History of the FUCHS Group
Milestones in the 90-year FUCHS history
1931 | Foundation of the RUDOLF FUCHS company in Mannheim. Import and distribution of high-quality Pennsylvanian refinery products. Establishment of a regional engine oil business. |
1936 | Start of production and opening of the first representative office in Munich. |
1939 | Outbreak of WW2. Import stop for Pennsylvanian oils. Loss of traditional oil suppliers. Relocation to the Mannheim industrial port. |
1945 | End of WW2. Sales revenues hit an all-time low. |
1947 | Focus on supplying industry for the reconstruction. |
1948 | FUCHS lubricants used on German racing circuits for the first time. |
1951 | Foundation of FUCHS LUBRITECH. |
1952 | More than 200 employees for the first time. |
1959 | Death of company founder Rudolf Fuchs. |
1960 | Dr. Manfred Fuchs takes over as the head of the company. |
1968 | First steps of company internationalization through establishment of subsidiaries in France and Spain. |
1971 | FUCHS specializes its product portfolio. In Mannheim, 33 employees dedicated to research, development and quality assurance. |
1972 | The company becomes a corporate group. Strong expansion through acquisitions and mergers from 1972 to 1991. |
1981 | 50th company anniversary. The company develops into a diversified Group with 80 production and trading companies. |
1985 | FUCHS launched on the stock exchange. Listing of preference shares on the Frankfurt and Stuttgart stock exchanges. |
1991 | Following lubricant acquisitions, FUCHS invests in technological and distribution integration measures, as well as exploiting synergy and rationalization potential. Focus on the lubricant business. |
1994 | A new FUCHS logo for the entire Group. The modern, dynamic logo is an important step toward integration of the individual entities. |
2000 | FUCHS PETROLUB is the largest independent supplier of lubricants. Worldwide sales revenues are €900 million with around 4,000 employees. |
2004 | Stefan Fuchs becomes Chairman of the Executive Board. Dr. Manfred Fuchs, who headed the company for 41 years and led it into the elite group of global lubricants manufacturers, leaves the Executive Board and is succeeded by his son. |
2006 | FUCHS celebrates its 75th birthday. With over 4,000 employees worldwide at around 60 operating units, the Group generates sales revenues of €1.2 billion. |
2008 | Inclusion of the preference shares in the MDAX on June 23, 2008. |
2010 | FUCHS commits to a "Code of Responsible Conduct for Business". |
2011 | FUCHS looks back over 80 years of success. |
2013 | FUCHS PETROLUB AG changes its corporate form to a European Company (Societas Europaea): FUCHS PETROLUB SE |
2015 | For the first time, FUCHS generates sales revenues of €2 billion. |
2016 | FUCHS launches the largest investment program in the company's history. By 2018, € 300 million will be invested in a global growth initiative. |