List of companies of Germany
Germany is a federal parliamentary republic in central-western Europe. Germany has the world's 3rd largest economy by nominal GDP, and the 5th largest by PPP. As a global leader in several industrial and technological sectors, it is both the world's third-largest exporter and importer of goods.
Of the world's 500 largest stock-market-listed companies measured by revenue in 2017, the Fortune Global 500, 29 are headquartered in Germany.[1] 30 Germany-based companies are included in the DAX, the German stock market index. Well-known international brands include Mercedes-Benz, BMW, SAP, Volkswagen, Audi, Siemens, Allianz, Adidas, Porsche, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Bank and Bosch, BMW Motorrad, Canyon Bicycles, Wiesmann GmbH, Ariola Records, UFA GmbH, Jako AG, Zalando SE.[2]
Germany is recognised for its large portion of specialised small and medium enterprises, known as the Mittelstand model. Around 1,000 of these companies are global market leaders in their segment and are labelled hidden champions.[3]
For further information on the types of business entities in this country and their abbreviations, see "Business entities in Germany".
Largest firms
[edit]This list shows firms in the Fortune Global 500, which ranks firms by total revenues reported before 31 January 2025.[1] Only the top five firms (if available) are included as a sample.
Rank | Image | Name | 2024 revenues (US$M) | Employees | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | Volkswagen Group | 348,408 | 684,025 | Multinational consumer and commercial vehicle manufacturer operating in more than 150 countries. Consumer brands include Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, MAN, Porsche, Scania, SEAT and Škoda Auto. | |
41 | BMW | 168,103 | 154,950 | Vehicle manufacturer producing commercial and consumer automobiles and motorcycles. Brands include Mini, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and BMW Motorrad (motorcycles). | |
42 | Mercedes-Benz Group | 165,638 | 166,056 | Stuttgart-based multinational automotive manufacturer. Brands include Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Detroit Diesel, Freightliner Trucks, Western Star Trucks, Thomas Built Buses, Setra, BharatBenz, Smart and Maybach. | |
77 | Deutsche Telekom | 121,046 | 199,652 | Bonn-based multinational telecommunication company focused on fixed-line and mobile communications, digital media and internet service provider. The largest communication company of Germany and Europe. | |
79 | Uniper | 116,662 | 6,863 | Düsseldorf-based state-owned multinational nuclear-based electricity provider. It also has a Russian subsidiary Unipro. |
Notable firms
[edit]This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in the country. The industry and sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organizations that have ceased operations are included and noted as defunct.
Name | Industry | Sector | Headquarters | Founded | Notes | Status | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A. Lange & Söhne | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Glashütte | 1845 | Watches, owned by Richemont | P | A |
Aareal Bank | Financials | Banks | Wiesbaden | 1922 | Banking and financial services | P | A |
Abeking & Rasmussen | Industrials | Shipbuilding | Lemwerder | 1907 | Shipbuilidng, defence vessels | P | A |
ABUS | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Munich | 1933 | Security devices manufacturer | P | A |
Adidas | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Herzogenaurach | 1924 | Shoes & sports apparel & accessories manufacturer | P | A |
Aldi | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Essen | 1913 | Discount retail chains | P | A |
Allianz | Financials | Full line insurance | Munich | 1890 | Insurance and asset management | P | A |
Alpina | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Buchloe | 1965 | Automotive manufacturer, part of BMW | P | A |
Altana | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Wesel | 1977 | Chemicals | P | A |
Aral | Oil & gas | Refining & marketing | Bochum | 1898 | Part of BP (UK) | P | A |
Arburg | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Loßburg | 1923 | Machinery and injection molding | P | A |
Arcandor | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Essen | 1999 | Defunct 2009 | P | D |
