Jungheinrich celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2023. A lot has happened since the company was first established in Wandsbek, Hamburg, in 1953. The company has become an international Group with more than 21,000 employees, and developed a number of pioneering products and innovations. Here is an overview of the company’s history over the decades.
In 1953, Dr Friedrich Jungheinrich founds the company H. Jungheinrich & Co. Maschinenfabrik in Hamburg. “Ameise” becomes a brand name. Jungheinrich develops its first electric motor in 1956.
Jungheinrich lays the foundations for growth with a larger production plant. Foreign branches are established. The first “Retrak” reach truck is developed and made in Norderstedt.
Jungheinrich responds to the demands of the time with high-rack stacker ETX: Growing consumption drives the transformation of industrial and wholesale warehouses to distribution centres. Structuring the flow of materials becomes a key task that can only be solved with complete warehousing systems.
Jungheinrich launches its short-term rental and used equipment business – a business field that quickly becomes an important pillar. Trucks and loads can be interconnected through bar codes thanks to microelectronics, which in turn enables automated material flows.
Jungheinrich employs more than 5,000 people and generates revenue in excess of DM 1 billion for the first time. After becoming an AG, the company is listed on the stock market on 30 August 1990.
At the beginning of the decade, Jungheinrich introduces one of the most innovative forklift trucks in the history of intralogistics: Concept 08 is the world’s first lithium-ion battery-powered forklift – a ground-breaking technology. Jungheinrich becomes a pioneer in the intralogistics sector.
EJE 112i, the first electric pedestrian pallet truck with lithium-ion technology ready for series production, sets new benchmarks in energy efficiency in 2011. Jungheinrich cements its reputation as an innovation driver in the sector with the development and presentation of the ETV 216i reach truck.
Jungheinrich is now one of the world’s leading solutions providers for the intralogistics sector and aims to create the warehouse of the future. The company is particularly focused on warehouse automation and the rapidly growing mobile robots segment.
