Ernst Mahle

Future meets the past—the MAHLE story from the beginning

Everything begins in 1920 in an unimposing workshop. Today you would probably call it a start-up. Hermann Mahle joins Hellmuth Hirth’s Versuchsbau as commercial manager. Soon they decide to produce light-alloy pistons for engines. Ernst Mahle follows in 1922 as developer and head of production. However, the technology is still finicky, and problems come up frequently. To keep dirt and dust out of the engine, they eventually developed air and oil filters as well. In just a few years, the company is one of the major German piston manufacturers. The two brothers become managing directors, eventually sole owners. But they are above all one thing - resourceful and persistent.

From manageable beginnings, the company has grown into an international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry, a technology driver for the mobility of tomorrow.

History1920—1932

Renewal. Development. Breakthrough.

From a small test workshop to a technologically leading industrial company: the central issue at the time is whether the light-alloy piston favored by Ernst Mahle can replace the gray cast iron piston. New alloys and the invention of the ring carrier piston by Ernst Mahle finally provide the breakthrough.
1920
  • Hermann Mahle joins Versuchsbau Hellmuth Hirth on December 1, 1920, marking the start of the current MAHLE Group
1922
  • Ernst Mahle joins Leichmetall-Werke, G.m.b.H., Stuttgart-Cannstatt (successor company to Versuchsbau Hellmuth Hirth)
1924
  • Company renamed Elektronmetall GmbH, Stuttgart-Cannstatt (EC)
  • Use of newly developed light-alloy pistons for motorsports activities
1926
  • Hermann Mahle appointed Commercial Director
1927
  • Ernst Mahle appointed Technical Director
1930
  • Series production of air, oil, and fuel filters
  • First cylinder liners made of nitrided steel
1931
  • Ring carrier piston registered for patent

History1933—1945

Dictatorship. Armament. War.

National socialism and World War II also leave a deep mark on the development of EC as a company: aircraft, cars, and commercial vehicles are soon being built primarily for military purposes. And this is how EC—known as MAHLE KG from 1938—becomes a key supplier to the armament industry. Forced laborers also work for the company from 1940 onward. By 1944, the number of employees—including foreign and forced laborers—increases to more than 6,000.
1933
  • Hermann and Ernst Mahle become sole shareholders of EC with equal shares
  • Hitler is appointed Reich Chancellor, and a plant strike takes place. The employee representative responsible is promoted
1935
  • Foundation of a pension club to support and provide supplementary pensions for employees
  • First profiled pistons worldwide to compensate for the thermal expansion of pistons and cylinders
1937
  • Foundation of a nonprofit residential estate for employees to ensure a good and clean standard of living for a reasonable rent and alleviating the general housing shortage
  • EC is represented at major international air shows
  • Foundation of nonprofit organization MAHLE Siedlung GmbH
1938
  • EC converted into MAHLE KG; introduction of the MAHLE logo, which has remained virtually unchanged to this day
  • The plant magazine “MAHLE-Kamerad” is published. This publication portrays MAHLE as a company that is loyal to the party line
  • First blank cylinders using centrifugal casting process
1940
  • MAHLE is designated a “National Socialist Model Plant”
1943/44
  • Paul Hahn reveals the plans of the “Goerdeler Circle” to Hermann Mahle. He offers his support
1944
  • At the peak of armament production, the headcount including foreign and forced laborers reaches 6,200

History1946—1970

Destruction. Reconstruction.

