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The KraussMaffei company history
1838
Joseph Anton von Maffei (1790-1870) founds the family business "Eisenwerk Hirschau" and acquires Munich's first machine factory at the Hirschau site in the English Garden. The beginning of the history of KraussMaffei!
1841
The first locomotive built in Hirschau is delivered. King Ludwig I names it "the Munich" at Anton von Maffei's request.
1857
The machine factory Eisen- & Messinggießerei Ulrich Rietmann & Cie. in Netstal is founded. In 1922, it is transformed into Maschinenfabrik & Gießerei Netstal AG.
1866
Georg von Krauss (1828-1906), previously employed by Maffei, founds the rival company Krauss und Comp. on the Marsfeld in Munich (today's headquarters of Circus Krone).
1867
Krauss's first locomotive ("Landwührden") wins a gold medal for its advanced design at the World's Fair in Paris. Today, the locomotive is on display at the German Museum's Transportation Center.
1897
Hermann Berstorff founds the craft company of the same name in Hanover and starts producing hose machines for the rubber industry.
1909
The Krauss and Maffei companies start producing electric locomotives.
1931
As a result of the world economic crisis, Krauss und Comp. takes over the J.A. Maffei company: Lokomotivfabrik Krauss & Comp. - J.A. Maffei A.-G. Munich is founded, with locomotive construction remaining the core business.
1935
The merged company moves to its current location in Allach near Munich. Three years later, Krauss & Comp. - J.A. Maffei A.-G. celebrates its 100th anniversary - and thus follows in the tradition of J.A. Maffei.
1940
A new phase in the company's history begins: Lokomotivfabrik Krauss & Comp. - J.A. Maffei A.-G. Munich is renamed Krauss-Maffei AG - the predecessor of the name that still exists today. The portfolio now includes the main divisions of transport technology, defence technology and process engineering.
From 1956
The 1950s mark Krauss-Maffei's entry into the plastics industry. Krauss-Maffei starts designing injection moulding machines and eventually acquires the plastics machinery manufacturer Eckert & Ziegler.
1966
Krauss-Maffei AG establishes a subsidiary in the USA. Since 1986, KraussMaffei Corporation (KMC) has been headquartered in Florence, Kentucky.
1968
Krauss-Maffei establishes the Reaction Process Machinery Division. The first products are bumpers and instrument panels for cars.
1986
The Plastics Technology Division is transferred to an independent subsidiary of Krauss-Maffei AG: Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH is founded.
1989
The German industrial and telecommunications company Mannesmann acquires a majority stake in Krauss-Maffei AG. In 1996 Mannesmann becomes the sole shareholder.
1992
Krauss-Maffei AG acquires the majority of shares in Netstal-Maschinen AG.
1998
Six years later, Krauss-Maffei acquires a majority stake in Berstorff GmbH.
1999 / 2000
The Mannesmann Group is bought by the British mobile phone company Vodafone Group Plc and subsequently dissolved. Krauss-Maffei then specialises in plastics and rubber machinery manufacturing. The locomotive construction division is taken over by Siemens, the defence technology division by Wegmann.
2001
The birth of a new company name: Krauss-Maffei is renamed KraussMaffei AG.
2010
The production facility in Sučany, Slovakia, is opened.
2016
The Chinese chemical group National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) acquires the KraussMaffei Group. In picture (from left): Former KraussMaffei CEO Frank Stieler, Chen Junwei, former CEO of ChemChina Finance Co. LTD, Cai Ting, former Chairman and General Manager of China National Chemical Equipment Co, LTD
2018
180 years of KraussMaffei! To mark this anniversary, the company is inviting guests to a grand gala at the Bayerischer Hof, including Jianxin Ren, Chairman ChemChina, and Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter.
2018
In its anniversary year, the company also reaches a milestone: KraussMaffei becomes the first German company to be listed on the Shanghai stock exchange.
2020
The construction of the new KraussMaffei: The company opens two new, modern plants in Jiaxing (China) and Einbeck (Germany).
2021
The Chinese groups ChemChina and Sinochem merge.
2022/2023
It is the beginning of a new era in the company's history: After 90 years at the Allach site, KraussMaffei moves to modern headquarters in Parsdorf (near Munich). KraussMaffei Extrusion also moves to Laatzen (near Hanover), from now on the centre for innovative recycling solutions.