Arcor | Telecommunications | Fixed line telecommunications | Eschborn | 1996 | Telecom, part of Vodafone (UK) | P | A |
Armedangels | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Cologne | 2007 | Fashion | P | A |
Audi | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Ingolstadt | 1910 | Auto manufacturer, part of Volkswagen Group | P | A |
August Storck | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Berlin | 1903 | Confectionery | P | A |
Aurubis | Basic materials | Copper | Hamburg | 2008 | Copper manufacturing | P | A |
Auto Union | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Neckarsulm | 1932 | Defunct, now part of Audi | P | D |
Axel Springer | Consumer services | Publishing | Berlin | 1946 | Digital publishing | P | A |
B. Braun | Health care | Pharmaceuticals, Medical equipment | Melsungen | 1839 | Medical devices and pharma | P | A |
Babelsberg Studio | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Potsdam | 1912 | Film studio | P | A |
Bahlsen | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Hanover | 1889 | Confectionery | P | A |
BASF | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Ludwigshafen | 1865 | Largest chemical producer in the world. | P | A |
Bavaria Film Studios | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Grünwald | 1919 | Film studio | P | A |
Bayer | Health care | Pharmaceuticals | Leverkusen | 1863 | Chemicals and pharmaceuticals | P | A |
BayWa | Consumer goods | Farming & fishing | Munich | 1923 | Agribusiness conglomerate | P | A |
BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Schiltach | 1970 | Automotive parts | P | A |
Bechtle | Technology | Software | Neckarsulm | 1983 | Information technology services | P | A |
Beck's Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Bremen | 1873 | Alcoholic beverages | P | A |
Behringer | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Willich | 1989 | Audio systems | P | A |
Beiersdorf | Consumer goods | Personal products | Hamburg | 1882 | Cosmetics | P | A |
Bellevue Investments | Technology | Software | Berlin | 1993 | Software holding company | P | A |
Benecke-Kaliko | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Hanover | 1718 | Automotive parts | P | A |
Bertelsmann | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Gütersloh | 1835 | Mass media | P | A |
Beyerdynamic | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Heilbronn | 1924 | Audio electronics | P | A |
Bilfinger | Industrials | Heavy construction | Mannheim | 1880 | Construction, engineering and services | P | A |
Birkenstock | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Neustadt | 1774 | Shoes manufacturer | P | A |
Bitburger Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Bitburg | 1817 | Brewery | P | A |
BioNTech | Health care | Biotechnology | Mainz | 2008 | Vaccine | P | A |
Blaser | Industrials | Defense | Isny im Allgäu | 1957 | Firearms | P | A |
Blohm+Voss | Industrials | Shipbuilding | Hamburg | 1877 | Shipyard, part of Lürssen | P | A |
BMG Rights Management | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Berlin | 2008 | Music, part of Bertelsmann | P | A |
BMW | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Munich | 1916 | Multinational automotive firm | P | A |
Boehringer Ingelheim | Health care | Pharmaceuticals | Ingelheim am Rhein | 1885 | Pharmaceuticals | P | A |
Bölkow | Industrials | Aerospace | Stuttgart | 1948 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 1968, merged into Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm | P | D |
BOMAG | Industrials | Machinery: Construction & handling | Boppard | 1957 | Construction vehicles | P | A |
Brabus | Consumer services | Auto services | Bottrop | 1977 | Automotive modifications and tuning | P | A |
Braun | Consumer goods | Personal products | Kronberg | 1921 | Razors and small appliances, part of Procter & Gamble (US) | P | A |
Brenntag | Basic materials | Commodity chemicals | Mülheim | 1874 | Chemical distribution | P | A |
C. Bechstein | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Berlin | 1853 | Musical instruments | P | A |
C. Illies & Co. | Industrials | Business support services | Hamburg | 1859 | Engineering and export | P | A |
Carl Walther GmbH | Industrials | Defense | Ulm | 1886 | Firearms | P | A |