Sixty percent of MAHLE KG’s value and assets were lost in World War II. The management of the company is handed over to trustees until 1948. Following the initial hard years after the war, the company has to survive by manufacturing other products, but soon benefits from the general economic boom.
1948
  • First AUTOTHERMIK® pistons
1949
  • First aluminum cylinder with chrome-plated working surface (CROMAL®)
1950
  • Ernst Mahle founds the piston manufacturing company Metal Leve S.A. in São Paulo/Brazil
1951
  • Use of newly developed motorsports and racing components
1952
  • Valve tappets in chilled cast iron
1955
  • Series production of AUTOTHERMATIK® pistons
1957
  • Series production of camshaft blanks in chilled cast iron
1964
  • Establishment of MAHLE Beteiligungen GmbH (MABEG) and MAHLE-Stiftung GmbH (MAHLE Foundation)
  • Hermann and Ernst Mahle transfer 99.9 percent of the company shares to the nonprofit MAHLE Foundation and 0.1 percent to MABEG
  • First series-produced aluminum cylinders with a working surface coated with nickel-silicon
1965
  • Rough-cast cylinder liners produced using centrifugal casting
  • First sodium-filled hollow valves thanks to a new production process
  • First hollow-cast camshafts
1967
  • Use of NIKASIL® surface protection coating for engine components
  • Introduction of the Airfix® air compressor
1968
  • Acquisition of Süddeutsche Kolbenbolzenfabrik (now MAHLE Motorkomponenten GmbH)
  • Beginning of the cooperation with the Japanese Izumi Automotive Industry Co. Ltd. (takeover in 2003)
1969
  • Acquisition of holding in König KG in Austria (now MAHLE König Kommanditgesellschaft GmbH & Co. KG)

History1971—1990

Globalization.

The seventies and eighties are a time of international growth at MAHLE. The company also reactivates its Filter unit. In the nineties, MAHLE confronts the globalization and concentration in the automotive industry by taking the great step from components manufacturer to development partner and supplier of systems and modules.
1971
  • Previously independent companies grouped together to form MAHLE GmbH
  • Hermann and Ernst Mahle step down from the Management Board
1972
  • Acquisition of shares in Knecht Filterwerke GmbH in Germany, and in Knecht Filterwerke Ges.m.b.H. in Austria
1973
  • Acquisition of holding in Fundiciones Industriales S.A. (FISA) in Vilanova i la Geltrú/Spain (now MAHLE S.A.U.)
1974
  • Use of star-pleated filter elements in dedusting technology
1975
  • Foundation of MAHLE Cylinders Inc. in Fairfield/USA
  • Opening of the Filderklinik in Filderstadt-Bonlanden near Stuttgart (largest project supported by the MAHLE Foundation)
1976
  • Series production of aluminum engine blocks using low-pressure die casting
  • First pistons made of cast iron with nodular graphite for truck diesel engines
1978
  • Foundation of today’s MAHLE Engine Components USA, Inc.
  • Foundation of MAHLE Indústria de Peças in São Paulo/Brazil
  • Development of profiled piston pins
1979
  • Acquisition of CIMA, Brazil (now MAHLE Indústria e Comércio Ltda.)
1980
  • Cold extrusion of piston pin blanks
  • First pistons with profiled pin bores
1981
  • Foundation of Metalúrgica Mogi Guaçu Ltda. in Brazil, a joint venture between MAHLE and Metal Leve (now MAHLE Metal Leve S.A.)
1983
  • First use of freely programmable CNC profiling lathes in piston machining
1984
  • Commissioning of a central shipping warehouse in Schorndorf/Germany
  • First series production use of laser welding on valve tappets in the automotive industry
  • Award of Excellence in the Die Casting category from the International Magnesium Association
1985
  • Disbanding of the MAHLE Pension Club and introduction of a company pension scheme
  • Series production of HYDROTHERMIK® and HYDROTHERMATIK® pistons
  • Introduction of ecological filter elements
  • Production of assembled camshafts
1986
  • New plant for series production of innovative plastic air filters in Öhringen/Germany
  • Acquisition of Técafiltres S.A. and Soparis S.A. in France
  • First corrosion-free, lightweight, and sound-insulating plastic air filters
1987
  • Acquisition of Mondial Piston S.p.A., Italy (now MAHLE Componenti Motori Italia S.p.A.)
  • Start of series production of FERROTHERM® steel pistons
1988
  • Composite pistons for large diesel engines with bore cooling
1989
  • Series production of ceramic fiber-reinforced aluminum LIQUOSTATIK® pistons
1990
  • Acquisition of majority share in the companies of the French COFFI Group
  • Acquisition of holding in Dong Yang Piston Co. Ltd. in Ansan City/South Korea

History1991—1999

Systems partner. Technology leader.

