1940ies
Nach jahrelanger Arbeit als Ingenieur bei Bosch kam Anton Kunzmann nach dem Krieg zurück in seine Heimat Wellendingen, eine kleine Ortschaft am Fuße der schwäbischen Alb.
1948 - founding of the company
He founded the company Griesser & Kunzmann together with his partner Karl Griesser. He found the company abbreviation "Bosch" so memorable that he added "GUK" to the company name and entered it in the commercial register.
1954 - laying of the foundation stone industrial area
The workshop of company founder Griesser quickly became too small, so the first company building was constructed on the outskirts of the village. The founders had to procure the building materials themselves. They quarried stones in the local quarry, and Kunzmann worked at the Schwenningen brickworks for six weeks to pay for the bricks. Construction timber was sourced from the family's own forest. This laid the foundation.
1950ies - company growth by automotive industry growth
Thanks to Anton Kunzmann's good connections with Bosch and his hard work, various products were manufactured for the Stuttgart-based company. This activity was also the reason why Anton Kunzmann became the sole shareholder and Karl Grießer left the company. Later, the company boss sold a legendary Mercedes 200 SL to buy new production machinery.
1960ies - portfolio expansion
The company quickly expanded from 15 to 25 employees at the new location. Working with lathes made it clear that manufacturing shafts and producing the first folding machine were the next logical steps. Participating in numerous industrial trade fairs quickly generated orders.
1970ies - positive business development
The folding machine division is growing rapidly, making a further construction phase necessary to accommodate advanced series production and a department for apprentices. By that time, more than 10,000 folding machines bearing the GUK seal of quality had already been sold. For this purpose, a new two-story building was erected and named the Olympic Hall, as the 1972 Olympic Games were held in Munich when it was completed. Today, the building houses the electrical assembly department and the entire administrative staff on the second floor.
1980ies - modern production
As requirements for modern, efficient production grew, further construction measures became necessary. The hall, which is now used as an exhibition and training center, was acquired to increase production capacity. Production of turned parts was moved to the new "train station hall," which has around 6,000 m² of production space.
1990ies - international growth direction
With over 25,000 folding machines sold, GUK has secured a strong position in the print finishing industry. Its specialization in thin papers and custom machine construction has also generated international interest in its products. The death of company founder Anton Kunzmann in 1997 marked the end of an era. However, the second and third generations of entrepreneurs have been involved with the company for many years to secure the continuance.
2000ies - The family company
Bernd Kunzmann and Ilse Reger, the two children, took over management of the company. GUK now employs around 180 people. By the end of the 2000s, the company remained in the family. After more than 50 years at GUK, managing partner Bernd Kunzmann retired from his professional career at nearly 70 years old and sold his shares to his sister, Ilse Reger.
Ihr Mann und Mitgesellschafter Dieter Reger trägt die Verantwortung für den Drehtechnik-Bereich.
2010ies - Together strong
The shareholders of GUK confirmed their trust in Susanne Faulhaber, the owner's daughter, and her husband, Dipl.-Ing. Friedrich Faulhaber, for their many years of work in the company. They transferred responsibility to the couple and appointed them as managing directors. With the motto "TOGETHER STRONG," the third generation of the family has joined the company to strengthen its position as a leader in high-performance folding machines and precision turning technology.
With an annual turnover of almost EUR 35 million, the company is an important part of the village community.
2020ies - The fourth generation
We employ over 200 people and impress our customers with customized solutions. We achieve this through our well-trained, experienced employees; our solution-oriented thinking; and our high level of vertical integration, which is almost 80%.
The fourth generation is now shaping the company's ongoing development. Stefanie Glunk, née Faulhaber, heads Commercial Sales. Her brother, Sebastian Faulhaber, oversees corporate development.
Today - Here and Now
Wir bauen jährlich knapp 900 Anlagen, liefern Ersatzteile in fast alle Länder dieser Welt, produzieren etwa 2 Mio. Präzisionsdrehteile und erwirtschaften damit einem Umsatz von ca. 40 Mio. Euro pro Jahr. GUK ist für viele Menschen ein verlässlicher Arbeitgeber, ein starker Partner in der Region oder das bewährte Arbeitsmittel in Form einer Falzanlage.
We do our best to ensure that this remains the case for decades to come.