Carl Zeiss | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Oberkochen | 1846 | Optical systems, imaging equipment | P | A |
CureVac | Health care | Biotechnology | Tübingen | 2000 | Vaccine | P | A |
Celesio | Health care | Pharmaceuticals | Stuttgart | 1835 | Pharmaceuticals, defunct 2017, now part of McKesson | P | D |
CineStar | Consumer services | Recreational services | Lübeck | 1948 | Cinemas | P | A |
Circus Krone | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Munich | 1905 | Circus, entertainment | P | A |
Claas | Industrials | Machinery: agricultural | Harsewinkel | 1913 | Agricultural machinery | P | A |
Commerzbank | Financials | Banks | Frankfurt | 1870 | Banking | P | A |
Condor Flugdienst | Consumer services | Airlines | Frankfurt | 1955 | Leisure airline, part of Thomas Cook Group (UK) | P | A |
Continental | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Hanover | 1871 | Auto parts, tires and supplies, part of Schaeffler Group | P | A |
Covestro | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Leverkusen | 2015 | Materials and coatings, part of Bayer | P | A |
Daimler Truck | Industrials | Commercial vehicles & trucks | Stuttgart | 2019 | Automotive, part of Mercedes-Benz Group | P | A |
DASA | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Munich | 1989 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 2000, merged into Airbus | P | D |
Dba | Consumer services | Airlines | Munich | 1992 | Low-cost airline, defunct 2008 | P | D |
Delton | Conglomerates | - | Bad Homburg vor der Höhe | 1989 | Pharma, consumer goods, logistics | P | A |
Der Spiegel | Consumer services | Publishing | Hamburg | 1947 | Weekly news magazine | P | A |
Deutsche Bahn | Industrials | Railroads | Berlin | 1994 | State railways | S | A |
Deutsche Bank | Financials | Banks | Frankfurt | 1870 | Banking | P | A |
Deutsche Börse | Financials | Investment services | Frankfurt | 1992 | Securities marketplace | P | A |
Deutsche Grammophon | Consumer goods | Broadcasting & entertainment | Hanover | 1898 | Phonogramm producer, producer of the first Compact disc, now part of Universal Music Group (US) | P | A |
Deutsche Messe | Consumer services | Recreational services | Hanover | 1947 | Largest fairground in the world | P | A |
Deutsche Pfandbriefbank | Financials | Banks | Unterschleißheim | 2015 | Real estate financing bank | P | A |
Deutsche Post | Industrials | Delivery services | Bonn | 1995 | Postal services | P | A |
Deutsche Telekom | Telecommunications | Fixed line telecommunications | Bonn | 1995 | Telecommunications | P | A |
Deutsche Vermögensberatung | Financials | Asset managers | Frankfurt | 1975 | Financial advice | P | A |
Deutsche Welle | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Bonn | 1953 | State-owned media company | S | A |
Deutz | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Cologne | 1864 | Mechanical engineering | P | A |
DHL | Industrials | Delivery services | Bonn | 1969 | Logistics, part of Deutsche Post | P | A |
Dieffenbacher | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Eppingen | 1873 | Machinery | P | A |
Diehl Aerospace | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Überlingen | 2006 | Avionics | P | A |
Diehl Defence | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Überlingen | 2004 | Ammunitions, electronics, missile systems | P | A |
Diehl Metall | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Röthenbach an der Pegnitz | 1938 | Metals, forges | P | A |
Diezel | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Bad Steben | 1994 | Guitar amplifiers | P | A |
Djshop | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Vachendorf | 1993 | Online dance music retail store | P | A |
DKW | Consumer goods | Automobiles | ? | 1905 | Defunct 1932, now part of Audi | P | D |
Dornier Flugzeugwerke | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Friedrichshafen | 1922 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 2002, merged into DASA | P | D |
Douglas | Consumer services | Specialty retailers | Düsseldorf | 1910 | Perfume and cosmetics retailer | P | A |
Dr. Oetker | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Bielefeld | 1891 | Food producer | P | A |
Dräger | Health care | Medical equipment | Lübeck | 1889 | Medical technology | P | A |
Dresdner Bank | Financials | Banks | Frankfurt | 1872 | Now part of Commerzbank, defunct 2009 | P | D |
