History

2024

Who we are today

history 01

The KINSHOFER GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of attachments for loader cranes and hydraulic excavators, as well as for rotators, tilt rotators and rotary actuators. The headquarters of the global company is located in the Bavarian village Holzkirchen, Germany. Since 2007 KINSHOFER is part of the Swedish company Lifco AB.

Kinshofer Group brochure download here

2024

1971

The founding of the company

history 01

KINSHOFER has been named after its founder. In August 4th 1971, Alfred Kinshofer founded the company KINSHOFER Maschinenbau Miesbach in Miesbach, Bavaria, Germany.

1971

First attachments

history 01

At the beginning the small business had only produced bridge bearings, handrails and accessories for brick factories, such as tunnel kiln trucks or lifting and lowering devices for tile presses.

1971

1973

First brick stack grapple

history 01

Two years after the company‘s foundation, the development of the first brick stack grapple began. Just one year later, the construction of a pallet fork and a clamshell bucket followed.

1975

Construction of the new production hall

history 01

As the capacities of the original factory had been exhausted, a new plant was built in eastern Miesbach in 1975.

1975

1977

Construction of the second production hall

history 01

Only two years later, this building had grown too small again, so a second building was constructed with additional office buildings.

1979

The first rotator with 360° endless rotation

history 01

In 1979, the company‘s first rotator with 360° endless rotation was developed. The company changed its name to KINSHOFER Greiftechnik GmbH in 1980.

1979

1980

Expansion of sales markets

history 01

The first sales activities in the United Stated and the UK took place.

1984

First foreign sales location

history 01

In 1984, the first foreign sales subsidiary of the company was founded in Stockport, Cheshire, England: KINSHOFER UK Ltd.

Alfred Kinshofer sold his shares in 1987, but kept being a worthy consultant for the company. The same year, KINSHOFER France was founded in Strasbourg, France..

1984

1985

New buildings in Marienstein

history 01

One year later, the planning of the new production plant and office buildings in Marienstein, the current German manufacturing of the company, took shape.

1990

Moving to the new buildings

history 01

In 1990, the construction was started and in December of the same year, the company moved to its new buildings.

1990

1997

Production in Austria and the Czech Republic

history 01

1997 was the year the construction of the factories in the Austrian village of Gmünd and the Czech Ceske Velenice was planned. Just one year later, MARS Greiftechnik was founded and the manufacturing in the new plants began.

2000

The jump across the pond

history 01

In the year 2000, KINSHOFER made the step overseas and acquired the Canadian company Liftall what was to become the subsidiary KINSHOFER North America.

2000

2003

A milestone: the HPXdrive

history 01

One milestone in the company‘s history: in 2003, KINSHOFER developed the patented HPXdrive that bestowed the if-Silver Award for »Product Design« in the »Industry« branch upon the company.

2006

Renamed to KINSHOFER GmbH

history 01

In 2006, the company finally got its current name: KINSHOFER GmbH

2006

2006

KINSHOFER acquires DEMAREC

history 01

The same year marks the acquisition of the Dutch specialist for demolition and recycling tools Demarec B.V.. The worldwide operating Swedish company Lifco AB acquired KINSHOFER GmbH in 2007.

2008

KINSHOFER in CHINA

history 01

Another logic consequence was the expansion to the east, and so the company Darda KINSHOFER Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. was founded in 2008 in China's capital Beijing.

2008

2011

KINSHOFER acquires Aponox Oy

history 01

The same year marks the foundation of KINSHOFER Aponox Oy in Hämeenlinna, Finland, with the main focus on NOX Tiltrotators.

2011

KINSHOFER acquires RF-System AB

history 01

As the year 2011 came to an end, KINSHOFER acquired the Swedish company RF-System AB, as well as the intellectual property and distribution rights of New Zealand‘s Wedgelock Equipment Ltd. at the beginning of 2012, further broadening the available product range.

2011

2013

KINSHOFER manufactures in the USA

history 01

In 2013, the new KINSHOFER US-factory opened in Sanborn in the state of New York, mainly constructing and assembling large demolition equipment.