At the beginning of the nineties, the situation in the automotive industry comes to a head: international competition is becoming tougher, and price pressure is growing. Requirements relating to quality and supply availability are increasing. The market increasingly demands ready-to-assemble modules and systems.
1991
  • Merger of the iron and steel activities of MAHLE GmbH with J. Wizemann GmbH & Co. to form the MAHLE Wizemann Group
  • First cabin filters for motor vehicles
1992
  • Series production of pistons with GRAFAL® skirt coating
1993
  • Acquisition of remaining shares in Knecht Filterwerke GmbH (now MAHLE Filtersysteme GmbH)
  • Oil filter module with filter inserts and plastic cover
1994
  • Merger of MAHLE Wizemann Group with Pleuco GmbH to form MAHLE-J. Wizemann-Pleuco GmbH (MWP)
  • Foundation of MAHLE Pistones S. de R.L. de C.V., Mexico (now MAHLE Componentes de Motor de México, S. de R.L. de C.V.)
  • First MICRO-STAR® cabin filters
1995
  • Piston alloys MAHLE 142 and MAHLE 145 in series
  • Series production of funnel-type cooling channel pistons
1996
  • Acquisition of majority holding in Metal Leve S.A., Brazil (now MAHLE Metal Leve S.A.)
  • Start of robot-aided medium-pressure die casting for producing ceramic fiber-reinforced pistons
  • The ecological oil filter concept is awarded first prize by the Federation of German Industries (Bund der deutschen Industrie, BDI)
1997
  • Joint venture with Knecht Duroplast Sistemas de Filtración S.A. de C.V., Mexico
  • Takeover of the piston ring activities of Cofap S.A. with locations in Brazil (now MAHLE Metal Leve S.A.) and in Portugal (now MAHLE Componentes de Motores S.A.)
  • MAHLE Joint venture MWP Migma Ltd., India (now MAHLE Engine Components India Private Limited)
  • Joint venture Kirloskar Knecht Filters Private Ltd. (now MAHLE ANAND Filter Systems Private Limited)
  • Series production of air intake modules
1998
  • Foundation of MAHLE Spolka z o.o., Poland (now MAHLE Polska Spółka z o.o.)
  • Merger of MAHLE Ltda. and Metal Leve S. A. in Brazil to form MAHLE Metal Leve S.A.
  • M 174 piston alloy for high-performance aluminum diesel engines goes into series
1999
  • Renaming of all companies with majority holding by adding “MAHLE” to the company name
  • Renaming of Knecht Filterwerke GmbH as MAHLE Filtersysteme GmbH and of MAHLE-J. Wizemann-Pleuco GmbH as MAHLE Ventiltrieb GmbH
  • Acquisition of majority holding in WSM Krotoszyn S.A., Poland (now MAHLE Polska Spolka z o.o.)
  • Opening of a piston foundry in Ramos Arizpe/Mexico
  • Foundation of MAHLE Izumi (Liaoning) Piston Ltd. in China together with Izumi Industries Ltd.
  • Foundation of MAHLE (Nanjing) Piston Co., Ltd., China (now MAHLE Engine Components (Nanjing) Co., Ltd.) and of MAHLE Engine Components (Yingkou) Co., Ltd.
  • Foundation of joint venture Donghyun MAHLE Filter Systems Co., Ltd., South Korea
  • Series production of pistons for passenger cars with FERROPRINT® skirt coating

History2000—2009

Expansion. Rapid growth.

