Our Company History
From a family business in the English Garden to an internationally operating industrial company, KraussMaffei has gone through many changes since its founding in 1838. To this day, the brand stands for quality, customer focus, tradition and innovation. Immerse yourself in our almost 200-year company history:
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 KraussMaffei story!
The first locomotive built in Hirschau is delivered. King Ludwig I christens it “the Munich” at Anton von Maffei's request.
Georg von Krauss (1828-1906), previously employed by von Maffei, founds the rival company Krauss und Comp. on the Marsfeld in Munich (today's Circus Krone).
The first locomotive from Krauss (“Landwührden”) wins a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris for its advanced design. Today, the locomotive can be seen in the Verkehrszentrum transport museum of the Deutsches Museum.
The craft company Hermann Berstorff is founded in Hanover and begins producing hose machines for the rubber industry.
As a result of the global economic crisis, Krauss & Comp. takes over J.A. Maffei: Lokomotivfabrik Krauss & Comp. - J.A. Maffei A.-G. Munich is founded, with locomotive construction remaining the core business.
The merged company moves to the Allach site near Munich. Three years later, A.-G. celebrates its 100th anniversary - following in the tradition of J.A. Maffei.
A new chapter in the company's history begins: Lokomotivfabrik Krauss & Comp. - J.A. Maffei A.-G. Munich is renamed Krauss-Maffei AG - the forerunner of the name that still exists today. The portfolio now includes the main divisions of transportation technology, defence technology and process engineering.
The 1950s mark Krauss-Maffei's entry into the plastics industry. Krauss-Maffei begins designing injection molding machines and eventually acquires the plastics machinery manufacturer Eckert & Ziegler.
Krauss-Maffei AG founds a subsidiary in the USA. Krauss-Maffei Corporation (KMC) has been headquartered in Florence, Kentucky, since 1986.
Krauss-Maffei establishes the Reaction Process Machinery division. The first products are instrument panels for cars and bumpers.
The Plastics Technology Division is transferred to an independent subsidiary of Krauss-Maffei AG: Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH is founded.
The German industrial and telecommunications company Mannesmann acquires a majority stake in Krauss-Maffei AG. Mannesmann becomes the sole shareholder in 1996.
Krauss-Maffei AG acquires the majority of shares in Netstal-Maschinen AG.
Six years later, Krauss-Maffei acquires a majority stake in Berstorff GmbH.
The Mannesmann Group is bought by the British mobile communications company Vodafone Group Plc and subsequently dissolved. Krauss-Maffei then specializes in plastics and rubber machine construction. The locomotive construction division is taken over by Siemens, the defense technology division by Wegmann.
The birth of a new company name: Krauss-Maffei is renamed KraussMaffei AG.
The production facility in Sučany, Slovakia, is opened.
The Chinese chemical group National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) acquires the KraussMaffei Group. In the 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
180 years of KraussMaffei! To mark this anniversary, the company hosted a grand gala at the Bayerischer Hof, with Jianxin Ren, Chairman of ChemChina, and Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter, among others.
The construction of the new KraussMaffei: The company opens two new, modern plants in Jiaxing (China) and Einbeck (Germany).
The Chinese companies ChemChina and Sinochem merge.
It is the beginning of a new era in the company's history: After 90 years at the Allach site, KraussMaffei moves to a new, modern headquarters in Parsdorf (near Munich). KraussMaffei Extrusion also moves to its new site in Laatzen (near Hanover), from now on the modern center for innovative recycling solutions.
KraussMaffei sells Netstal Maschinen AG