Maker record
Preiser (PMP)
Paul M. Preiser GmbH is a German maker of miniature figures and accessories for model railways and architectural models. Paul Preiser began by carving railway figures from limewood in Steinsfeld, where his firm was registered in January 1949. The company shifted from wood to plastic during the 1960s, while retaining handwork in production. Under Horst Preiser, the range grew to thousands of figures across many scales. Production expanded to India in 1967 and Mauritius in 1980; the company later added manufacturing in Neustadt bei Coburg and Madagascar.
- Founded
- 1949
- Countries
- Germany
- Locations
- Steinsfeld · 1949 · Dehra Dun, India · 1967 · Mauritius · 1980 · Neustadt bei Coburg · 1983 · Madagascar · 2019
- Founders
- Paul Preiser
The story of Preiser (PMP)
After the Second World War, the Preiser family settled in Steinsfeld, where Paul Preiser began carving limewood figures for model railways. His firm was registered on 4 January 1949. Paul and Käthe Preiser were joined by their son Horst, who later expanded the range to thousands of figures in widely used scales.
During the 1960s, Horst led the shift from wood to plastic as demand grew. Production was established in Dehra Dun, India, where figures were painted and assembled from 1967 to 1980. Paul died in 1970, and Horst took over the company. In 1980 Horst and partner François de Grivel established production in Mauritius. A site for mould-making and plastic injection moulding opened in Neustadt bei Coburg in 1983.
Horst Preiser died in 2016; his sons Volker and Jürgen continued to lead the business. The company added a production site in Madagascar in 2019 and has since incorporated techniques including 3D printing into product development.
In the digital museum
Explore the museum
Preiser weir #1074 and 2 wooden figures; MMM bus stop with metal figures, c.1956View in the museum
Berchtesgaden wooden rider figure lot, slightly larger than Preiser, 1950s or earlierView in the museum
Berchtesgaden wooden rider figure lot, slightly larger than Preiser, 1950s or earlierView in the museum
Preiser wooden ‘Bathers’ figure lot, c.1953View in the museum 
