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| Company type | GmbH |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1 December 1920; 104 years ago (1920-12-01) |
| Founder | Hermann Mahle |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Arnd Franz (Chairman andCEO) |
| Products | Automotive parts |
| Revenue | €12.4 billion (2022)[1] |
Number of employees | 71,947 (2022)[1] |
| Website | www.mahle.com |
MAHLE GmbH is a Germanautomotive parts manufacturer based inStuttgart,Germany. It is one of thelargest automotive suppliers worldwide.[2] As a manufacturer of components and systems for thecombustion engine and its periphery, the company is one of the three largest systems suppliers worldwide for engine systems, filtration, electrics,mechatronics, and thermal management.[3] In 2018, Mahle's sales amounted to over €12.5 billion.[1]
As of 2022[update], its approximately 72,000 employees work in 152 production plants and 12 major research and development centers in Germany,Great Britain, theUnited States,Brazil,Japan,China,India,Poland,Romania,Spain, andSlovenia. Worldwide, over 6000 development engineers and technicians work as partners for Mahle's customers on new products and systems.[1]
In 1920, engineer and pilotHellmuth Hirth established a small workshop inBad Cannstatt with others, where he developed and constructed atwo-stroke engine.[4] 26-year-old Hermann Mahle started working for Hirth on 1 December 1920 as his seventh employee. The workshop was then calledVersuchsbau Hellmuth Hirth.[a] 1 December 1920 is acknowledged as the birth date of today's Mahle Group.
It soon became clear that the workshop would not survive by only conducting engine tests, so the need arose to build a profitable line of production in order to finance ongoing engine tests. At that time,pistons in automotive engines were generally made of cast iron, but Versuchsbau Hellmuth Hirth experimented withlight alloy pistons.
On 1 November 1922, Hermann's brother Ernst joined the factory as head of engineering. In 1924, the company merged with Chemische Fabrik Griesheim-Elektron, the inventors of themagnesium alloyElektron,[5] and was renamedElektronmetall GmbH.[6]
In 1927, the company developed Germany's first controlled-expansion piston, and in 1931, the world's first aluminium ring carrier piston fordiesel engines. Following this, piston technology was steadily improved. In 1931, aero engine manufacturing was split off as a separate company,Hirth Motoren GmbH.[7]
In 1938, Elektronmetall became MahleKG, and a new company logo was introduced. The company expanded, and beforeWorld War II was the only company in Germany manufacturingdie-castmagnesium alloy products.[8] During the war, the company'sBad Cannstatt factory made alloy pistons ranging from those for small cars to pistons with a 40 cm (15.7 in) bore for submarine engines (such as the 522 L (31,854 cu in) dieselMAN M9V 40/46). TheFellbach plant accounted for 70% of Germany's output of magnesium, aluminium and zinc alloy pressure die castings.[9] After 1945, new products were developed and produced (such as aluminium cylinders withCromal surface coatings in 1951).
In 1964, Hermann and Ernst Mahle decided to waive private ownership in their company and make it part of a foundation for public benefit. They transferred the company shares to the Mahle Foundation.
In 1976, Mahle made the first series-production aluminium engine blocks in Europe using low-pressure die casting. In 1988, their composite camshaft was enhanced to production standards, and in 2001, they developed a cooling system for diesel engine pistons in high-speed passenger cars. The first all-plasticoil filter in the world followed in 2003. Mahle developed and constructed its first complete engine in the same year, which was used inFormula Student.
Mahle has become a predominant system supplier for components of piston systems, cylinder components,valvetrain systems, air management systems, and liquid management systems. The Mahle Group generated sales in excess of €5.2 billion in 2010, and in excess of €12.8billion in 2017.
As of 2022[update], Mahle GmbH consists of five business units and four profit centers.
The five business units are:[10]
The Mahle Management Board consists of the following members:[11]
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