MAHLE grows into a leading global development partner in the automotive and engine industry—despite the global economic crisis that destabilized markets in 2008. In 1999, the group employs about 25,000 people; by the end of 2013, this figure is approximately 65,000. Over half of the sales are generated outside of Europe.
2000
  • Increased shareholding in König KG in Rankweil/Austria
  • New plant for piston production opened in Krotoszyn/Poland
  • Acquisition of MAHLE-Parr Filter Systems, Inc. in the USA
  • Opening of a new filter plant in Brazil
  • Series production of steel-forged MONOTHERM® pistons
  • Series production of aluminum pistons with cooled ring carriers for passenger car diesel engines
2001
  • MAHLE pays DM 3 million into the German Economy Foundation Initiative
  • Disbanding of MAHLE Siedlung GmbH and sale of houses to private entities
  • Centralization of development and production activities for motorsports pistons and components at a plant in Fellbach/Germany
  • Acquisition of holding in Brockhaus Soehne GmbH, Germany
  • Acquisition of all shares in the joint venture Knecht MAHLE-Duroplast Sistemas De Filtración S.A. de C.V., Mexico (now MAHLE Sistemas de Filtración de México S.A. de C.V.)
  • Acquisition of a majority holding in the Tennex Group with filter plants in Japan, the Philippines, the USA, and Great Britain as well as a minority holding in Thailand
  • Increased shareholding in Donghyun MAHLE Filter Systems Co., Ltd., South Korea (now MAHLE Donghyun Filter Systems Co., Ltd.)
  • Foundation of Tennex Korea Ltd. in Busan/Korea for the production of air filter systems
  • Increased shareholding in MAHLE Izumi (Liaoning) Piston Co., Ltd., China (now MAHLE Engine Components (Yingkou) Co., Ltd.
  • Series production of FERROCOMP® large-bore pistons
  • Series production of chromium-ceramic piston rings for passenger car diesel engines
  • Intake module with variable length for gasoline engines
2002
  • Opening of the new group headquarters in Stuttgart/Germany
  • Opening of a new plant for camshaft production in Leibertingen/Germany
  • Acquisition of a majority holding in Brockhaus Canada, Inc. and renaming as MAHLE Brockhaus, Inc.
  • Foundation of a majority joint venture with the Australian company ACL (Automotive Components Limited) for the production of pistons and piston rings
  • First ECOFORM® aluminum pistons for passenger car gasoline engines
  • Series production of plastic cylinder head covers
2003
  • Establishment of ZNF Maschinenfabrik Spandau as a majority joint venture with BMW for camshaft production
  • Acquisition of Chongqing Changjiang Izumi Piston Industries Co., Ltd. (now MAHLE Engine Components (Chongqing) Co., Ltd.)
  • Increased shareholding in the Japanese MAHLE Tennex Corporation
  • Acquisition of an air intake module production plant in Korea from Kemsco, a 50/50 joint venture between Siemens and Daewoo Motors
  • Opening of a new production plant in Melbourne/Australia for manufacturing pistons, piston rings, and power cell modules
  • World’s first all-plastic oil filter for passenger car diesel engines
  • First MAHLE complete engine (three-cylinder four-stroke racing engine in aluminum design for Formula SAE)
2004
  • Handing over of a file of forced laborers from the years 1941 to 1945 to the International Tracing Service (ITS) in Bad Arolsen for public research
  • Acquisition of all shares in ZNF Maschinenfabrik Spandau and construction of a new plant in Wustermark/Germany
  • Opening of a new plant in Wölfersheim/Germany for the production of engine valves
  • Majority acquisition of Brockhaus Soehne GmbH in Plettenberg/Germany
  • Acquisition of Schmiedewerk Roßwein GmbH in Saxony/Germany
  • Acquisition of majority share in Shanghai Filter Factory (now MAHLE Shanghai Filter Systems Co., Ltd.)
  • Acquisition of majority share in the Thai filter joint venture Siam Tennex (now MAHLE Siam Filter Systems Co., Ltd.)
  • Acquisition of the remaining shares in the Australian joint venture MAHLE-ACL Piston Products Pty Ltd. (now MAHLE Engine Components Australia Pty Ltd.)
  • Sound generator for intake systems of turbocharged engines
2005
  • Complete takeover of Brockhaus Soehne GmbH, Germany, and integration of Schmiedewerk Roßwein GmbH
  • Acquisition of the Cosworth Technology Group with development centers in Northampton/Great Britain and Novi near Detroit/USA (now MAHLE Powertrain Ltd. or MAHLE Powertrain, LLC)
  • Expansion of the research and development center in Farmington Hills near Detroit/USA
  • Complete takeover of the Tennex Group (now MAHLE Filter Systems Japan Corporation)
  • Acquisition of majority shareholding in Purolator India Ltd. (now MAHLE ANAND Filter Systems Private Limited)