Dürr Group | Industrials | Industrial engineering | Stuttgart | 1895 | Plant and machinery construction | P | A |
DVB Bank | Financials | Banks | Frankfurt | 1923 | Financials | P | A |
DZ Bank | Financials | Banks | Frankfurt | 2001 | Banking and financial services | P | A |
E.ON | Utilities | Electricity | Essen | 2000 | Electric power | P | A |
Eberhard Faber | Consumer goods | Nondurable household products | Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz | 1922 | Part of Staedtler | P | A |
ebm-papst | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Mulfingen | 1963 | Electric motors and fans | P | A |
Edeka | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Berlin | 1898 | Supermarkets | P | A |
ElringKlinger | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Dettingen an der Erms | 1879 | Automotive parts | P | A |
EnBW | Utilities | Electricity | Karlsruhe | 1997 | Electric power | P | A |
EnOcean | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Oberhaching | 2001 | Electronics | P | A |
Entwicklungsring Nord | Industrials | Aerospace | Bremen | 1961 | Rocket parts, defunct 1977 | P | D |
Epcos | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Munich | 1999 | Electronics | P | A |
E-Plus | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications | Düsseldorf | 1992 | Mobile network, part of Telefónica Germany | P | A |
Eurowings | Consumer services | Airlines | Düsseldorf | 1990 | Part of Lufthansa | P | A |
Evonik Industries | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Essen | 2007 | Speciality chemicals | P | A |
Faber-Castell | Consumer goods | Nondurable household products | Stein | 1761 | Writing instruments | P | A |
Fein | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Schwäbisch Gmünd | 1867 | Power tools | P | A |
Fendt | Industrials | Machinery: agricultural | Marktoberdorf | 1930 | Agricultural machinery | P | A |
Ferrostaal | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Essen | 1920 | Industrial services, machinery | P | A |
Festo | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Esslingen am Neckar | 1925 | Automation | P | A |
Fischertechnik | Consumer goods | Toys | Waldachtal | 1966 | Construction sets | P | A |
Fissler | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Idar-Oberstein | 1845 | Cookware | P | A |
Flensburger Fahrzeugbau | Industrials | Defense | Flensburg | 1872 | Military vehicles | P | A |
Focke-Achgelis | Industrials | Aerospace | Hoykenkamp | 1937 | Defunct helicopter manufacturer | P | D |
Focke-Wulf | Industrials | Aerospace | Bremen | 1923 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 1964 | P | D |
Fond of Bags | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Cologne | 2010 | Backpacks | P | A |
Ford Germany | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Cologne | 1925 | Automobile manufacturer, part of Ford Motor Company (US) | P | A |
Ford of Europe | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Cologne | 1967 | Automobile manufacturer, part of Ford Motor Company (US) | P | A |
Franz Haniel & Cie. | Conglomerates | - | Duisburg | 1756 | Family holding company | P | A |
Fraport | Industrials | Transportation services | Frankfurt | 1924 | Airports | P | A |
Freenet | Telecommunications | Fixed line telecommunications | Büdelsdorf | 2007 | Telecommunications | P | A |
Fresenius | Health care | Health care providers | Bad Homburg vor der Höhe | 1912 | Health care | P | A |
Fresenius Medical Care | Health care | Health care providers | Bad Homburg vor der Höhe | 1996 | Part of Fresenius | P | A |
Freudenberg Group | Conglomerates | - | Weinheim | 1849 | Consumer goods, telecommunications, industrials | P | A |
FRoSTA | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Bremerhaven | 1905 | Frozen foods, foodservice, commercial catering | P | A |
Fuchs Petrolub | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Mannheim | 1931 | Lubricants | P | A |
Gardena | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Ulm | 1961 | Garden tools | P | A |
GEA Group | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Düsseldorf | 1881 | Machinery and technology for refrigeration and livestock farming | P | A |
Germanwings | Consumer services | Airlines | Cologne | 2002 | Part of Lufthansa | P | A |
Gerolsteiner Brunnen | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Gerolstein | 1888 | Mineral water | P | A |
