KSB

 

 

Innovation and growth – KSB’s history in a nutshell 

Greater efficiency was the goal of Johannes Klein when he designed his boiler feed apparatus in 1871. His invention trapped the steam generated by steam engines and fed it back into the boiler as water. Together with the entrepreneurs Friedrich Schanzlin and Jakob Becker, Klein laid the foundations for today’s KSB Group with this innovative product.

Efficiency, reliability and sustainability have been the driving forces behind the company ever since. Pumps and valves made by KSB have continually set new benchmarks – in projects around the globe.

The company has remained steadily on course throughout the years, even in difficult times. Through targeted investments, KSB has strategically expanded its business areas. KSB prides itself on being a reliable partner to its customers and a safe harbour for investors – and this will not change in the future.

Today, over 15,000 employees around the world continue the company’s work guided by the principles of its founders. These are the people who are passionate about making sure that KSB’s customers enjoy outstanding performance. True to our motto: People. Passion. Performance.

Read on to learn more about important events in KSB’s long history.

 

 

Future and sustainability (1997 – today)

Sustainable growth and future-oriented digitalisation have enabled KSB to continually advance over decades. If you would like to find out what is currently happening at our company, please visit our news page.

2018 – Even more service for our customers

 

 

• KSB acquires the American company DUBRIC Industries Inc. to expand KSB’s service network in the USA.
• Following a resolution by the Annual General Meeting, KSB AG becomes KSB SE & Co. KGaA. The change in legal form guarantees a stable ownership structure and opens up strategic options.

2012 – Energy efficiency is KSB’s benchmark

 

 

MegaCPK standardised chemical pump: The innovative further development of several well-proven type series offers higher energy efficiency and increased operating reliability. It is also produced according to uniform standards across KSB.

2010 – Commitment to the UN Global Compact

 

 

Sustainability plays a fundamental role in all of KSB’s decisions. By following the principles of the UN Global Compact, we are committed to supporting social and ecological globalisation. Read how KSB actively lives and implements sustainability today.

2002 – KSB is a global company

 

KSB now operates a total of 27 manufacturing sites and has subsidiaries and representatives in over 100 countries.

 

On the path to becoming a global company (1970–1996)

Growth with strategic foresight: At the end of the 20th century, KSB expands on the continents of America, Asia and Europa, tapping into important new markets.

1994 – Expansion to China

 

The joint venture KSB Shanghai Pumps Co. Ltd. reinforces KSB’s involvement in the Chinese market.

1986–1990 – Acquisitions in Europe and the USA

 

A time of growth in which KSB expands its portfolio of products and services:

• KSB acquires the leading French pump manufacturer, Pompes Guinard S.A., Paris.
• The acquisition of GIW Industries, Inc., Grovetown, USA, marks KSB’s entry into the slurry pumps market.
• KSB buys the world’s second-largest butterfly valve manufacturer, Amri S.A., Paris.
• The eastern German “Hallesche Pumpenwerke GmbH” is integrated into KSB AG.

1975 – Noise is also environmental pollution

 

To protect the environment, our engineers develop especially low-noise pumps. An acoustics centre is built for this purpose in Frankenthal in 1975. From this day onwards, it is used to continually reduce the level of noise emitted by KSB pumps.

 

Stability and growth (1946–1969)

After the Second World War, KSB’s reliable products are an important part of Germany’s economic miracle and recovery. A number of key decisions for the future are made during this time.

1964 – KSB Foundation controls share capital

 

Dr. Otto Klein-Kühborth, the adopted son of Jacob Klein, transfers a qualified majority holding of KSB’s share capital to Klein Pumpen GmbH, whose shares in turn are controlled by the non-profit KSB Stiftung [KSB-Foundation]. Established in 1960, the Foundation is dedicated to promoting science and training young talent in engineering, science and economics.

1963 – RDL 900 clean water pump

 

 

Offering a good level of efficiency and a long service life for this size of pump, the RDL 900 marks a technological breakthrough.

1959 – The KSB group of companies becomes an Aktiengesellschaft

 

 

The four previously independent West German companies of the KSB group are merged into the public limited company Klein, Schanzlin & Becker Aktiengesellschaft.

1959 – First location in Asia

 

 

The foundation of a Pakistani subsidiary marks the company's move into the Asian-Pacific markets.

 

 

From company to group (1919–1945)

Under the management of Jacob Klein, the company expands on two continents. During National Socialism and the Second World War, KSB is a supplier for the military. In addition to classic fields of application, KSB products and developments are used in automotive production, shipbuilding, aviation and rocket engineering.

1941 – First location in South America

 

The foundation of KSB Compañía Sudamericana de Bombas marks the beginning of KSB’s presence on the American continent.

1935 – Saving energy since as early as the 1930s

 

KSB launches the Eta series of energy-efficient, single-stage volute casing pumps for industrial applications.

1924 – New sites in Europe

 

KSB acquires three factories in Germany and founds subsidiaries in Europe – the first is located in Italy.

 

A company rooted in innovation (1871–1918)

Everything begins with what KSB still stands for today: people with a passion for their work and a focus on efficiency and functionality – people, passion, performance.

1890 – Durable products from the start

 

Production begins of the UNA pump – a steam- or belt-driven double-acting plunger pump with just one gland packing, hence “una”, Latin for “one”. One of its key features is its long service life.

From 1887 – Conversion to a public limited company and new developments

 

KSB becomes a public limited company (Aktiengesellschaft) and its management is taken over by Johannes Klein.

 

1871 – The first patent: efficiency is a fundamental principle

 

Johannes Klein develops a boiler feed apparatus and installs it at the Frankenthal Joint Stock Brewery. The brewery’s director Friedrich Schanzlin and the financier and brick manufacturer Jakob Becker are impressed by the invention. Together with Klein, they found the company Frankenthaler Maschinen- & Armaturen-Fabrik Klein, Schanzlin und Becker.

 

 

 

Products & Services

THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR EVERY MARKET

Products and spare parts in your region

 

Our technical services

Future-driven products – for the last 150 years

Our customers are individuals and so are our solutions, products and services.  Every sector, market and region has their own special requirements on pumps and valves. When our customers start a new project involving high-efficiency pumps and valves, they know that we at KSB listen to them carefully. We want to understand the particular challenges of each and every project. This is the only way we can find an optimum solution together with our customers and master every challenge. 

How we combine our focus on our customers’ requirements and draw on our 150 years of passion for technological progress and innovation is what our customers appreciate about KSB. At the same time we give everything to continuously improve our know-how by conducting ongoing research and using the latest technologies.

 

All applications of KSB products in your region

It is very useful for us in this regard to be present in all relevant markets around the globe with our own factories and development departments. We speak our customers’ language and know first hand what each market requires. Often it’s not only about ever-increasing quality, longevity and energy efficiency for pumps and valves. It’s about individual solutions.

We speak our customers’ language – and listen attentively to what they say

State-of-the-art manufacturing methods and our ground-breaking materials technology enable us to develop highly specialised and tailored individual solutions for our customers. With additive manufacturing we can produce complex components and small batches that are impossible or hard to cast. This 3D printing method further enables us to supply spare parts at short notice – even for pumps and valves that were not originally from us. Our customers know that for pumps and valves they can fully rely on us and our expertise.

Digital solutions for predictive maintenance and efficient operation

When operating and servicing our products, our customers benefit from the advantages of the latest networking technologies. Our digital solutions KSB Guard, MyFlow Technology and KSB Sonolyzer enable our customers to monitor their systems’ operation online, ensuring reliability, maximum efficiency and a minimum of unplanned downtimes.