From a small family business with less than ten employees to one of the world's leading intralogistics providers: a lot has happened since our company was founded over 70 years ago.
At a glance: more than 70 years of passion and experience
1990
Going public
Jungheinrich AG
2005
100,000 forklift trucks
with three-phase current
2011
The first pedestrian pallet truck
with lithium-ion battery
2018
The first reach truck
with permanently integrated lithium-ion battery is presented
2021
Acquisition of arculus
The software and robotics company becomes part of Jungheinrich AG
2023
Successful acquisitions
in the USA (Storage Solutions) and the robotics sector (Magazino)
The history of our company begins in 1908 with the founding of the import and export company H. Jungheinrich & Co. by Hermann Jungheinrich. The foundation stone for today's company was laid by his eldest son, Friedrich Jungheinrich, in 1953 when the company was re-established under the name of H. Jungheinrich und Co. Maschinenfabrik.
Milestones
1899: On 20 October, our company founder, Friedrich Jungheinrich, is born in East London, South Africa.
1908: Friedrich Jungheinrich's father, Hermann Jungheinrich, founds the import and export company H. Jungheinrich & Co. in Hamburg on 3 December.
1947: Hermann Jungheinrich dies on 9 October. The company, which employs five people at this time, is inherited in equal shares by Friedrich Jungheinrich and his brother Otto.
1948: In-house production of hand trucks and pallet trucks begins in Barmbek. On 22 October, Friedrich Jungheinrich registers "Ameise" as a brand name with the patent office.
1953: On 7 August, H. Jungheinrich & Co. Maschinenfabrik is founded, the forerunner of Jungheinrich AG. The first electric four-wheel forklift "Ameise 55" is produced. The first branch opens for business in Mülheim/Ruhr.
1954 - 1968
The years of the economic miracle
In the 1950s and 1960s, Hamburg and the Federal Republic of Germany experience the so-called "economic miracle". The export business becomes an important source of revenue for our company, and the first foreign companies are gradually founded. Jungheinrich sets the course for becoming a global corporation.
Milestones
1954: The new electrically powered model series of the "Ameise" brand as well as the first lift trucks and tractors with driver's platform are launched on the market.
1956: In-house electric motor development and production begins. The first foreign sales company, Hermann F. Jungheinrich GmbH, is founded in Austria. A completely new industrial truck category is developed with the "Retrak" reach truck.
1958: The new plant in Hamburg-Wandsbek is put into operation, increasing production capacity. New foreign branches are established in Italy and Sweden. The "Ameise 65 DFG 15 G" diesel forklift truck is the first combustion engine to be launched on the market.
1960: The first wheel-assisted forklift "Ameise Junior" with tiller steering and starter batteries enables small businesses to benefit from the advantages of the pallet. Another foreign subsidiary is founded in Switzerland.
1962: We develop the first automatically controlled and inductively guided stacker, the "Teletrak". A new foreign branch opens in France.
1963: The foreign branches in the Netherlands and Great Britain are founded.
1966: Land is acquired in Norderstedt. The start of the first construction phase of the plant there sets the course for the future growth of our company.
1967: Another foreign branch is opened in Denmark and Jungheinrich Unternehmensverwaltung KG (holding company) is founded.
1968: On 28 January, our company founder Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich dies at the age of 68. He leaves behind a healthy and prosperous company. In the same year, the "ETX" is introduced. The high-bay and narrow-aisle stacker ensures better utilization of the warehouse.
1969 - 1989
Generational change and increasing competitiveness
After the death of our company founder, we remain an independent family business under the shareholder families Lange and Wolf. At the end of the 1970s, another innovation offensive is launched. At the same time, we introduce a new design principle, expand the Norderstedt plant and rationalize production.
Milestones
1969: A new foreign branch is founded in Norway.
1970: The new foreign branch in Spain commences operations.
1972: Order picking becomes increasingly important in the logistics process of the warehouse, and we develop the appropriate special equipment for this.
1974: We launch our self-organized rental and used equipment business.
1976: Driverless transport systems are used in assembly for the first time. The foreign branch in Belgium is founded.
