1935-1960
1935:
Reinold Hagen founds Kautex (Kautschuk-Ex). Our company began producing seals, cuffs, hoses, and profiles.
1947
Kautex begins plant construction in Bonn-Holzlar, employing 47 people within a short time.
1949
Kautex develops the first blow-mold machine for processing polyethylene (PE) in Europe.
1956
Kautex reaches 389 employees and exports its first blow-mold machines outside Germany.
1959
The first brake fluid containers for cars made of PE are put into series production. With 1,039 employees, Kautex becomes the largest producer of blown hollow bodies in Europe.
1960-1990
1964
First plastic fuel tank prototype produced for Ford.
1973
Kautex develops the first plastic fuel tank made of HDPE, which is integrated into a VW Passat as the first plastic fuel tank in serial production.
1984
With the opening of a production plant in Spain, Kautex begins to expand into the international markets.
1986
The company captures the North American market with the opening of the plant in Windsor, Canada.
1989
Kautex is sold to Klöckner Werke.
1990-2015
1991
A double blow molding machine is put into operation, producing two fuel tanks into one step.
1994
World's first fuel tank made with coextrusion technology goes into series production in North America.
1995
First plant in China opens.
1997
Kautex joins the Textron family.
1999
Kautex employees top 4600 at 40 locations in 15 different countries.
2002
CWC joins the Kautex Textron Group.
2004
Kautex begins developing Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system for diesel vehicles.
2006
Kautex develops Next Generation Fuel System (NGFS®), allowing all tank system components to be attached inside the tank.
2007
Kautex receives the first orders for mass production of NGFS® and SCR.
2011
Kautex opens two new plants, in Silao, Mexico and Craiova, Romania.
2012
Kautex starts to produce its first pressurized tank for hybrid vehicles.
2012
A new plant opens in Chongquing, China and a Development and Validation Center opens in Guangzhou, China.
2015
Kautex begins production of the first all-plastic hybrid fuel tank, using plastic stiffeners instead of metal reinforcements.
2016 - Today
2017
Kautex opens plant in Wuhan, China
2019
Kautex opens plant in Pinghu, China.
2021
Kautex opens plant in Tianjin, China.
2023
Kautex wins first Pentatonic™ order for a full-BEV underbody protection skid plate.
2024
Kautex begins serial production for Pentatonic™ using new compression molding process.