  • Increased shareholding in Izumi Piston Manufacturing Co., (Thailand) Ltd. (now MAHLE Engine Components (Thailand) Co., Ltd.)
  • First all-plastic oil filter module
  • New three-stage resonance-charged intake module in series
2006
  • Acquisition of Norddeutsche Filter Vertriebs (NFV) GmbH and AKO Filter GmbH
  • New Aftermarket logistics center opens in Krotoszyn/Poland
  • Opening of a new filter plant in Timisoara/Romania (now MAHLE Componente de Motor SRL)
  • Takeover of the activated carbon canister activities of Behr in the USA
  • Expansion of the Aftermarket activities with the founding of MAHLE Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and MAHLE Trading Japan Co., Ltd.
  • New research and development center opened in Shanghai/China
  • Opening of a new filter plant in Guangzhou/China and a new plant for the production of bearings and piston rings in Yingkou/China
  • World’s first electric cone stack separator for maximum separation of oil
  • Aluminum pistons with cooled ring carriers for highly loaded commercial vehicle diesel engines
  • Development of the MONOCOMP® composite steel piston for greater mechanical loads and higher temperatures
  • Series production of plastic cylinder head covers with integrated oil mist separation and pressure regulation
2007
  • Start of development activities for exhaust gas turbochargers for gasoline and diesel engines
  • Majority joint venture with Hubei Tri-Ring Company Limited in Macheng/China (now MAHLE Tri-Ring Valve Train (Hubei) Co., Ltd.) and opening of a new plant in Macheng/China
  • Acquisition of Edival S.A. in Rafaela/Argentina (now MAHLE Argentina S.A.)
  • Acquisition of the engine parts business of the Dana Corporation, USA
  • Acquisition of Promotora de Industrias Mecánicas, S.A. de C.V. (Promec) in Mexico (now MAHLE Componentes de Motor de México, S. de R.L. de C.V.)
  • Takeover of the intake modules and air filtration business segment of Siemens VDO Automotive AG
  • Foundation of the 50/50 joint venture MAHLE India Pistons Ltd. in Chennai/India under the industrial and technological leadership of MAHLE (now MAHLE Engine Components India Private Limited)
  • MonoXcomp® pistons
  • First EVOTEC® aluminum pistons with asymmetrical walls for highly loaded turbocharged gasoline engines for passenger cars
  • Automatic water disposal system with integrated water cleaning unit as a standalone component or as part of complete fuel filter modules
  • 1.2-liter three-cylinder downsizing engine as a technology demonstrator with potential fuel savings of up to 30 percent
  • Valves for exhaust gas recirculation
  • Wear-resistant ALBOND® cylinder liner composite for less fuel consumption
  • Piston rings with high-value PVD (HV-PVD) coating for high-speed diesel engines increase wear resistance
  • Weight-optimized conrods for reducing engine emissions
  • Ongoing development of the MAHLE lightweight valve
  • CamInCam® camshaft from MAHLE for variable valve timing in series
  • Development of new oil mist separator with switched impactor for ultrahigh retention efficiency
  • Integrated oil pan module in series
2008
  • Acquisition of the pump manufacturer ENTEC GmbH (now MAHLE Filtersysteme GmbH)
  • Acquisition of Amafilter Group Holding BV
  • Foundation of the 50/50 joint venture Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems GmbH & Co. KG with Robert Bosch GmbH for the development and production of exhaust gas turbochargers
  • Majority acquisition of Turkish engine components manufacturer Mopisan (now MAHLE Motor Parçalari San. ve Tic. A.Ş.) and the construction of a new logistics center for the Aftermarket business unit in Turkey
  • Acquisition of Clemex de México, S.A. de C.V. (now MAHLE Componentes de Motor de México, S. de R.L. de C.V.)
  • New research and development center opened in Jundiaí near São Paulo/Brazil
  • Foundation of the majority joint venture MAHLE Hirschvogel Forjas S.A. in Queimados/Brazil
  • Series production of piston pins with diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating for minimal wear and tear and ultrahigh seizure resistance
  • Controlled coolant pumps
2009
  • Acquisition of the automotive business of KTM-Kühler GmbH in Mattighofen/Austria (now MAHLE Filtersysteme Austria GmbH)
  • Completion of a new production plant for turbochargers from Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems (BMTS) in St. Michael ob Bleiburg/Austria
  • New Aftermarket logistics center opened in Lerma/Mexico
  • Series production of electric wastegate actuators
  • Prototype of a low-friction camshaft
  • Prototype of a fast-switching EGR valve
  • Controlled pendulum-slider oil pumps for passenger cars

