History

Since the company was founded in 1923, we have developed and manufactured our products at our central location in Lossburg, Germany. In 1961, ARBURG revolutionised injection moulding with its ALLROUNDERs. Since 2013, 3D printers have expanded the portfolio. We always have new ideas for pioneering the development of plastics processing around the world.

ARBURG History

Milestones

Dekade
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.

GESTICA Steuerung mit zahlreichen smarten Assistenzfunktionen
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.

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