1977: The "Delta" shelving system is introduced.
1979: Our company now employs 4,100 people and achieves a turnover of DM 533 million, 58 percent of which is generated abroad.
1982: The introduction of the automatic shelf stacker, the ARS system, marks the company's entry into automated forklift work. In addition, the world's first all-wheel drive cantilever electric three-wheel forklift truck is presented, which represents an alternative to the rear-wheel drive also in the range. Work begins on expanding the assembly plant in Norderstedt.
1983: The product range for Germany and Austria is completed with IC engine-powered forklift trucks.
1984: Palletizing and order picking systems are supplied to automate order picking work. The new assembly plant in Norderstedt is put into operation. It serves as a central warehouse for production and spare parts and includes computer-controlled powder coating and computer-controlled assembly lines for industrial trucks.
1986: With the modular system development (MSE) and the associated changeover from the assembly to the flow principle, we introduce an innovative design principle in Norderstedt and thus rationalize production.
1987: With the new Retrak generation, we open up a new dimension in space-saving storage for reach trucks. For the first time, our company achieves a turnover of over one billion DM and employs 5,330 people.
1988: The new, rental and used equipment business as well as the repair workshops and customer service are brought together under uniform management, both centrally in Germany and decentrally in the sales outlets.
1989: A new plant is built in Lüneburg for special and small series production and customization.
1990 - 1999
Initial public offering and restructuring
In the year of German reunification, we go public. We respond to the pent-up demand for modern industrial trucks and warehouse technology in the new federal states and former Eastern Bloc countries. We take over the Boss Group, including the traditional Steinbock company in Moosburg, Bavaria. Our company is comprehensively restructured.
Milestones
1990: After merging the domestic companies, the company is converted into a stock corporation and listed on the stock exchange for the first time on 30 August.
1991: The deep stacking system Drive-In-Systems is launched on the market.
1992: New foreign branches are founded in the Czech Republic and Hungary.
1993: The JULI engine plant is founded in Moravany/Brno in the Czech Republic as a joint venture with Linde.
1994: We take over the British Boss Group including the traditional Bavarian company Steinbock. The ComFOUR concept is introduced. This means that our customers can choose between borrowing, leasing and rental as well as the provision of financial services. A new foreign branch is founded in Poland. Our locations in Norderstedt, Wandsbek and Lüneburg are certified per the DIN ISO 9001 quality assurance system.
1995: We develop the world's first reach truck with a central control lever, our "Multi-Pilot".
1996: Our entire sales department is certified according to ISO DIN 9001.
1997: The "EFG-VD 25/30" is the first three-phase AC truck to go into series production. We are the first forklift truck manufacturer to offer all diesel and LPG forklifts with either hydrostatic or hydrokinetic drive. Further foreign branches are opened in Slovenia and Slovakia.
1998: With the "Retrak ETV 14", we develop the first reach truck for wheelchair users. The sales and technology divisions are organizationally separated, establishing a brand-independent production network. The Steinbock company in Moosburg (now Jungheinrich Moosburg GmbH) celebrates its 75th anniversary. Wap Reinigungssysteme GmbH & Co, Bellenberg is sold. The University of St. Gallen recognizes us as a Best Practice Company in after-sales service.
1999: On 20 October, we celebrate the 100th birthday of our company founder Dr. Friedrich Jungheinrich. A new foreign branch is founded in Portugal. Our environmental management is certified according to ISO DIN 14001. We introduce newly developed hand pallet trucks, having manufactured almost 2.5 million such trucks between 1957 and 1999.
2000 - today
End of the multi-brand strategy and globalization
At the turn of the millennium, we offer our products exclusively under the Jungheinrich brand. We are continuously expanding the areas of complete intralogistics solutions, financial services and full service. To this end, we are strengthening our sales units and positioning ourselves sustainably on the globalized markets.
Milestones
2000: New foreign branches are founded in Turkey, Greece, the USA and Singapore.
