Total sales stagnated. The stone and earth industry had great demand, but investment stagnated due to the war. The procurement of materials also became increasingly difficult, as preference was given to armaments projects.
Although the company had not suffered any war damage, the lack of investment hampered business. Moreover, the victorious powers had appropriated the patents – and they were now being cheerfully copied. Haver & Boecker increasingly recovered thanks to the good connections that the second-generation Managing Directors had built up – a positive situation the third-generation Managing Directors were able to build on. The currency reform of 1948 marked the beginning of an era of reconstruction under the sign of a free market economy.
