emz-Hanauer GmbH & Co. KGaA

emz-Hanauer GmbH & Co. KGaA is a German technology company headquartered in Nabburg in the Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz) region of Bavaria. Founded in 1948 by Ernst Hanauer sen. as "Elektromanufaktur Zangenstein," the company began by producing a rotary capacitor for the first German post-war radio, the Grundig "Heinzelmann," and grew into a supplier for the entire German consumer electronics industry. Over the decades it transformed from a pure contract manufacturer into an integrated technology group. Today emz-Hanauer employs more than 1,600 people worldwide and develops and manufactures components and systems for dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators. The company describes itself as the world market leader in locking systems and sensors for these appliances. Its business is organized into three strategic divisions: household appliances (Hausgeräte), building services (Haustechnik), and environmental technology (Umwelttechnik). In the household appliance segment, emz-Hanauer supplies all major white-goods manufacturers worldwide with electromechanical and electronic components as well as complete systems, including door locks, sensors, LED modules, electric actuators, and system solutions. The building services division provides control and regulation technology for modern building systems and smart home applications, including solar thermal and biomass systems. The environmental technology division offers electronic access systems for large waste containers, electronic waste volume recording, and fill-level detection — one of the first concrete Internet of Things (IoT) applications in municipal waste management, marketed as a complete package from data capture to process optimization. The company operates its own plants in the Czech Republic, Mexico, and China, and maintains a worldwide sales network. It opened its first foreign location in Černošín, Czech Republic, in 1997, followed by Querétaro, Mexico, in 2004 and Nanjing, China, in 2011. A Customer Applications Centre for web-app development opened in Pilsen in 2020, and construction of a production site in Romania began in 2022. In Nabburg, around 400 employees work in the "Customer Innovation Space" opened in 2016, developing solutions in close coordination with global markets. emz-Hanauer has been led since 1995 by Thomas Hanauer, the third generation of the founding family; from 1995 to 1999 he shared the role with his father, Ernst Hanauer jun. (1930–2025), who had been with the company since 1957. The company is family-owned and not listed. It has received numerous supplier awards from major appliance makers including Electrolux, Whirlpool, Midea, and Haier, as well as regional business honors such as the Großer Preis des Mittelstandes and Bayerns Best 50.

emz-Hanauer was founded on 14 May 1948 in Zangenstein, Upper Palatinate, by Ernst Hanauer sen. (1897–1970) under the name "Elektromanufaktur Zangenstein." Hanauer drew on contacts from his time as a managing director at AEG, for which he had worked in Berlin and South America. The first product was a rotary capacitor for the first German post-war radio, the Grundig "Heinzelmann," made for the then AEG subsidiary NSF. Production began with eight women in the basement of a glass grinding workshop in Zangenstein. The capacitor business expanded in the following years; at its peak, 800 employees produced capacitors for the entire German consumer electronics industry. In 1949 the so-called "Christmas tree chain" for OSRAM was added to the program, a product that was only finally discontinued in 2017. In subsequent years the company evolved from a pure contract manufacturer into an integrated technology group. In 1950 an in-house toolmaking shop was established. Apprentice training began in 1955, from 1971 in its own training workshop. In 1958 emz developed its first own product, the so-called plastic chain. From 1961 emz also had its own production equipment manufacturing. In 1964 the first in-house winding machine for capacitors was designed and built. From 1965 the company developed and produced components for night storage heaters, its first products for building services. In 1959, with the first safety regulator for stoves, the company entered the household appliance sector. In 1975/76 an in-house development department was founded. Customer relationships developed into development partnerships in the following years. In 1980, with the first water level regulator for washing machines and dishwashers, this business unit was expanded. In 1984 the first emz door lock for washing machines went into series production. In 1994 the first locking unit for waste containers was developed, marking the entry into the environmental technology business unit. From the late 1990s emz expanded internationally, targeting the USA and Asia in addition to Europe. In 1997 the first foreign location opened in Černošín, Czech Republic. In 2004 the emz site in Querétaro, Mexico, started operations, and in 2011 its own production site in Nanjing, China, which is also being expanded as a development location. At the beginning of 2020 the Customer Applications Centre for web-app development opened in Pilsen. In 2022 emz-Hanauer also gave the starting signal for the construction of a production site in Romania. Around 400 employees develop solutions for worldwide customers in the "Customer Innovation Space" opened in Nabburg in 2016, in close coordination with the markets. The company has been led since 1995 by Thomas Hanauer in the third generation; he held the office jointly with his father Ernst Hanauer jun. (1930–2025) until 1999. The latter had been active in the company since 1957.

• 2021

  Received Bayerns Best 50 and Haier Strategic Supplier Award.

• 2020

  Opened Customer Applications Centre for web-app development in Pilsen; received Midea Innovationspreis and Whirlpool COVID-19 Outstanding Supplier Award.

• 2019

  Received Electrolux Supplier Excellence Award and Electrolux Supplier Innovation Award.

• 2017

  Received Bayerns Best 50, Midea Innovation Award, and Whirlpool Supplier Award; discontinued OSRAM Christmas tree chain.

• 2016

  Opened "Customer Innovation Space" in Nabburg; received Großer Preis des Mittelstandes, Zukunftspreis Wirtschaft, and Whirlpool Supplier Award.

• 2015

  Received Bayerischer Qualitätspreis (Bavarian Quality Prize).

• 2014

  Received Electrolux Supplier Innovation Award.

• 2011

  Own production site in Nanjing, China, established (also expanded as development location).

• 2004

  emz site in Querétaro, Mexico, started operations.

• 1997

  First foreign location opened in Černošín, Czech Republic.

• 1995

  Thomas Hanauer became managing director (third generation); shared role with Ernst Hanauer jun. until 1999.

• 1994

  First locking unit for waste containers developed; entry into environmental technology.

• 1984

  First emz door lock for washing machines went into series production.

• 1980

  First water level regulator for washing machines and dishwashers.

• 1975

  In-house development department founded (1975/76).

• 1965

  First products for building services (components for night storage heaters).

• 1964

  First in-house winding machine for capacitors designed and built.

• 1961

  Own production equipment manufacturing established.

• 1959

  Entered household appliance sector with first safety regulator for stoves.

• 1958

  Developed first own product, the so-called plastic chain.

• 1955

  Apprentice training started (own training workshop from 1971).

• 1950

  In-house toolmaking shop established.

• 1949

  Added the "Christmas tree chain" for OSRAM to the product program (discontinued in 2017).

• 1948

  Founded on 14 May in Zangenstein as "Elektromanufaktur Zangenstein" by Ernst Hanauer sen.

World market leader in locking systems and sensors for household appliances; integrated technology group serving all major white-goods manufacturers globally.

• Door locks for household appliances

  Electromechanical and electronic locking systems for washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers; world market leader.

• Sensors for household appliances

  Sensors for white goods; world market leader.

• Water level regulators

  First developed in 1980 for washing machines and dishwashers.

• LED modules

  LED modules for household appliances.

• Electric actuators

  Electric actuators for household appliances.

• System solutions for white goods

  Complete systems for major household appliances.

• Control and regulation technology for building services

  For modern building systems and smart home applications.

• Solar thermal and biomass system components

  Components for solar thermal and biomass systems.

• Electronic access control systems for waste containers

  IoT/Smart City application for municipal waste management.

• Electronic waste volume recording

  Electronic recording of waste volumes.

• Fill-level detection

  Fill-level detection for waste containers.

1. 1emz Hanauer - smart solutions (official website)emz-hanauer.de
2. 2Emz-Hanauer - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Emz-Hanauer - Wikidatawikidata.org