History2010—2020

Shaping the future.

MAHLE uses the time to further improve its strategic position and to prepare for the future. With the acquisition of a majority shareholding in Behr, around 17,000 new employees at 38 production locations and three major research and development centers worldwide join the MAHLE family.
2010
  • MAHLE and Behr sign a participation contract and agree that the company shares will be transferred in several stages; in the first stage, MAHLE acquires 19.9 percent
  • The MAHLE day-care center is opened near the group headquarters in Stuttgart/Germany
  • Majority acquisition of the industrial business of the Behr Group (now MAHLE Industrial Thermal Systems GmbH & Co. KG)
  • New filter plant opened in Tianjin/China
  • New positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters for activated carbon canisters
  • First use of modular all-plastic oil filter housing in the fields of commercial vehicles, industry, and generators
  • Series production of all-plastic-oil filters with integrated thermal management
  • First TopWeld® steel pistons for passenger car applications
  • Development of a range extender (two-cylinder in-line engine)
2011
  • Shareholding in the Behr Group increased to 36.85 percent
  • Acquisition of remaining shares in the Turkish engine components manufacturer MAHLE Mopisan (now MAHLE Motor Parçalari San. ve Tic. A.Ş.)
  • New filter plant in Chennai/India commences series production
  • Ballast water treatment system for ships is certified; first high-volume order
  • Development of cooling systems for gearless wind power plants
  • Development of indirect charge air cooling integrated in the air intake module
2012
  • Participation in the Tokyo-listed company Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd., a specialist for mechatronic products
  • Opening of the new Japan headquarters in Tokyo and the North America headquarters in Farmington Hills near Detroit/USA
  • New filter plant opened in Kyushu/Japan
  • Second expansion of the research and development center in Shanghai/China
  • Expansion of the piston plant in Bangkok/Thailand and the filter plant in Samut Prakan/Thailand
  • Development of MAHLE Jet Ignition—an innovative spark-ignition combustion process for extremely lean combustion
  • New beam-based welding technology for heavy-duty steel pistons reaches process maturity
  • Series production of assembled camshafts for commercial vehicles
  • Development of cascaded charge air cooling integrated in the air intake module
  • New oil filter module for commercial vehicles, integrating a coolant pump and thermostat as well as sensor technology for temperature control
  • Development of energy-efficient actuation of engine accessories
  • MAHLE range extender, a 0.9-liter two-cylinder in-line gasoline engine with integrated generator, installed in a demonstration vehicle
  • Development of counterflow staggered blade charge air cooler for indirect charge air cooling of large engines
2013
  • Shareholding in the Behr Group increased to 50.71 percent; MAHLE Behr forms the new Thermal Management business unit
  • Expansion of the MAHLE Aftermarket logistics center in Schorndorf/Germany
  • Opening of the new competence center for pumps in Brattendorf, Thuringia/Germany
  • Acquisition of RTI Technologies, Inc. headquartered in York, Pennsylvania/USA (now MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.)
  • Acquisition of all shares in the Indian piston joint venture MAHLE IPL Limited (now MAHLE Engine Components India Private Limited)
  • Development of the lightweight valves EvoTherm® and TopTherm®
  • Development of the EVOTEC®-SC piston with an additional cooling gallery
  • Development of an active fuel prefilter for diesel engines for use around the world in a new generation of engines and powertrains
  • Development of a hydraulically controlled coolant pump
  • Development of a two-level cooling module
  • Development of a high-voltage PTC auxiliary heater with integrated power electronics
