In 1898, the specialists from Chemnitz commenced with the construction of high-precision milling machines under the brand name Wanderer. After the Second World War, the factory was given the name of the working-class politician Fritz Heckert. Since 1998, the Heckert plant in Chemnitz has been a part of the Swiss Starrag Group, a globally leading provider of machining centers and technological production systems.

Within the corporate group, the Chemnitz production site is the specialist for horizontal machining centers. The high-precision and highly productive machining centers for milling, turning, and boring are designed for the production of workpieces in small and medium quantities. They are used, above all, in the transport industry, in energy technology, and in precision machinery construction. The most recent developments include compact machines as well as multi-task complete machining systems. Thanks to continuous technical innovation, precision, and reliability, Heckert machines from Chemnitz continue to be in great demand around the entire globe.