ARBURG History
Milestones
1923
Start of the family company
Arthur Hehl is a trained precision mechanic and starts out as a self-employed tradesman. He builds a house in Lossburg for his small family.
1926
Factory for precision devices
Arthur Hehl begins to manufacture surgical instruments in the cellar of his home.
1936
Work in the "Fabrikle”
The whole family works in the "Fabrikle", or "little factory", for which an extension is added to the house. After Arthur and his sons Karl and Gerhard Hehl are drafted into the war, mother Maria Hehl takes over the business.
1943
ARBURG name and logo
Karl Hehl invents the company name in Normandy during the war. He combines the first syllable of his father's first name Arthur (AR) with the last syllable of the location Lossburg (BURG). The lettering with the distinctive typography characterises ARBURG to this day.
1948
Durables needed
After the war, ARBURG begins manufacturing urgently needed everyday metal goods in 1948, including potato baskets, hairpins and clamping rings for baby bottles. Karl tinkers, while Eugen Hehl takes over sales.
1949
Training company
ARBURG becomes a training company in 1949. Karl Hehl personally supervises the technical apprenticeships until 1957. The first apprentice is a machinist.
1954
First injection moulding machine
In 1954 Karl Hehl develops his first small injection moulding machine for his own use in order to overmould the plug contacts on the flashguns. The plastic insulation protects against corrosion.
1956
ARBURG machine construction
Demand is so brisk that the innovative "C1" machine goes into series production from 1956. With great foresight, Eugen Hehl begins to develop appropriate sales structures. In 1959, ARBURG is represented at the K trade fair in Düsseldorf for the first time.
1961
ALLROUNDER principle
As early as 1961, ARBURG has the innovative idea of designing an injection moulding machine with a pivoting clamping unit and interchangeable injection unit: the ALLROUNDER idea is born.
1962
Multi-component injection moulding
Modular: Combining a horizontal and vertical injection unit makes multi-component injection moulding possible in 1962. One of the first two-colour injection moulded parts is a telephone dial plate.
1973
50 years of innovation
By 1973, ARBURG has sold more than 10,000 injection moulding machines and filed over 700 patents and registered designs. In 1975, an ALLROUNDER 270 H is the world's first injection moulding machine with microprocessor controller and hydraulic proportional pressure control valve technology.
1979
IBM pilot company
In 1979, ARBURG becomes an "IBM pilot company" and in 1982 introduces the first injection moulding machine with on-screen control. The CMD series can be integrated into a fully automated production cell.
1985
First international organisation
The first international ARBURG sales company is founded in France. Today, our employees provide first-class support directly on site – in around 100 countries worldwide.
1986
ARBURG host computer system
A pioneering achievement is the invention of the ARBURG host computer system ALS – the first manufacturing execution system (MES) specifically for injection moulding companies. With ALS, machines can be cross-linked, processes monitored and configuration data documented.
1988
Over 1,000 employees
ARBURG employs over 1,000 people for the first time. A milestone is also reached in construction – the company premises now cover more than 100,000 m².
1993
SELOGICA controller
The SELOGICA controller is introduced to the market and features impressive graphical sequence programming and automatic plausibility checks.
1996/1997
Turnkey projects
Since 1996, we have been offering injection moulding and automation technology from a single source as a primary contractor. The turnkey project department develops customised solutions based on a combination of machine and robotic system.
1998
75th anniversary
To mark "75 years of the Hehl family company", ARBURG launches a new injection moulding machine – the ALLROUNDER C JUBILEE.
2001
Electric ALLROUNDER
ARBURG adds electric injection moulding machines to its portfolio, which, like the hydraulic and hybrid ALLROUNDERs, can be expanded on a modular basis.
2005
Generational handover
In 2005, the third generation of the family owners takes over the management of the company, in the form of Juliane Hehl, Renate Keinath and Michael Hehl (from right).
2009
Customer Center
The 2,100 m2 Customer Center is opened in Lossburg. For individual support at the highest level. Customers can test machines and moulds here in a professional environment. Just like in the ARBURG Technology Centers around the world.
2010
Death of Karl Hehl
In 2010, Senior Partner Karl Hehl dies at the age of 87. For more than six decades, his influence as a technical specialist was decisive in shaping the business, and, with his brother Eugen, turning ARBURG into a global leader in injection moulding.
2013
ARBURG Plastic Freeforming (APF)
The freeformer and ARBURG Plastic Freeforming (APF) celebrate their world premiere. The industrial 3D printer opens up brand new possibilities in additive manufacturing, processing standard plastic granules into functional components without the need for moulds.
2016
GESTICA controller
ARBURG presents its controller of the future, which reflects the "look and feel" of smart mobile end devices. New features include a full HD screen, a pivoting control panel and smart operation via the EASYslider.
2018
Three awards for training
ARBURG is the first company in Baden-Württemberg to receive three quality certificates for its excellent training: the LQW certificate, the "1A Ausgezeichneter Ausbildungsbetrieb" quality seal for outstanding training companies, and DIN ISO 29990.
2019
Customer portal
The "arburgXworld" customer portal brings together all the company's digital products and services, enabling ARBURG to drive forward the digitalisation of services and business processes.
2020
Training Center
The 2,100 m2 Training Center in Lossburg offers a comprehensive programme for digitalised learning in theory and practice. Its interactive training courses and seminars are inspiring.
2020/2021
Addition to the family
In 2020, the ARBURG partners take over innovatiQ, a manufacturer of 3D printers – then in 2021, AMKmotion, an expert in electric drives, joins the ARBURG family. As a result, ARBURG now has the complete drive train in-house.
2021
Sustainability Report
ARBURG publishes a Sustainability Report for the first time. And provides information worldwide on the long-term sustainability of the company's actions and business operations.
2023
Centenary celebration
2023 marks 100 years of the family company. From "Fabrikle" to the world's leading machine manufacturer in plastics processing. ARBURG celebrates this fantastic anniversary at its locations around the world.
ARBURG: The right partner for your plastic processing needs
Injection moulding machines, additive manufacturing, robotic systems, process control, digitalisation – ARBURG offers you everything from a single source. Individually tailored to your plastic parts production.