  • Series production of a new cooling plate for cooling the electrical energy storage device
2014
  • Acquisition of majority share in Letrika in order to expand the mechatronics/electrics business (now MAHLE Electric Drives)
  • Opening of two new distribution and logistics centers for the Aftermarket business unit in Limeira/Brazil and Obninsk/Russia
  • Increased shareholding in the Japanese company Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd.
  • Third expansion of the research and development center in Shanghai/China
  • Opening of a new filter plant in Wuhan/China and a new plant for manufacturing automotive air conditioning and engine cooling products in Shenyang/China
  • Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems founds subsidiary in China
  • New filter plant opened in Cikarang near Jakarta/Indonesia
  • Development of a downsizing natural gas engine and installation in a demonstration vehicle
  • Series production of steel pistons for passenger car diesel engines
  • Development of an oil cooler made of stainless steel for medium-sized and heavy-duty commercial vehicles
  • Large-scale production gasoline engine equipped with a high- and low-pressure EGR system and installed in a demonstration vehicle
  • Development of a systemic approach based on the Rankine cycle, which consists of an expansion machine, a feed pump, and various heat exchangers
  • Development of an air intake module with integrated indirect charge air cooling
2015
  • Acquisition of Amovis GmbH (now MAHLE Amovis GmbH)
  • First fully automated production line for passenger car steel pistons in the world
  • Takeover of the thermal management business of Delphi and integration into the MAHLE Group
  • Opening of two new plants in Mexico: for the production of thermal management products in Ramos Arizpe and filtration products in Celaya
  • Majority acquisition of the Japanese company Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd. (now MAHLE Electric Drives Japan)
  • Opening of a new plant in Chengdu/China for producing air conditioners as well as components and systems for engine cooling
  • Product launch of TechPRO®, a diagnostic tool for the aftermarket, on the US market
  • Development of a monovalent natural gas (CNG) drive and installation in a demonstration vehicle
  • New lean burn combustion process “MAHLE Jet Ignition®” is used in Formula 1
  • Use of MAHLE electric motors in electric scooters
  • Development of the particularly lightweight and structurally stable EVOLITE® piston and the EVOTEC® RSC piston with ring carrier and integrated cooling gallery
  • Air conditioning compressors added to the air conditioning portfolio
  • Battery temperature control using thermoelectric heat pump enters series production development
  • MAHLE Foundation celebrates its 50th anniversary.
2016
  • Sale of the industrial filtration business
  • Merger of the electric drives and applications as well as the actuators product areas into the Mechatronics division
  • Opening of the Vehicle Engineering Centre in Northampton/Great Britain in order to extend the range of products and services offered to automobile manufacturers in the field of future-oriented powertrain technologies
  • Opening of a new testing center in Plymouth, Michigan/USA
  • MAHLE signs the Diversity Charter
  • Start of the ACTIVATR innovation program
  • World’s first controllable pendulum-slider oil pump for commercial vehicles
  • World premiere of the CareMetix® cabin filter, which protects against solid matter and gas particles and eliminates odors
  • Development of the world’s first map-controlled thermostat for commercial vehicle applications
  • World’s first R744 air conditioning system in series
2017
  • Mechatronics division expanded to include the control and power electronics product group.
  • Locations in Stuttgart/Germany receive seal of approval for their family-friendly personnel policy
  • Start of the internal innovation program “Incubator”
