Meiko - the never-ending story

The beginning

1927. People had had enough of war. In its place came the fun-loving 1920s. All people wanted to do was eat, drink and be merry. In his mind's eye Oskar Meier, until then chief designer of a company called Martin (Witzig and Frank), saw mountains of glasses, crockery and cutlery. He also saw a vast market for something that would wash them - and so Meiko was born.

• Oskar Meier was employed by the Offenburg company Martin which built washing machines and lathes. In 1927 he and Franz Konrad, who had experience in sales, decided to "go it alone" and initially set up a small work-shop in Friedrichstrasse. That was also where they invented the name which has since become a synonym across the world for first-class dish-washing technology - Meier and Konrad = MeiKo. One year later, in 1928, their small business moved to its present location - the corner of Englerstrasse and Haselwanderstrasse.
  
  
• 1927 was a boom year. MEIKO later bought parts of the present MEIKO site. The city helped the infant company by allowing it to delay payment for the land - without it the company would never have flourished.
  
  
• 1934 saw manufacture of cleaning and disinfection machines for bed-pans in hospitals and care homes commence. This product area now accounts for a quarter of MEIKO's turnover.
  
  
• On 27th November 1944 the war came to MEIKO and the factory was completely destroyed. But it was later rebuilt from the ashes and, thanks to the perseverance of the owner and the support of the staff, it was rebuilt far bigger and better than before.

MEIKO today

Company tradition has always emphasised production skills as one of the mainstays of constant success. It has always been considered vital to maintain and strengthen the company's production capability. Today, as before, the most modern production technologies, manufacturing and organisational tools are employed (and not just in the production departments) for the manufacture of the dishwashers and sanitary appliances which have proved successful in local and international markets for very many years. High-tech products also demand high-tech tools; MEIKO's designers work with the very latest 3D CAD system, just like those used in the auto industry.

Staff in Offenburg, 872. World-wide, 1400.
Offenburg sales in 2006, EUR 111 million. Group sales, EUR 164 million.
Offenburg site, 72,100 m², of which 40,500 m² is occupied by buildings.

Meiko and its products are represented in over 65 countries of the world. The company is active in the market with over 21 subsidiaries and associated companies as well as a global sales and service network. The latest subsidiaries are Meiko Australia and Meiko India, both of which were established in the same year that Meiko celebrated its 80th anniversary.
The production facilities in China (established in 1997 and now with a staff of 100) and the USA (established in 2003, now employing 40 people) produce dishwashers for their domestic markets using the same quality standards as those applied to the appliances made in Offenburg where the watchword is "Quality made in Germany".

The MEIKO Foundation - a special position in the market

Meiko belongs to a foundation (legally established in 1983).
According to the wishes of its founders, Oskar and Rosel Meier, is has the prime objective of maintaining the company's financial independence and the jobs which Meiko provides. However, the Oskar and Rosel Meier Foundation also allows other social activities as Meiko's capital was made independent of individual persons. This means that the distribution of dividends to shareholders and the payment of income to owners is prohibited. All profits must be reinvested in the company. The obligation of maintaining employment opportunities produces a feeling of solidarity with the company among its employees - a feeling which is not to be found elsewhere. Very important: MEIKO cannot be sold. Enquiries from giants of the investment world were turned away.

Education and training - an investment for the future

As well as investing heavily in the development of the physical assets of the company (for example in 2006 investments of this nature totalled approximately EUR 7 million for new buildings, new production technology, IT, the refitting of work-places etc.) the company also takes its responsibility of enhancing education and training facilities very seriously. Meiko works closely with universities in Offenburg, Freiburg, Dresden and Greifswald.
The company is currently training about 50 trainees. Almost 100% of trainees go on to become permanent staff members.

Innovational skills - an example

Numerous awards from German and international bodies are testimony to MEIKO's outstanding innovational skills. Since equipping its dishwashers two years ago with what it calls its "Low Energy Management" system, Meiko has been instrumental in saving enough energy to provide a city of about 30,000 inhabitants with electricity for a year free of charge.

The company has been a "pace-maker" in the field of dishwashing technology right from the outset and in the 21st century it does not fail to live up to its reputation. Its remarkable past and its outstanding culture of enterprise form a very solid foundation for the continuing innovation which will underpin Meiko's success in the market.

MEIKO - on track for expansion:

Meiko will continue to grow. Changes in the market-place and the company's ability to compete leave plenty of scope for expansion in German and international markets. According to Burkhard Randel, the General Manager, growth of about 10% per annum is expected. MEIKO is in robust good health and until now has not a single cent of bank borrowings. Randel is particularly proud that MEIKO has not grown by buying other companies. Export accounts for about 50% of the machines produced.

The remodelling and expansion of the company's Head Office was a decisive step into the future, not least in order to provide enough space for the IT Department.   MEIKO is not only a leader in innovation but also employs all modern, innovative technologies, whether in the field of IT, management techniques or production.

Meiko as Sponsor at the IKA/Culinary Olympics

For us, being a sponsor at the IKA/Culinary Olympics for the German Chefs Association, means supporting high end professionals, who guarantee a positive prospect for the future. After all, the VKD is the largest chefs' association in Europe and therefore supporting the National Youth Team just is consequent.

At the IKA/Culinary Olympics we will show examples of our dish-washing technology.