KAESER KOMPRESSOREN Group is today one of the world's leading manufacturers of compressors and compressed air products, employing about 4,000 people. The company has a proficient sales and service organisation, with representatives in over hundred countries on all the world's continents. KAESER's headquarters is in Coburg, Germany, which is in northern Bavaria.
KAESER products are used by companies in all manufacturing sectors, regardless of the size of the operation.
The following lists the key milestones in the company's history:

1919
The company was founded by Carl Kaeser Senior as a machine shop on June 27, 1919. Initially it made spare parts for motorised vehicles and engines, especially gear wheels, and later built specialty machines for the glass industry. In only a few years, the company had 150 employees.
 
1948
Following the separation of Germany after World War II, KAESER had to forfeit most of its original market in Thüringen and was forced to focus on new markets in southern and western Germany. The in-house knowledge at KAESER about engine building and strong demand for compressors in post-war Germany led to the visionary decision to start including these products in the company's product portfolio. KAESER's first reciprocating compressor left the factory in 1948. In the years that followed, a complete line of reciprocating compressors was developed, with ratings to 60 kW. 
 
1973
Carl Kaeser Junior, the founder's son, seized the initiative and made the strategic decision to take the company to the next phase of its evolution: screw compressor development. At the heart of every KAESER screw compressor is an airend with a new energy-saving SIGMA PROFILE rotor, both developed in house. Manufacturing of the new screw compressors began in 1973. In the years that followed, KAESER KOMPRESSOREN evolved into a leading international maker of screw compressors. 
 
1978
KAESER KOMPRESSOREN opens its first subsidiary in Switzerland, marking the beginning of the establishment of its international sales and service organisation.  
 
1982
KAESER develops "Mobilair", a range of portable screw compressors for the construction industry after acquiring French compressor manufacturer Compresseurs Bernard. The mobile compressors are built in Lyon, France. 
 
1991
KAESER acquires Geraer Kompressorenwerke, one of Germany's oldest compressor manufacturers and develops the "OMEGA" rotary blower series, which starts production in 1993 in Gera. 
 
1994 
 KAESER develops a completely new series of energy-saving refrigeration dryers called SECOTEC. Germany's most advanced refrigeration dryer manufacturing plant opens in 1994 in Gera. 
 
1998
KAESER launches its revolutionary SIGMA CONTROL compressor controller. Developed in-house and based on industrial PCs, the control system reduces life cycle costs and further improves system uptime. It has been integrated into KAESER screw compressors since 1998.

2001
After the successful launch of SIGMA CONTROL, KAESER KOMPRESSOREN proceeds to computerise the entire compressed air station.  The innovative SIGMA AIR MANAGER compressed air management system integrates modern industrial PCs and Internet technology into compressed air systems for the first time. This clears the path for once again significantly enhancing the reliability, efficiency and cost transparency of the compressed air systems.

2002
The new manufacturing centre for portable compressors ("MOBILAIR-Werk") in Coburg starts operation in spring. This gives KAESER a second portable compressor manufacturing facility equipped with the latest technology.
The Gera factory celebrates its 125th anniversary. It was founded in 1877 by Heinrich Leo as a foundry, lathe and metalworking shop, and in 1890 became the first factory in Germany to make compressors. By 1945, Leo-Kompressoren had become what was then Germany's leading manufacturer with a seventy percent market share.

2004
At the beginning of the year, the company inaugurates a new product development centre at the Coburg site. It offers development engineers optimum working conditions. "Our aim," says CEO Thomas Kaeser at the inauguration, "is to bring to market an even greater number of innovative, customer-oriented products, faster than we have done to date." KAESER KOMPRESSOREN revolutionises logistics throughout the company. Key components of the innovative system are a new fully automated high bay storage warehouse and a new distribution centre. This sets the stage not only for further growth in manufacturing, but KAESER is also expecting to achieve zero defects, improved delivery reliability and as a consequence, greater customer satisfaction.

Today
Today, KAESER KOMPRESSOREN employs about 4,000 persons worldwide.