The history of the Steinecker brand

Anton Steinecker founds the company

At the age of 29, Anton Steinecker, a mechanical engineer, founds the Anton Steinecker iron foundry and machine plant. The son of a wealthy family, he decides on a business location on Münchner Straße in Freising. In addition to general mechanical engineering work, its first manufacturing range comprises the construction of brewery and malting machines.

Expansion of manufacture

Steinecker now supplies machinery to breweries in over 20 countries, including the complete scope of brewery equipment where necessary. Due to high demand – both nationally and internationally – what is now the largest brewery machine plant in Bavaria is in need of expansion. There is an increase in employee numbers and the company records continual growth.

Limited partnership

On 1st January the company is turned into a family limited partnership. Under new leadership, the company is managed with the aim to maintaining the most modern manufacturing methods and the highest performance. The next three years are good for work and thus Steinecker becomes a well-known name on the global market for brewery and malting machines. This is confirmed by a number of awards.

Temporary closure

The economic crisis also hits Steinecker: The factory is closed in 1932, but the machines are still continually serviced. Bankruptcy proceedings are instituted in the same year. Over the next seven years, the machine plant is managed by a lawyer from Freising. In 1939, a bank files an application for Steinecker’s compulsory auction, but this does not take place.

Public limited company

The limited partnership is dissolved in July and the public limited company Anton Steinecker Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft is founded. The company is entered in the trade register three days before the start of the war.

Second world war

Production is changed during the war, business with brewery equipment is just a sideline. Steinecker tries out new ideas, for example, cheese manufacturing machines. Freising’s railway station is bombed on 18th April 1945 and the factory destroyed. The restoration takes until 1950.

Limited liability company

On 1st January Anton Steinecker Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft is turned into a limited liability company.

Take-over by the Kronseder family

Anton Steinecker Maschinenfabrik GmbH is incorporated in the Kronseder corporate group Hermann Kronseder transfers the company manager position to his son Harald in 1984. He reorganises the factory. The focus is now on the brewhouse, beer filtration and control sectors. As a result, the turnover and export share increase to 65 percent.

New site

Due to limited production facilities and following complaints from the local residents about noise, the search for a suitable new company site continues for several years. The move finally happens in 1991: The company moves into modern production and office areas in Freising-Attaching.

Incorporation in the Krones Group

Harald Kronseder leaves Anton Steinecker Maschinenfabrik GmbH. It is transferred to the corporate group of the beverage and packing machine manufacturer Krones AG, first as a subsidiary, then integrated in Krones AG in 2005. Through the inclusion of Steinecker, Krones, one of the world’s market leaders for bottling and packaging systems, can appear as a complete supplier in the brewing and beverage industry.

Innovation united with sustainability

EquiTherm celebrates its premiere. This energy recovery system makes it possible to save up to 55 percent of thermal and 40 percent of electrical energy in the brewhouse. At the drinktec 2017, Krones carries the subject of energy saving to even further extremes: With the Brewnomic, the overall concept of an energy-self-sufficient brewery is presented, one which entirely supplies its own energy through the utilisation of residual materials.

Technical centre opening

With the Brew Center, the conditions are created for manufacturing special brews, testing the latest technologies, carrying out trials, feasibility studies and field tests, and training employees and customers. All of the brewing processes can be reproduced in this multifunctional brewery. It is also possible to work on process-related product development together with the customer.

Autonomy of Steinecker GmbH

Krones decides to group together its activities relating to brewing in Steinecker GmbH. As an independent company, it can now act flexibly and independently on the market while also benefiting from the strong international network of the parent company, Krones.