JOST Werke
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGerman manufacturer and international supplier of safety-related systems and components for commercial vehicles.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
JOST Werke SE is a Germany-based manufacturer of systems and components for commercial vehicles. Its products are used primarily on trucks, tractors, semi-trailers, trailers and related transport equipment. The company is best known for fifth-wheel couplings, the mechanical interfaces that connect a tractor unit with a semi-trailer, but its portfolio also includes landing gears, towing and coupling equipment, axle-steering systems and other components designed to support the connection, movement and safe operation of commercial vehicles. The business originated in 1952, when Hans Breuer and Joseph Steingass established a factory producing ball wreaths. JOST entered the fifth-wheel market four years later, creating the product area that became central to its identity and international growth. Expansion began in the United Kingdom and South Africa in 1960 and continued through Europe, the United States and Australia during the 1970s and 1980s. A second German production site was added at Wolframs-Eschenbach in 1980, followed by the company's first United States plant, in Greeneville, Tennessee, in 2000. JOST broadened its technology portfolio through acquisitions. In 2001 it acquired Rockinger, a manufacturer of towbars and towing equipment. In 2008 it added Tridec, known for trailer axle-steering systems. Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems was acquired in 2015, strengthening the company's position in trailer axle-related products. JOST itself became a portfolio company of the private-equity firm Cinven in 2008. It subsequently returned to the public markets through an initial public offering on July 20, 2017. Cinven had disposed of its remaining JOST shares by January 2018, and JOST entered the SDAX in March 2018. In 2020, JOST acquired Swedish company Ålö Holding AB, a manufacturer specializing in agricultural front loaders. This transaction expanded the group beyond its traditional commercial-vehicle focus and added an agricultural-equipment business to its activities. JOST's production and sales network extends across more than 20 countries on five continents, with German locations including Neu-Isenburg, Wolframs-Eschenbach and Waltershausen. The group serves vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators, trailer producers and other customers in the global transportation and equipment markets. Its positioning is centered on engineered, safety-relevant components, broad original-equipment and replacement-market coverage, and an international manufacturing and distribution footprint.
History
JOST Werke traces its origins to 1952, when Hans Breuer and Joseph Steingass founded a factory producing ball wreaths. The company's strategic direction changed in 1956, when it began manufacturing fifth-wheel couplings. These devices became the foundation of JOST's commercial-vehicle business because they provide the principal mechanical connection between a tractor unit and a semi-trailer. The company started building an international presence in 1960, expanding into the United Kingdom and South Africa. During the 1970s and 1980s, it broadened its activities into additional European markets, the United States and Australia. To increase German production capacity, JOST established a second plant at Wolframs-Eschenbach in 1980. Its international manufacturing network continued to develop, and in 2000 the company opened its first United States plant in Greeneville, Tennessee. JOST's product scope expanded through a series of acquisitions. In 2001, it acquired Rockinger, a manufacturer associated with towbars and towing systems. In 2008, it purchased Tridec, whose activities included trailer axle-steering systems. The same year, JOST was acquired by the private-equity firm Cinven. In 2015, JOST acquired Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems, adding further trailer axle expertise to its portfolio. The company returned to public ownership through an initial public offering on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on July 20, 2017. Cinven completed the disposal of its remaining JOST shares by January 2018. JOST was subsequently included in the SDAX from March 19, 2018, giving it a place within the segment of smaller listed German companies. In 2020, JOST acquired Ålö Holding AB of Sweden. Ålö specialized in agricultural front loaders, and its integration broadened JOST's business beyond the conventional trucking and trailer-components market. The group therefore combines its long-established commercial-vehicle systems business with agricultural equipment activities. JOST is headquartered in Neu-Isenburg, Germany. Its network includes production facilities and sales offices in more than 20 countries across five continents. German locations cited for production and sales include Wolframs-Eschenbach and Waltershausen, in addition to the headquarters location. The company's historical development reflects a combination of specialization in safety-relevant vehicle interfaces, geographic expansion, and acquisitions intended to add adjacent technologies and customer applications.
- 2020
Ålö Holding AB acquired
[1]JOST acquired the Swedish agricultural front-loader manufacturer Ålö Holding AB.
- 2018
Added to the SDAX
[1]JOST entered the SDAX on March 19, 2018, after Cinven had sold its remaining shares.