2001: The new sales strategy for the Group is adopted and implemented. There is a concentration on the Jungheinrich brand in direct sales. A new spare parts warehouse is set up in southern Germany, centralizing the supply of spare parts. A new foreign branch opens in Ireland. Together with Linde, we found the e-commerce company Supralift.
2002: A new foreign branch is founded in Brazil. A new spare parts logistics center opens in Lahr, near Offenburg.
2003: On 7 August, we celebrate our 50th anniversary. New foreign branches are founded in Russia, Latvia and Lithuania.
2004: New foreign branches are opened in Finland and China. A joint venture is formed with Ningbo Ruyi (P.R. China) to supply our hand pallet trucks.
2005: The 100,000th truck with three-phase AC technology is delivered. We present the world's first forklift truck with a rotating cabin.
2006: A new assembly plant is founded in Qingpu in the Shanghai district of China. The used equipment center starts operations in Dresden.
2007: Sales Germany, Export Sales, the Norderstedt plant and Spare Parts Logistics Norderstedt are spun off into independent companies. A new spare parts logistics center opens in Bratislava (Slovakia). We deliver the 50,000th 48-volt electric forklift truck.
2009: A new plant for the production of electric pallet trucks goes into operation in Landsberg.
2010: A new powder coating plant goes into operation in Norderstedt. We expand our product portfolio with the Warehouse Management System (WMS).
2011: The "EJE 112i" with lithium-ion technology goes into series production.
2012: In addition to the main production facility in Germany, ground is broken for a new Jungheinrich Lift Truck Manufacturing Co., Ltd. plant in Qingpu, China.
2013: We celebrate our 60th anniversary under the motto "60 Years of Passion for Logistics". A highlight of the anniversary events is the "1st Hamburg Intralogistics Summit". The spare parts center in Kaltenkirchen and the new plants in Degernpoint near Moosburg and Qingpu (China) are put into operation.
2014: Jungheinrich Logistiksysteme GmbH and the "Energy and Drive Systems" division are founded. Our subsidiary ISA is renamed Jungheinrich Systemlösungen GmbH. Construction of the new Group headquarters begins in Hamburg-Wandsbek.
2015: In line with the growth strategy, the strategic focus on logistics systems is significantly expanded. To this end, the Munich-based MIAS Group, an expert in stacker cranes and load handling equipment, is acquired. In addition, the "Logistics Systems" board department will be newly created. The new training center with an annual capacity of up to 5,000 participants is put into operation at the Norderstedt site. In December 2015, Jungheinrich moves into the new headquarters at the traditional company site at Friedrich-Ebert-Damm 129, where production took place from 1958 until the 1990s and where the Group headquarters were located until 2007. Direct subsidiaries are established in Australia, South Africa and Romania.
2016: The joint venture for the rental of industrial trucks in China with the largest Chinese forklift manufacturer Anhui Heli commences business operations. The direct subsidiary in Chile is founded. Jungheinrich is now represented in 36 countries worldwide.
2017: Jungheinrich once again reports record figures for the 2016 financial year: for the first time, over 100,000 trucks are produced and sales exceed three billion euros (+14% compared to the previous year). Jungheinrich now employs more than 15,000 people worldwide.
2018: The year is characterized by 65 years of Jungheinrich. The expansion of own sites continues worldwide. In addition to Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, Serbia is added as the 40th direct sales company.
2019: We achieve our sales target of four billion euros and introduce the completely redeveloped ERC 216zi electric pallet truck.
2020: The 2025+ strategy is presented: Creating sustainable value.
2021: Perfect Fit: We take over the mobile robot manufacturer arculus and celebrate ten years of lithium-ion technology "made by Jungheinrich".
2022: We present the revolutionary automated small parts warehouse PowerCube. New Zealand becomes the 41st direct sales company.
2023: Jungheinrich acquires Storage Solutions Group (SSI), the leading provider of racking and warehouse automation solutions in the USA. Jungheinrich is now represented in 42 countries with its own direct sales companies. The EAE 212a is presented at LogiMAT as a further innovation in the field of mobile robots.
As a global intralogistics leader for more than 70 years, we innovate sustainable material flow solutions and aim to shape the warehouse of the future.
