History

A timeline of Kautex's accomplishments

1935-1960

1935

Kautex is founded.

1947

Dr. Reinold Hagen starts with 47 employees.

1949

Kautex develops the first blow-mold machine in Europe.

1956

Kautex reaches 389 employees and exports its first blow-mold machines outside Germany.

1960

Kautex brings its machine-building to the assembly line, marking the breakthrough of the family business on the world market.

1960-1990

1963

With 1039 employees, Kautex becomes the largest producer of blow-molded hollow bodies on the European continent.

1964

With the construction of the first prototype of a plastic fuel tank made of polyamide for Ford, Kautex begins its successful move into the automotive industry.

1972

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 sold to Klöckner Werke.

1990-Today

1996

Kautex sold to Textron; First plant in China opens.

1999

Kautex employees top 4600 at 40 locations in 15 different countries.

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 Hybrid Pressure Tank and also opens a new plant in Chongquing, China and a Development and Validation Center in Guangzhou, China.

2015

Kautex begins production of the first all-plastic hybrid fuel tank - using plastic stiffeners instead of metal reinforcements.

2017

Kautex opens plant in Wuhan, China

2019

Kautex opens plant in Pinghu, China

2021

Kautex opens plant in Tianjin, China

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