- 2017
Initial public offering
[1]JOST Werke was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on July 20, 2017.
- 2015
Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems acquired
[1]The acquisition expanded JOST's portfolio in trailer axle-related systems.
- 2008
Tridec acquired and JOST changes ownership
[1]JOST acquired Tridec, a trailer axle-steering specialist, and was itself acquired by Cinven.
- 2001
Rockinger acquired
[1]JOST acquired Rockinger, a manufacturer of towbars and towing equipment.
- 2000
First United States plant
[1]JOST opened its first US production plant in Greeneville, Tennessee.
- 1980
Second German plant opens
[1]JOST built a second German production site in Wolframs-Eschenbach to increase capacity.
- 1960
Early international expansion
[1]The company expanded into the United Kingdom and South Africa.
- 1956
Fifth-wheel production begins
[1]JOST began manufacturing fifth-wheel couplings, establishing the product category most closely associated with the company.
Products and positioning
International supplier of safety-related systems and components for trucks, tractors, semi-trailers, trailers and agricultural equipment.
Commercial-vehicle coupling systems · 1956
Fifth-wheel couplings
Fifth-wheel couplings connect tractor units with semi-trailers and are a core part of JOST's historical and current commercial-vehicle portfolio. The company began producing fifth wheels in 1956, four years after its founding. These systems are safety-relevant interfaces intended to support secure coupling, articulation and operation of truck-and-trailer combinations.
Trailer support systems
Landing gears
JOST landing gears support semi-trailers when they are uncoupled from a tractor unit. They form part of the company's wider range of systems for semi-trailers and trailers, serving practical handling and stability requirements in transport operations.
Towing systems · 2001
Rockinger towing and coupling equipment
Rockinger became part of JOST through the 2001 acquisition of the Rockinger business. Its products are associated with towbars and towing equipment, extending JOST's coupling portfolio beyond fifth-wheel systems into additional commercial-vehicle connection applications.
Trailer steering systems · 2008
Tridec axle-steering systems
Tridec's trailer axle-steering expertise was added to JOST through the 2008 acquisition. These systems are designed for trailer applications in which axle steering can support maneuverability and vehicle dynamics. The acquisition broadened JOST's offering in trailer chassis technology.
Agricultural equipment · 2020
Ålö agricultural front loaders
Ålö Holding AB, acquired by JOST in 2020, specializes in agricultural front loaders. The product line represents JOST's expansion into equipment for agricultural machinery and provides an adjacent business alongside its established commercial-vehicle systems.
Brand decisions
2020
Acquisition of Ålö Holding ABM&ABackground
JOST pursued expansion into an adjacent equipment market beyond commercial-vehicle components.
Action taken
The company acquired Swedish manufacturer Ålö Holding AB, which specializes in agricultural front loaders.
Aftermath
Ålö added agricultural equipment to JOST's international product portfolio.
2017
Initial public offeringOtherBackground
After its period under Cinven ownership, JOST pursued a public listing.
Action taken
JOST Werke was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on July 20, 2017.
Aftermath
The listing returned the company to public capital markets; Cinven sold its remaining shares by January 2018.
2015
Acquisition of Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystemsM&ABackground
JOST continued to build its portfolio of trailer-related technologies.
Action taken
The company acquired Mercedes-Benz TrailerAxleSystems.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened JOST's activities in trailer axle systems.
2008
Acquisition of TridecM&ABackground
JOST pursued adjacent trailer technologies beyond its established fifth-wheel and landing-gear activities.
Action taken
The company acquired Tridec, a manufacturer associated with trailer axle-steering systems.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded JOST's trailer chassis and steering-system capabilities.
2008
Cinven acquisitionM&ABackground
JOST entered private-equity ownership during a period of continued international and portfolio development.
Action taken
Private-equity firm Cinven acquired JOST.
Aftermath
Cinven remained the company's owner until JOST returned to the public market in 2017 and Cinven completed its share disposal by January 2018.
2001
Acquisition of RockingerM&ABackground
JOST sought to expand its commercial-vehicle coupling and towing portfolio.
Action taken
The company acquired Rockinger, a manufacturer of towbars and towing equipment.
Aftermath
Rockinger's activities added towing-related products to JOST's broader systems offering.
Sources1 sources
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