  • Collaboration with Faurecia on technologies for thermal management in the Cockpit of the Future
  • Sale of the forging activities and therefore of the plants in Plettenberg and Roßwein, both in Germany
  • Acquisition of the start-up O-Flexx Technologies GmbH, allowing entry into the thermoelectrics market (now MAHLE Thermoelektronik GmbH)
  • Acquisition of the Spanish electronics specialist Nagares SA (now MAHLE Electronics S.L.U.)
  • Acquisition of minority holding in BRAIN BEE® AG, a specialist in automotive workshop equipment
  • Construction of a new plant in Krotoszyn/Poland
  • Sale of shares in the Brazilian components manufacturer MAHLE Metal Leve Miba Sinterizados
  • Opening of a new plant for air conditioning compressors in Changshu/China
  • World debut of 48-volt vehicle concept “MEET” (MAHLE Efficient Electric Transport) at IAA Cars in Frankfurt/Germany
  • Pedelec drives in series production
  • Development of a new liquid management module combining an electric coolant pump and cooling circuit control for CO2 reduction
  • Development of e-compressors for different power classes
2018
  • Shareholding in the Behr Group increased to 55.71 percent
  • Sale of the 50/50 joint venture Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems GmbH & Co. KG by mutual agreement with the Bosch Group
  • Sale of the shares in Hella Behr Plastic Omnium (HBPO)
  • Acquisition of ebikemotion® Technologies SL, a specialist in pedelec systems, HMI, and connectivity (now MAHLE Ebikemotion S.L.U.)
  • Opening of a new research and development center for electronics in Valencia/Spain
  • Opening of a new WLTP- and RDE-capable testing and certification center (RDEC) in Northampton/Great Britain
  • Majority acquisition of BRAIN BEE® (now MAHLE Aftermarket Italy)
  • Opening of the first production line for electric air conditioning compressors in Balassagyarmat/Hungary
  • Systems solutions for hybridization in the field of commercial vehicles (thermal management, drive motors, and power electronics)
  • Development of e-waste heat recovery system for commercial vehicles in a compact box
  • Development of a new oil management module for vehicles with electric drive systems
  • Demonstration of an innovative valve train system for commercial vehicles that integrates functions such as engine braking or exhaust gas temperature management into the valve train (Shifting Roller System)
  • Demonstration of a flat membrane humidifier for reliable humidification of supplied air, optimizing the efficiency and service life of a fuel cell
  • Production-ready solutions for the temperature control of batteries, electronics, and electric motors as well as solutions for monitoring the fuel cell stack
2019
  • Shareholding in the Behr Group increased to 60.71 percent
  • Acquisition of the transmission specialist ZG-Zahnräder to expand MAHLE’s competence for the powertrain
  • Entry into wireless charging of electric vehicles
  • MAHLE corporate start-up chargeBIG secures order from Stuttgart Airport for a charging system for electric vehicles
  • New production process allows steel pistons to be used in powerful passenger car engines
  • Materials and components from MAHLE are ready for synthetic fuels
  • MAHLE combines its development areas in a fuel cell project house
  • With its power electronics, traction motors, and charging infrastructure solutions, MAHLE offers a broad range of products for e-mobility
  • MAHLE expands its range of components for e-bikes
  • Integrated heat-pump-based system from MAHLE reduces cruising range loss for electric vehicles by up to 20 percent
  • Market launch of the diagnostic tool TechPRO®
2020
  • MAHLE celebrates its 100-year anniversary
  • Establishment of the new Electronics and Mechatronics business unit
  • Acquisition of all shares in Behr Hella Service (BHS), expanding the thermal management portfolio in the Aftermarket business unit for conventional and electrically powered vehicles
  • New production, research, and development center for workshop equipment opened in Parma/Italy