Founded in Germany in 1935, the company was one of the first portable pressure washers to be introduced as the world's leading supplier of cleaning systems/cleaning products and services, providing practical and efficient solutions for daily cleaning and irrigation tasks
Alfred Kärcher, like Robert Bosch, Gottlieb Daimler and Graf Zeppelin, was one of the innovators and entrepreneurs who contributed the most to the progress of Württemberg since the beginning of industrialization. He single-mindedly realized his ideas. In 1924, at the age of 23, Kärcher completed his studies at the Stuttgart Polytechnic School and later worked for his father's company, which later developed into an engineering design company. In 1935 the engineer founded his own company in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, developed his own products in heating technology and put them on the market. Alfred Kärcher has created his own patent: the famous "Kärcher salt bath furnace" for the tempering of steel and the hardening of light alloys for industrial use.
In 1939, the company moved to Winnenden, where the headquarters of the family business are still located today. At this time, the company also produced preheating burners for aircraft engines and cabin heaters. After the end of World War II, the company focused on the manufacture of products that were urgently needed every day, such as ring furnaces, trolleys and tractor trailers.
Entering the field of clean technology
Alfred Kärcher broke into the field of cleaning technology in 1950 with the development of Europe's first hot water pressure washer, the DS 350 steam jet. This water-heated construction is so forward-looking that it is still the basis of all burners to this day.
Due to his untimely death, Alfred Kärcher did not have the opportunity to see the success of his innovations worldwide. He died on 17 September 1959 at the age of 58, after which his wife, Irene, took over the management and continued to run the business for 30 years. Today, their children, Johannes Kärcher and Susanne Zimmermann von Siefart, are the second generation to head the family business.
In 1962, Kärcher established its first foreign subsidiary in France, followed by subsidiaries in Austria and Switzerland. Internationalization was rapidly advancing In 1975, Kärcher established a factory in Brazil; Ten years later, the company has 16 sales offices in North America, Africa, Australia and other regions. As of 2012, Kärcher has established overseas subsidiaries in 57 countries and generates 85 percent of its sales abroad. It has established more than 40,000 service centers in more than 190 countries, ensuring a comprehensive service to customers all over the world.
Innovation drives growth
After a period of diversification, in 1974 Kärcher turned its attention to the field of high-pressure washing. During this time, the color of the machine changed from blue to the now famous Kärcher yellow. In 1980 the company expanded its product line to include a wide range of cleaning products and began to enter transportation and construction applications. Since then, new products have been added, including wet and dry vacuum cleaners, sweepers, scrubber dryers, car wash systems, steam cleaners, detergents, drinking water, sewage treatment plants, etc.
One of the milestones in Kärcher's history was the launch of the first portable pressure washer, the HD 555 profi, in 1984 and finally on the end consumer market. In 1993, the company expanded its product line to include room cleaning. Since then, Kärcher has been supplying home users with cleaners, such as steam cleaners and vacuum cleaners. In 2003, the company introduced the world's first fully autonomous vacuum robot, the RoboCleaner RC 3000, to the market. In 2007 Kärcher entered a completely new business area: horticulture, with irrigation pumps, drainage products, as well as residential water supply and accessories.
In the specialist market, Kärcher became a pioneer in roller brush technology for scrubber dryers in 1986. With the newly developed rotary nozzle (dirt blaster) in 1995, the cleaning effect of the pressure washer was doubled. The dirt suction capacity of commercial wet and dry vacuum cleaners continued to improve, and in 2007 the innovative Tact filter cleaning system was introduced to the market. Kärcher has also developed numerous new processes in cleaning projects around the world. For example, the 284 travertine columns in St. Peter's Square in Rome have been restored with a special blasting process designed specifically for them, with a total of 25,000 square meters of clean area. In 2009, Kärcher started selling ultra-high-pressure washers, which not only clean but also renovate facades and strip concrete at pressures of up to 2,500 bar. In the same year, a multifunctional municipal sweeper was introduced to the market and a water dispenser was introduced to a new target group.
Kärcher becomes a global market leader
Innovation remains the most important factor in Kärcher's growth. In 2011 alone, Kärcher launched more than 100 new products. As a global leader in cleaning technology, Kärcher will continue to maintain its ingenuity, first-class performance and innovative problem solving.
