2016

Küster North America, Inc. is on 4th of January ready to take on work in Troy/Detroit. With the setup of this 100 percent subsidiary, KÜSTER is represented in the United States for the first time.

Ninety years after its foundation, the KÜSTER group has almost 3.000 employees on four continents.

2014

1. April 2014: Küster ADS GmbH, Küster ACS GmbH, ECS Deutschland GmbH and W.H. Küster GmbH & Co. KG was successfully transferred into a separate company the "Küster Automotive GmbH". Its aim being to increase synergy effects and respond to growing global requirements needs.

Towards the end of 2014, Küster Holding GmbH acquired shares in meflex Telecontrol GmbH & Co.KG, which had previously been held by industrie automation GmbH & Co.KG in Heidelberg. The “meflex” brand continued to exist.

2011

To shorten production times and to optimise overall processes, we set up our own electronics production at the main plant in Ehringshausen, among other sites, for producing the MQB printed circuit boards for window regulator drive units.

2010

KÜSTER receives an order from VW for the window regulator drive units of the MQB platform. This means that KÜSTER is in the top league of window regulator drive units.
For the first time, KÜSTER reaches a production of more than 1 million EPBs in one year. Over 5.5 million EPBs have been produced since the beginning of EPB production in 2001.
China remains the focus: In January, Shanghai KÜSTER Control Systems Co. Ltd. plant opens in Shanghai, the ECS Liaoing Control Systems Co. Ltd. in Shenyang and Shanghai Meflex Co. Ltd. in December also in Shanghai.

2009

Knuth Küster succeeds his father as Managing Director of W.H. Küster.
In China, a development centre for shifting operating systems, ECS Engineered Control Systems Co. Ltd in Shanghai is built, for the assembly in Bratislava, in Slovakia the ECS Slovensko, s.r.o.

2008

For the installation of shifting operating systems, KÜSTER founds the ECS Shanghai Control Systems Co. Ltd. in China

2006

KÜSTER delivers first complete manual gearshiftsf for the PQ35/PQ46 platforms for VW.

2002

The new electric parking brake (EPB) of KÜSTER Automotive Control Systems GmbH goes to series with the Renault VelSatis for the first time. For this, a new production hall is built.

2001

KÜSTER is 75 years old.
The overall economic situation is not very heartening. KÜSTER nevertheless succeeds despite this trend.
In close proximity to the VW factory in Bratislava, KÜSTER builds an industrial park where door modules are manufactured for the new VW Polo.

2000

Dieter Küster is appointed the Managing Director of KÜSTER Holding.

1999

Küster & Co. GmbH is reorganised as of 1 October. KÜSTER Automotive Control Systems GmbH for the actuation systems product range, the KÜSTER Automotive Door Systems GmbH for the door systems product range and the KÜSTER Holding GmbH as the parent company are formed from it.
Thus, the enlargement of the product range and the expansion of business activities are taken into account. The Group achieves a turnover of around DM 300 million with 1,400 employees.

1998

KÜSTER brings the first structure-supporting door module on the market with the door module for the Audi TT

1997

A strategic partnership in the area of door modules and window regulators is concluded with the Spanish company Grupo Antolín.
KÜSTER is first certified according to DIN ISO 9001 and QS 9000.

1993

On January 1, the joint venture KÜSTER VS spol. s r.o. begins in Slovakia producing speedometer shafts and actuator cables.

1988

KÜSTER buys a company in Asslar and takes over the production with 95 employees.

1986

Worldwide around 35 million cars are produced; more than ever before. In the Federal Republic of Germany, there are more than four million.
Together with Audi, the Procon-ten system, a safety system, which pulls the wheel forward in the event of a frontal collision and tightens the seatbelts, is brought to series production.
The new development of shift and selector cables is used for the first time in the series vehicle VW Passat.

1980

The first branch plant abroad is built in Ebreichsdorf in Austria. In October, the official opening of the plant takes place in the presence of the Austrian Minister for Economic Affairs, Dr. Staribacher.

1978

KÜSTER receives an order for the development and production of electric cable window regulators for the Audi 80.

1976

KÜSTER celebrates its 50th anniversary.
KÜSTER's total sales amount to DM 70 million and doubled in the past 10 years. The staff counts around 200 employees.
The first manual cable window regulator is produced for the Simca 1307.

1972

On 13 July, a major fire in Ehringshausen destroys a complete manufacturing and storage hall. The damage amounts to over DM two million. People do not get hurt.

1967

After the first economic weakness of the Federal Republic, KÜSTER takes over the company Schubert in Wustrow, a factory producing actuator cables for two-wheeled vehicles.

1964

For the production of brake cables, KÜSTER expands capacity with the purchase of a further plant in Bad Marienberg in the Westerwald. Brake cable installation is included first with 35 employees.

1963

KÜSTER goes into the production of window regulators. This is a pitch cable window regulator, also called a pipe window regulator which was developed for the 1200 Beetle from VW.

1958

Wilhelm KÜSTER dies on June 1 at the age of only 54. The sons, Dieter and Klaus assume the leadership of the company.

1955

The sales potential develops favourably. Nearly a million vehicles are built in the Federal Republic of Germany. KÜSTER generates a total turnover of DM 13 million and employs around 180 people. In Züschen in the Upper Sauerland an idle plant is acquired. On May 4, the production of actuator cables initially begins with 15 employees.

1951

KÜSTER celebrates its 25th anniversary. During this time, the company becomes one of the largest companies in the Lahn-Dill area. At the same time, a new workshop with 4500 m² of production space is completed.

1949

KÜSTER exhibits at the first international industry fair in Hanover. Business relations with the Ruhr mining are started and KÜSTER receives a large DM 500,000.00 export order from Argentina.

1945

The partly destroyed factory is rebuilt after the war. The production begins with 90 employees. The average hourly rate is 72 Reichspfennig. The first customers are vehicle owners who need brake cables for their old vehicles.

1942

Küster & Co. is founded specifically to supply the car industry. Wilhelm KÜSTER concludes the first contract with VW for the supply of brake cables for the VW Beetle.

1936

The automotive industry presents the first vehicles with independent suspension. KÜSTER responds quickly. The flexible brake actuation cables required are developed and produced. The ropery is extended and it allows the production of brake cables and actuator cables.

1932

Wilhelm KÜSTER builds a new factory building in Ehringshausen. The number of employees grows to 45.

1926

KÜSTER is founded on July 1, 1926. With the assistance of his two brothers, Heinrich and Fritz, Wilhelm Küster begins production in Werdorf with a wire braiding machine and a wire sack sealing machine.