Hoenle
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHoenle is a German technology company specializing in industrial UV technology, UV curing systems, and high-tech adhesives.
Last updated September 26, 2026
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Overview
Hoenle (formerly Dr. Hönle AG) is a German publicly listed technology company headquartered in Gilching, Germany. Founded in 1976 by Karl Hönle and Günter Schmid, the company has grown into an internationally active provider of industrial UV technology. Its core business encompasses the development, production, and distribution of UV systems, UV lamps, UV measurement technology, and electronic ballasts. The company serves a wide range of industries including automotive, printing, healthcare/medical technology/pharma, semiconductors, food, aerospace, optics, environmental, and consumer electronics. Hoenle operates through three main business units: Curing, Adhesive Systems, and Disinfection. The Curing unit provides UV, LED-UV, IR/hot air, inert UV, and excimer systems for solvent-free curing and drying. The Adhesive Systems unit offers high-tech adhesives for medical technology and other industrial applications. The Disinfection unit delivers chemical-free UV-based solutions for air, surface, and water disinfection, including UV-C and pulsed light technologies. The company has a long history of innovation and expansion, both organically and through acquisitions. Key milestones include the development of its first UV irradiation devices for industrial applications in 1980, the conversion to a stock corporation (AG) in 1998, and its IPO in 2001. Hoenle has acquired several companies to strengthen its portfolio, such as Panacol Group (adhesives) in 2008, UV-Technik Speziallampen GmbH in 2010, Raesch Group (quartz glass) in 2012, and Sterilsystems GmbH, UMEX GmbH, and Technigraf GmbH in 2020. In 2021, the company moved to a new corporate headquarters in Gilching. In autumn 2025, a group-wide corporate brand was introduced and the company was renamed Hoenle AG. Hoenle is considered one of the world's leading providers of industrial UV technology. Its systems are used in printing, converting, coating, bonding, potting, fluorescence testing, and disinfection of surfaces, liquids, and gases. The company emphasizes sustainable and efficient production processes, offering solvent-free and chemical-free solutions. With a global presence, including subsidiaries and sales offices in Europe, the USA, and Asia, Hoenle continues to expand its international footprint.
History
Hoenle was founded in 1976 by Karl Hönle and Günter Schmid as a partnership (Personengesellschaft). In the following year, the legal form was changed from a GbR to a GmbH. In 1980, the company developed its first UV irradiation devices for industrial applications. In 1991 and 1992, Dr. K. Hönle Produktions GmbH and Dr. K. Hönle Medizintechnik GmbH were founded. In 1998, the French subsidiary Honle UV France S.a.r.l. and the subsidiary Aladin GmbH (a UV lamp manufacturer) were established, and Dr. K. Hönle Medizintechnik GmbH was sold. In the same year, the company was converted into a stock corporation (AG), and in 2001 it went public. In 2002, the Dr. Hönle Resident Representative Office opened in Shanghai. In 2008, Hönle acquired the Panacol Group (Panacol-Elosol GmbH, Eleco Panacol – EFD), an adhesives specialist, as well as Eltosch GmbH (sheet-fed offset) and PrintConcept GmbH (rotary printing), two drying system manufacturers for the printing industry. In 2009, the Hönle Group opened another branch in the USA with Eltosch America Inc. In 2010, Hönle acquired a majority stake in UV-Technik Speziallampen GmbH. In 2011, a sales office was opened in Italy (Pavia), and the Dr. Hönle Resident Representative Office was converted into Hoenle UV Technology (Shanghai) Trading Ltd. In 2012, Dr. Hönle AG acquired a majority stake in the Raesch Group, consisting of Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH, Langwiesen, and Raesch Quarz (Malta) Ltd., Malta. The group produces tubes and semi-finished products from quartz glass. Grafix GmbH has been part of the Hönle Group since 2013. It manufactures peripheral devices for sheet-fed offset printing, e.g., for drying, powder application, tempering, and conditioning during ink application. Retroactively to October 1, 2013, Grafix GmbH, Stuttgart, and Eltosch Torsten Schmidt GmbH, Hamburg, were merged into Eltosch Grafix GmbH. In the second quarter of 2013/2014, the American subsidiary Eltosch America Inc., Batavia, IL, USA, was renamed Eltosch Grafix America Inc., Batavia, IL, USA. In 2015, the adhesives market segment was strengthened by two new subsidiaries: Panacol-Korea and Panacol-USA. In 2019, GEPA Coating Solutions GmbH was founded, based in Frickingen/Bodensee. GEPA Coating Solutions develops, manufactures, and sells coating systems. In 2020, Aladin GmbH was merged into uv-technik Speziallampen GmbH, and Sterilsystems GmbH, based in Austria, was acquired; its UVC systems are used in air and surface disinfection, water disinfection, and odor neutralization. In the same year, a majority stake was acquired in UMEX GmbH, with its main business area of UV water treatment, and Technigraf GmbH (LED-UV/UV conveyor dryers and special systems). Also in 2020, Dr. Hönle AG acquired uv-technik Meyer GmbH (UV lamps and ballasts) including uv-technik international ltd, UK. uv-technik Meyer GmbH was merged into uv-technik Speziallampen GmbH in the same year. In 2021, Dr. Hönle AG moved into its new company building in Gilching, the headquarters of the Hönle Group. As of October 1, 2022, Eltosch Grafix GmbH was merged into Dr. Hönle AG. As of December 1, 2022, Dr. Hönle AG sold all shares in Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH in Ilmenau. At the beginning of 2023, the group was reorganized into three business units: Curing, Adhesive Systems, and Disinfection. The shares in UMEX GmbH and Technigraf GmbH were sold as of October 1, 2023, and the shares in GEPA Coating Solutions GmbH were sold as of September 30, 2024. In autumn 2025, a group-wide corporate brand was introduced and the company was renamed Hoenle AG.
- 2025
Introduced group-wide corporate brand and renamed to Hoenle AG.
- 2024
Sold GEPA Coating Solutions GmbH.
- 2023
Reorganized into three business units: Curing, Adhesive Systems, Disinfection; sold UMEX GmbH and Technigraf GmbH.
- 2022
Merged Eltosch Grafix GmbH into Dr. Hönle AG; sold Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH.
- 2021
Moved to new headquarters in Gilching.
- 2020
Acquired Sterilsystems GmbH, UMEX GmbH, Technigraf GmbH, and uv-technik Meyer GmbH; merged Aladin GmbH into uv-technik Speziallampen GmbH.
- 2019
Founded GEPA Coating Solutions GmbH.
- 2015
Founded Panacol-Korea and Panacol-USA.
- 2013
Grafix GmbH joined the group; Eltosch Grafix GmbH formed from merger.
- 2012
Acquired majority stake in Raesch Group.
Products and positioning
World's leading provider of industrial UV technologies, offering solvent-free curing, chemical-free disinfection, and high-tech adhesive systems.
UV curing systems
Systems for solvent-free curing and drying in printing, coating, and bonding applications.
UV disinfection systems
Chemical-free UV-C and pulsed light solutions for air, surface, and water disinfection.
High-tech adhesives
Industrial adhesives for medical technology and other applications.
UV lamps
Low-pressure and medium-pressure UV lamps for various industrial processes.
UV measurement technology
Instruments for measuring UV radiation in industrial processes.
Electronic ballasts
Electronic ballasts for UV lamps.
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