The early days

In Augsburg in 1898, Johann Josef Keller and Jakob Knappich found the Augsburg Acetylene Factory for the production of cost-effective domestic and municipal lighting. In view of the development of a succession of new sources of light, however, combined with a drastic fall in prices, production was extended to include the new invention of oxyacetylene welding just seven years after the company was founded. KUKA later turns to electrical resistance welding and constructs the first electric spot-welding gun in Germany.

The name KUKA is derived from the initial letters of the company name “Keller und Knappich Augsburg”.

Transition

Supported by the expertise gained from welding and cutting, both for craftsmen within small trade and on an industrial scale, KUKA sees itself as ideally equipped for the manufacture of large containers. Vehicle superstructures are built, and with such success that KUKA becomes European market leader for municipal vehicles in 1966. KUKA vehicles are also well-known throughout the world, not only in municipal disposal and cleaning applications, but also in commerce and industry.

The welding systems sector grows simultaneously. In 1956, KUKA builds the first automatic welding systems for refrigerators and washing machines and delivers the first multi-spot welding line to Volkswagen AG. For Daimler-Benz, KUKA builds Europe’s first welding transfer line with robots in 1971. And in 1973, KUKA writes history as a robotics pioneer by developing FAMULUS - the world’s first industrial robot with six electromechanically driven axes.

Expansion

Concentration

In 1999 /2000, the takeover of the packaging machinery activities of the Rheinmetall group and the Anglo-American BWI group also makes IWKA AG a leading provider of packaging machinery and plants. In exchange, the defense engineering companies are sold to Rheinmetall. From 2004 onwards, IWKA AG concentrates on automation technology in the core business areas of robotics technology and plant and systems. Activities in the remaining business areas of process technology (fittings, measurement and control technology, and flexible elements), production technology (machining centers and turning machines) and packaging technology for the consumer goods industry are sold off gradually until early 2007. The company is then renamed KUKA Aktiengesellschaft and the headquarters is transferred to Augsburg.
KUKA today concentrates on advanced solutions for the automation of industrial production processes. Ever since the company was founded over 100 years ago, it has stood for innovation in mechanical and systems engineering; it is one of the world’s leading suppliers in the field of robotics as well as in systems engineering.