In 1903 Wilhelm Hatecke, master boat-builder, founded a shipyard in Dornbusch on the banks of the river Elbe. In the early days work focussed on repairing and building wooden boats.

In 1937, Ernst Hatecke, naval architect, took the helm, assuming responsibility for what was by now a constantly expanding business, mainly producing lifeboats and commercial boats.

In 1963, management was passed on to Helmut Hatecke, naval architect, and the company entered a new era with the introduction of glass fibre reinforced plastic.

In 1970 the company built new production facilities at Krautsand on the river Elbe to meet market demand for boats made of plastic materials.

In 1983 the company developed the first freefall lifeboat recognised by the German See-Berufsgenossenschaft. By the mid-eighties the Hatecke brothers Jan and Peter joined the business, assuming responsibility for the company in its fourth generation. They set about extending production with glass fibre reinforced plastics facilities and a steel construction division. The company was now geared to the serial production of lifeboats and davit systems. Under their management, the company grew to become the world's leading manufacturer of freefall lifeboats.

Nowadays the company produces under the ownership and management of Peter Hatecke. At the beginning of 2007, the company Ernst Hatecke GmbH was renamed to Hatecke GmbH.