Gerresheimer | Industrials | Containers & packaging | Düsseldorf | 1864 | Packaging products | P | A |
Getrag | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Untergruppenbach | 1935 | Automotive parts | P | A |
GfK | Industrials | Business support services | Nuremberg | 1934 | Market research | P | A |
GPC Biotech | Health care | Biotechnology | Martinsried | 1997 | Biotechnology | P | A |
Grundig | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Nuremberg | 1930 | Electronics, part of Koç Holding (Turkey) | P | A |
Gruner + Jahr | Consumer services | Publishing | Hamburg | 1965 | Publishing house, part of Bertelsmann | P | A |
Grünenthal | Health care | Pharmaceuticals | Stolberg | 1946 | Pharmaceuticals | P | A |
Hama Photo | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Monheim | 1923 | Electronics | P | A |
Hamburg Süd | Industrials | Marine transportation | Hamburg | 1871 | Shipping | P | A |
Hamburger Flugzeugbau | Industrials | Aerospace | Hamburg | 1933 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 1969, merged into Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm | P | D |
Hannover Re | Financials | Reinsurance | Hanover | 1966 | Reinsurance, part of Talanx | P | A |
Hapag-Lloyd | Industrials | Marine transportation | Hamburg | 1970 | Shipping | P | A |
Haribo | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Bonn | 1920 | Confectionery | P | A |
Hartmann & Weiss | Industrials | Defense | Hamburg | 1965 | Firearms | P | A |
Heckler & Koch | Industrials | Defense | Oberndorf am Neckar | 1948 | Arms | P | A |
HeidelbergCement | Industrials | Cement | Heidelberg | 1874 | Cement | P | A |
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Heidelberg | 1850 | Printing machines | P | A |
Heinkel | Industrials | Aerospace | Warnemünde | 1922 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 1965 | P | D |
Hella | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Lippstadt | 1899 | Automotive parts | P | A |
Henkel | Conglomerates | - | Düsseldorf | 1876 | Consumer goods, industrial goods | P | A |
Hensoldt | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Munich | 2004 | Avionics, electronics, telecommunications equipment | P | A |
Heraeus | Industrials | Industrial engineering | Hanau | 1851 | Engineering | P | A |
Herrenknecht | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Schwanau | 1975 | Tunnel boring machines | P | A |
Heym | Industrials | Defense | Römhild | 1865 | Firearms | P | A |
Hochtief | Industrials | Heavy construction | Essen | 1874 | Construction, owned by ACS Group | P | A |
Hoechst | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Frankfurt | 1863 | Chemicals, defunct 2004 | P | D |
Hoesch | Basic materials | General mining | Dortmund | 1871 | Mining, steel, defunct 1991 | P | D |
Horch | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Köln-Ehrenfeld Cologne | 1899 | Defunct 1945, now part of Audi | P | D |
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Industrials | Shipbuilding | Kiel | 1838 | Shipbuilding, defense | P | A |
Hubert Burda Media | Consumer services | Publishing | Offenburg | 1903 | Publishing and mass media | P | A |
Hugo Boss | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Metzingen | 1924 | Fashion | P | A |
HypoVereinsbank | Financials | Financial services | Munich | 1998 | Finance and insurance, part of UniCredit (Italy) | P | A |
Hypo Real Estate | Financials | Real estate | Munich | 2003 | Nationalized holding company | S | A |
IAV | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Berlin | 1983 | Automotive supplier | P | A |
IG Farben | Basic materials | Commodity chemicals | Frankfurt | 1925 | Defunct 2012 | P | D |
Infineon Technologies | Technology | Semiconductors | Neubiberg | 1999 | Semiconductor manufacturer | P | A |
Intershop | Consumer services | Specialty retailers | Berlin | 1962 | Defunct 1990 | P | D |
J. A. Henckels | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Solingen | 1731 | Kitchenware | P | A |
J. Schmalz | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Glatten | 1910 | Vacuum technology | P | A |
J. G. Anschütz | Industrials | Defense | Ulm | 1856 | Firearms | P | A |
Jack Wolfskin | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Idstein | 1981 | Camping and outdoor | P | A |
