 4,000 square metres at the outskirts of Koblenz to be able to also offer customer services. Two skilled workmen take care of the Aftersales Service.

1972

Opening on property outside Koblenz. In well-kept halls five salesmen and three skilled workers take care of customers and service.

1975

Start of importing camping cars from the US. With Midas, Sportscoach and Fleetwood the company becomes the biggest US import merchant of that period. At the end of the seventies however, the business suffers an economic downturn due to the extremely high Dollar exchange rate.

1980

Extension of the service centre thus becoming the largest of this type (16,000 sqm) in Europe. Exhibition halls for mobile homes and camping cars are separated and a large accessories shop is established.

1981

The beginning of a legend: Presentation of the first Clou - the Alcove Model 570 E. The completely new design is of immediate acceptance. A workshop hall is rented and expanded. In December the Niesmann-Bischoff-Clou-Produktionsgesellschaft mbH is promoted.

1983

The first prototype of a ClouLINER 900 is presented on the IAA Fair. In the following year, series production kick-off of this vehicle named ClouL.

1990

With the L 500 being presented at international Autumn Fairs the ClouLINER now has got a "little brother". With the slender and compact design and the sloping front new consumer groups are developed.

1991

The separation of "Niesmann" (commercial enterprise) and "Niesmann-Bischoff-Clou-Produktionsgesellschaft mbH" is cancelled. The enterprise uniformly trades under the name of "Niesmann+Bischoff GmbH".

1992

Turn of the first sod for the new building of the works in Polch at the boundaries of the Eifel. With the ClouLINER II a completely new design is presented but preserving however, the identity of the trademark. Fleetwood Enterprises comes in on the scheme as majority partner.

1993

The company moves to the finished new plant. Without any delay mounting of the new product line Flair is initiated. With the ClouLINER 900 U, top-of-the-line-model with centre engine and 372 PS the range is rounded off.

1994

Start of the series production of four Flair Alcove models and, parallel the development of the integrated Flair-line.

1996

The Hymer AG takes over the majority of shares. The Hymer board members Mr. Hans-Jürgen Burkert and Mr. Claus Pacchiaffo become the managing directors.

1997

The "small" ClouLINER series is replaced by the newly designed L 650 / L 750. The range of the Flair vehicles is expanded by further alcove and integrated versions.

1998

With the appearance of Arto, a new type of mobile homes is introduced in the market. The integrated versions, positioned just above the margin of 100,000 D-Marks combine technical innovation (functional floor) with great advantages for the customers.

1999

The new generation of Flair is presented at the Fair Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf. Dynamics and comfort are emphasising the integration of this trend-setter into the royal class of mobile homes.

2000

New presentation of the Flair Alcove and Flair i based on Iveco chassis. The bodywork of the models 7100 and 8000 is mounted on Iveco chassis. As common feature all Flair vehicles have the visual and functional enhancement, especially of kitchenette and bathroom.

2001

Will see the Flair presenting its new bathroom design and new kitchenette. Also in that year, the Arto will be a benchmark due to the new bodywork engineering. The royal class is demonstrating its possibilities with new layouts including many a refinement.

2002

The new ClouLINER 650/750 is presented. Also the Flair 6700i on basic Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is brand new. Arto shows a new floor-plan 59 SL. The year 2002 is blessed with extraordinary good fortune. For the first time a Flair 6700i on base of a 416 MB-Sprinter chassis is presented. Also new: Driver's cab door, spacious bathroom, rear garages of more generous size, layout of the 6700i with bar version, metallic coating of the bodyshell and the aprons with silver or champagne colour. A new layout version of the Arto 59 SL with two opposite sofas. An absolute highlight: The new ClouLINER 650 and 750. With a completely new outside and inside design it is applying quite high standards in this class.