2015

KINSHOFER acquires Auger Torque

history 01

In 2015, KINSHOFER acquired 100% of Auger Torque Europe Ltd. and Auger Torque Australia Pty Ltd.. Due to the Auger Torque products, the range of the KINSHOFER Group is now also including a wide variety of earth drills, trenchers and other attachments for truck cranes and excavators, but also for backhoes, skidsteers and telehandlers.

2015

2017

KINSHOFER acquires Solebee's

history 01

In 2017, the American company Solesbee's joined the Kinshofer Group, a manufacturer of attachments for excavators, wheel loaders and dozers from Winston, GA.

2017

KINSHOFER acquires Doherty

history 01

In the same year, Kinshofer acquired the company Doherty with offices in New Zealand and Australia. Doherty is best known for its quick couplers.

2017

2019

KINSHOFER acquires Hammer

history 01

In 2019, Kinshofer bought the Italian company Hammer, which manufactures demolition hammers and other demolition tools, based in Molfetta.

2019

Moving of the headquarters

history 01

Also in 2019, Kinshofer GmbH moved its headquarters from Marienstein to Holzkirchen, south of Munich. The production remains in Marienstein.

2019

2021

KINSHOFER acquires Cangini Benne

history 01

In 2021, Kinshofer acquires the Italian company Cangini Benne S.r.l.

2022

KINSHOFER acquires Trevi Benne

history 01

In 2022, Kinshofer acquires the Italian company Trevi Benne S.p.A. 

2022

2022

Kinshofer acquires Prolec

history 01

In the same year, Kinshofer GmbH acquires the English company Prolec.

2023

Kinshofer joins Open-S Alliance

history 01

Open-S is a common standard for the hydraulic interface between machine couplers, tiltrotators and/or tools.

2023

2023

HGT joins the Kinshofer Group

history 01

In the same year, Kinshofer GmbH acquires the German company HGT.

2024

Kinshofer acquires Eurosteel

history 01

Kinshofer acquires the Dutch company Eurosteel B.V.

2024

2024

GMT new member in Kinshofer Group

history 01

In the same year, Kinshofer GmbH acquires the Dutch company GMT Equipment.

Image
The KINSHOFER GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of attachments for loader cranes and hydraulic excavators, as well as for rotators, tilt rotators and rotary actuators. The headquarters of the global company is located in the Bavarian village Holzkirchen, Germany. Since 2007 KINSHOFER is part of the Swedish company Lifco AB.
 