Jenoptik | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Jena | 1991 | Optoelectronics engineering | P | A |
Jil Sander | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Hamburg | 1968 | Fashion | P | A |
Junghans | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Schramberg | 1861 | Watches | P | A |
Junkers | Industrials | Aerospace | Dessau | 1895 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 1969 | P | D |
K+S | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Kassel | 1889 | Fertilisers | P | A |
Kärcher | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Winnenden | 1935 | Cleaning equipment manufacturer | P | A |
Katjes International | Market | Food retailers & wholesalers | Emmerich am Rhein | 1972 | Sugar confectionery Market, part of Katjes Group | P | A |
Kaufland | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Neckarsulm | 1985 | Hypermarket, part of Schwarz Gruppe | P | A |
Keimfarben | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Diedorf | 1878 | Paints | P | A |
KfW | Financials | Banks | Frankfurt | 1906 | Financial services | P | A |
Klöckner & Co | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Duisburg | 1906 | Metal distribution | P | A |
KNDS Deutschland | Industrials | Defense | Munich | 1999 | Military vehicles | P | A |
Knorr | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Heilbronn | 1838 | Food brand, part of Unilever (UK/Netherlands) | P | A |
Knorr-Bremse | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Munich | 1905 | Braking systems | P | A |
Koenig & Bauer | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Würzburg | 1817 | Printing machines | P | A |
Körber | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Hamburg | 1995 | Mechanical engineering | P | A |
Korth | Industrials | Defense | Lollar | 1954 | Firearms | P | A |
Krauss-Maffei | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Munich | 1931 | Mechanical engineering, part of ChemChina (China) | P | A |
Krieghoff | Industrials | Defense | Ulm | 1886 | Firearms | P | A |
Krombacher Brauerei | Consumer goods | Brewers | Kreuztal | 1803 | Brewery | P | A |
Krones | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Neutraubling | 1951 | Mechanical engineering | P | A |
KSB Company | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Frankenthal | 1871 | Mechanical engineering | P | A |
KUKA | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Augsburg | 1898 | Automation | P | A |
Lamy | Consumer goods | Nondurable household products | Heidelberg | 1930 | Writing instruments | P | A |
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg | Financials | Banks | Stuttgart | 1999 | Banking and financial services | P | A |
Lanxess | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Cologne | 2004 | Chemicals | P | A |
Leica Camera | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Wetzlar | 1914 | Cameras, optical imaging | P | A |
Leidolf | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Wetzlar | 1921 | Cameras, defunct 1962 | P | D |
Leoni | Industrials | Electrical components & equipment | Nuremberg | 1917 | Cable and harnessing manufacturing | P | A |
Lidl | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Neckarsulm | 1930 | Part of Schwarz Gruppe | P | A |
Liebherr | Industrials | Machinery: Construction & handling | Bulle | 1949 | Construction vehicles, headquartered in Switzerland | P | A |
Lindauer Dornier | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Lindau | 1985 | Textile machinery manufacturer | P | A |
Linguatec | Technology | Software | Pasing | 1996 | Machine translation | P | A |
Linhof | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Munich | 1887 | Cameras | P | A |
Loesche | Basic materials | General mining | Düsseldorf | 1906 | Vertical roller mills for grinding coal, industrial minerals and ores. | P | A |
Loewe | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Kronach | 1923 | Electronics | P | A |
Löwenbräu | Consumer goods | Brewers | Munich | 1383 | Brewery, part of Anheuser-Busch InBev (Belgium) | P | A |
LSG Sky Chefs | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Neu-Isenburg | 1942 | Airline catering, part of Lufthansa | P | A |
LTU International | Consumer services | Airlines | Düsseldorf | 1955 | Leisure airline, defunct 2009 | P | D |
Lufthansa Group | Consumer services | Airlines | Cologne | 1955 | Largest German airline | P | A |
