20 Years of KION: Milestones and turning points in our history

"For 20 years, we have been shaping the future of the supply chain," says KION CEO Rob Smith in the video kicking off our anniversary year. This year marks exactly 20 years since KION was founded in November 2006. "Our technologies move the world," Rob Smith continues: "But what about our history? It's written by people. Every single day, all around the world."

There’s no denying the fact that although KION is “only” celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, we can look back on over 200 years of company history. That’s because KION’s subsidiary companies and brands are much older than the Group itself. Dematic was founded in 1819, Linde Material Handling in 1904, and STILL in 1920. Two of these three brands formerly belonged to Linde AG and were spun off in 2006 – marking the birth of KION.

An overview of some key highlights and milestones from our corporate history so far:

Linde AG consolidates its forklift truck business under the brands Linde, STILL and OM. Investment firms KKR and Goldman Sachs acquired this segment, which was then separated from Linde AG’s corporate structures and has since operated independently as KION. From the outset, the company ranked among the world’s leading manufacturers of forklift trucks and warehouse technology.

Initially as a joint venture, KION integrated the Chinese forklift brand Baoli, fully acquiring it two years later. This move quickly made KION the largest foreign forklift truck manufacturer in China. Baoli, in turn, expanded its international presence far beyond Asia, gaining a strong reputation in Europe, North and South America as a value-segment brand.

With a successful IPO, KION opened a new chapter in its company history in June 2013. The new capital structure, established in cooperation with its Chinese partner and current anchor shareholder Weichai Power, gave the young company new freedoms. With the momentum from its stock market listing, the company aimed to grow internationally and broaden its strategic positioning. This announcement was quickly followed by action.

A new era begins: With the acquisition of Dematic, a leading specialist in automation and supply chain optimization, KION became a comprehensive provider of intralogistics solutions. The portfolio now extends from forklift trucks to fully automated solutions for flow of materials – an excellent foundation for megatrends like Industry 4.0, digitalization, and e-commerce.

KION relocated its headquarters from Wiesbaden to the economic hub of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Situated near the international airport hub, Frankfurt Airport, the new location greatly enhanced the company's visibility and accessibility – a significant step toward greater international presence and global growth. Because from here, the connections to partners, colleagues, and customers are close.

With a clear focus on software, KION targets a broader global market, ensuring that supply chains reach their full potential. To achieve this, the company invests in collaborations such as with NVIDIA, pursues further acquisitions (e.g., DAI), and makes investments in locations worldwide. In this way KION has transformed from a hardware manufacturer into an innovative provider of orchestrated and automated Supply Chain Solutions.

Today, KION enables global trade to flow smoothly – globally, regionally, and locally. Our hardware and software solutions move billions of goods around the clock, enabling global supply chains to reach their full potential – smarter, more resilient, faster, and more sustainable.