Image
KINSHOFER has been named after its founder. In August 4th 1971, Alfred Kinshofer founded the company KINSHOFER Maschinenbau Miesbach in Miesbach, Bavaria, Germany.
Image
At the beginning the small business had only produced bridge bearings, handrails and accessories for brick factories, such as tunnel kiln trucks or lifting and lowering devices for tile presses.
Image
Two years after the company‘s foundation, the development of the first brick stack grapple began. Just one year later, the construction of a pallet fork and a clamshell bucket followed.
Image
As the capacities of the original factory had been exhausted, a new plant was built in eastern Miesbach in 1975.
Image
Only two years later, this building had grown too small again, so a second building was constructed with additional office buildings.
Image
In 1979, the company‘s first rotator with 360° endless rotation was developed. The company changed its name to KINSHOFER Greiftechnik GmbH in 1980.
Image
The first sales activities in the United Stated and the UK took place.
Image
In 1984, the first foreign sales subsidiary of the company was founded in Stockport, Cheshire, England: KINSHOFER UK Ltd.
Alfred Kinshofer sold his shares in 1987, but kept being a worthy consultant for the company. The same year, KINSHOFER France was founded in Strasbourg, France.
Image
One year later, the planning of the new production plant and office buildings in Marienstein, the current German manufacturing of the company, took shape.
Image
In 1990, the construction was started and in December of the same year, the company moved to its new buildings.
Image
1997 was the year the construction of the factories in the Austrian village of Gmünd and the Czech Ceske Velenice was planned. Just one year later, MARS Greiftechnik was founded and the manufacturing in the new plants began.
Image
In the year 2000, KINSHOFER made the step overseas and acquired the Canadian company Liftall what was to become the subsidiary KINSHOFER North America.
Image
One milestone in the company‘s history: in 2003, KINSHOFER developed the patented HPXdrive that bestowed the if-Silver Award for »Product Design« in the »Industry« branch upon the company.
Image
In 2006, the company finally got its current name: KINSHOFER GmbH
Image
The same year marks the acquisition of the Dutch specialist for demolition and recycling tools Demarec B.V.. The worldwide operating Swedish company Lifco AB acquired KINSHOFER GmbH in 2007.
Image
Another logic consequence was the expansion to the east, and so the company Darda KINSHOFER Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. was founded in 2008 in China's capital Beijing.
Image
The same year marks the foundation of KINSHOFER Aponox Oy in Hämeenlinna, Finland, with the main focus on NOX Tiltrotators.
Image
As the year 2011 came to an end, KINSHOFER acquired the Swedish company RF-System AB, as well as the intellectual property and distribution rights of New Zealand‘s Wedgelock Equipment Ltd. at the beginning of 2012, further broadening the available product range.
Image
In 2013, the new KINSHOFER US-factory opened in Sanborn in the state of New York, mainly constructing and assembling large demolition equipment.
Image
In 2015, KINSHOFER acquired 100% of Auger Torque Europe Ltd. and Auger Torque Australia Pty Ltd.. Due to the Auger Torque products, the range of the KINSHOFER Group is now also including a wide variety of earth drills, trenchers and other attachments for truck cranes and excavators, but also for backhoes, skidsteers and telehandlers.
Image
KINSHOFER counts on a high vertical integration. The products are designed in the proper development department, constructed in the manufacturing and finally tested in the in-house test laboratory. Thus the company retains control not only over the production, but also the product itself.
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A constant communication and information exchange between the company and its clients results in further developments and innovations that keep the company close to the customer.
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In the proper action park at the company‘s headquarters, there is also the possibility for dealers and clients to take part in trainings and tool demonstrations.
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 In 2017, the American company Solesbee's joined the KINSHOFER Group, a manufacturer of attachments for excavators, wheel loaders and dozers from Winston, GA.
Image
In the same year, KINSHOFER acquired the company Doherty with offices in New Zealand and Australia. Doherty is best known for its quick couplers.
Image
In 2019, KINSHOFER GmbH bought the Italian company Hammer, which manufactures demolition hammers and other demolition tools, based in Molfetta.
Image
Also in 2019, KINSHOFER GmbH moved its headquarters from Marienstein to Holzkirchen, south of Munich. The production remains in Marienstein.
Image
In 2021, KINSHOFER GmbH acquires the Italian company Cangini Benne S.r.l.
Image
In 2022, KINSHOFER GmbH acquires the Italian company Trevi Benne S.p.A.
Image

In the same year, KINSHOFER GmbH acquires the English company Prolec.

Image

2023: KINSHOFER joins Open-S Alliance. Open-S is a common standard for the hydraulic interface between machine couplers, tiltrotators and/or tools.

 

Image

In the same year, KINSHOFER GmbH acquires the German company HGT.

Image

In 2024, KINSHOFER acquires the Dutch company Eurosteel B.V.

Image

In the same year, KINSHOFER GmbH acquires the Dutch company GMT Equipment.

Toplinks

KINSHOFER GmbH
Raiffeisenstrasse 12
83607 Holzkirchen
Tel.: +49 (0)8021 8899 0
Fax: +49 (0)8021 8899 37
info@kinshofer.com

CONTACT

 

 

 

Give us a call:

Kinshofer UK: +44 (0) 161 406 7046

General: +49 (0) 8021 8899 0
Office hours: from 08.00 until 17.00


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Kinshofer UK: sales-uk@kinshofer.com 

General: info@kinshofer.com