2003

the new ClouTREND 650/750 will be presented. In the wide range of ClouLINER's the new layout 800 DL will be presented with a diagonally aligned rear bed. The Flair models are standing out with a new outside design and a new furniture concept. To these layouts is added the model 7000i provided with two individual alongside beds in the rear. With model 59G now the Arto is also available with a rear single bed and a garage, and that with a length of barely 6 metres.

2004

Thomas Luible becomes new managing director of Niesmann+Bischoff. This year, the main focus of the company's model policy lies on the Arto series and its complete redesign. The Flair models are also optimized in numerous details. On the Caravan Salon the new ClouLINER III is introduced.

2005

On the CMT in Stuttgart a third Clou series is introduced: the ClouLINER 675. Two new Flair floor plans (6700iC and 7100iC) as well as a new floor plan version (8000iL) top the Flair line-up off.

2006

The newly developed floor plan Flair 8000iFB is introduced on the CMT in Stuttgart. In September Hubert Brandl is appointed managing director marketing/sales and distribution of the Niesmann+Bischoff GmbH. The outstanding and innovative design of the ClouLINER 990SG is acknowledged with the redDot Design Award and the Caravaning Design Award.

On the Caravan Salon the brands Arto, Flair and Clou appear with a similar exterior design and „family face“. In November the Niesmann+Bischoff GmbH celebrates its 25th company anniversary within the scope of the open days.

2007

Thanks to an exemplarily oriented model policy – reducing the range of products by half and developing more attractive models – the best business return ever in company history was achieved with the new managing director Hubert Brandl. The successful relaunch of the traditional brand starts with the new exhibition stand, the brand book and the new corporate design.

2008

Niesmann+Bischoff completes the established appearance with a new trademark: »The Polch Lily«. The striking signet thus becomes the outline for luxury, premium and royal class (Arto, Flair and Clou) and is a vital element of the Niesmann+Bischoff image.

A new dimension is achieved with the „Flair4ever“ campaign and the new „Flair 4.0“. The world premiere takes place in the very attractive event hotel “Scalaria” at the Wolfgang lake in Austria with the presence of the branch icon Erwin Hymer, of the complete managing board of the group, with formula 1 pilot Timo Glock, luge toboggan legend Georg Hackl and the famous show host Alexander Mazza. This premiere event is exclusively reserved for people with a VIP invitation ticket.

Niesmann+Bischoff is awarded by an international expert jury with the “caravanning design award 2008/2009: innovations for new mobility” for the new design.

Thomas Vollmer was appointed manager of the production and of the technical development in December 2008.

2009

„Artour2009“, a large test drive promotion with the first full air suspension with automatic levelling, unique in the branch in this class of products. Enthusiastic motorhome drivers at many dealer places and selected camp sites.

„Flair 4.0“ is nominated for the „Design award of the Federal Republic of Germany” by the department of Trade and Industry.

June 2009: Niesmann+Bischoff confirms its innovation skill and offers in its portfolio a new “Wellness” bath in the Flair range and two fantastic new Arto models in the compact 3,5 t. class. For special highlights there is already an application for utility models at the patent office.
 
Staged on Europe’s most beautiful CaravanPark in Sexten/South Tyrol, there are seven VIP camping pitches specifically for our company, and the owner Hans Happacher is honoured as Premium Partner.

2010

Niesmann+Bischoff presents the new luxury class and obtains fulsome praise also from the specialist media, such as for example Europe’s leading special magazine Promobil: „In a fine way. […] The trademark has found its line.“Innovations, unique features, but also e.g. the open wellness bathroom have won over, and are assuming a lead in production policy.  The concentration of measures and intensification of customer focus pave the way to the benchmark and to the intended market leadership.

2011

30 years Niesmann+Bischoff »Fascination Liner«. With the anniversary Liner, a new advanced appearance (corporate design) and the challenge on the Ring, the company is clearly pointing the way in the premium class, and presents for the Flair the new series 100.  The new generation is confidently guided by »best practice in motorhomes«, in the code clearly defining objective targets for the safest motor caravan, the most beautiful mobile home and the best Liner.