Lürssen | Industrials | Shipbuilding | Bremen-Vegesack | 1875 | Shipyard, defense | P | A |
Magirus | Industrials | Commercial vehicles & trucks | Ulm | 1866 | Trucks and industrial vehicles | P | A |
Magix | Technology | Software | Berlin | 1994 | Software publisher, part of Bellevue Investments | P | A |
Mahle Behr | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Stuttgart | 1905 | Automotive air conditioning and cooling system, part of Mahle GmbH | P | A |
Mahle GmbH | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Stuttgart | 1920 | Automotive parts | P | A |
MAN | Industrials | Commercial Vehicles & Trucks | Munich | 1758 | Automotive, mechanical engineering, part of Volkswagen Group | P | A |
Mannesmann | Conglomerates | - | Düsseldorf | 1890 | Defunct 2001, now part of Vodafone, ThyssenKrupp, Siemens, Salzgitter | P | D |
Mast-Jägermeister | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Wolfenbüttel | 1878 | Alcohol | P | A |
Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH | Industrials | Defense | Isny im Allgäu | 1999 | Firearms | P | A |
Meindl | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Kirchanschöring | 1683 | Shoes manufacturer | P | A |
Meinl Percussion | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Gutenstetten | 1951 | Musical instruments | P | A |
Meinl-Weston | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Geretsried | 1810 | Musical instruments | P | A |
Meissen porcelain | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Meissen | 1708 | Porcelain | P | A |
Melitta | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Minden | 1908 | Coffee | P | A |
Mennekes | Industrials | Electrical components & equipment | Kirchhundem | 1935 | Industrial plugs and connectors | P | A |
Mercedes-AMG | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Affalterbach | 1967 | Automobile and engine manufacturing, part of Mercedes-Benz Group | P | A |
Mercedes-Benz | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Stuttgart | 1883 | Automotive, part of Mercedes-Benz Group | P | A |
Mercedes-Benz Group | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Stuttgart | 2007 | Multinational automotive firm | P | A |
Merck | Health care | Pharmaceuticals | Darmstadt | 1668 | Pharmaceuticals | P | A |
Messerschmitt | Industrials | Aerospace | Augsburg | 1938 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 1968, merged into Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm | P | D |
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Ottobrunn | 1968 | Aircraft manufacturer, defunct 1989, merged into DASA | P | D |
Metro | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Düsseldorf | 1964 | Diversified retailer | P | A |
Metz | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Zirndorf | 1938 | Electronics, defunct 2014 | P | D |
Meyer Werft | Industrials | Shipbuilding | Papenburg | 1795 | Shipbuilding | P | A |
Miele | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Gütersloh | 1899 | Domestic appliances | P | A |
Montblanc | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Hamburg | 1906 | Luxury goods | P | A |
MTU Aero Engines | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Munich | 1934 | Aircraft engines manufacturer | P | A |
Munich Re | Financials | Reinsurance | Munich | 1880 | Reinsurance | P | A |
Müller | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Fischach | 1896 | Dairy | P | A |
Nemetschek | Technology | Software | Munich | 1963 | Software | P | A |
Nero | Technology | Software | Karlsruhe | 1995 | Software | P | A |
Netto Marken-Discount | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Maxhütte-Haidhof | 1984 | Supermarkets, part of Edeka | P | A |
Nordzucker | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Braunschweig | 1997 | Sugar | P | A |
NSU Motorenwerke | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Neckarsulm | 1873 | Now part of Audi, defunct | P | D |
Opel | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Rüsselsheim am Main | 1862 | Automotive, part of Groupe PSA (France) | P | A |
Orenstein & Koppel | Industrials | Commercial vehicles & trucks | Berlin | 1876 | Defunct 1999 | P | D |
Osram | Industrials | Electrical components & equipment | Munich | 1919 | Lighting systems | P | A |
Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH | Technology | Semiconductors | Regensburg | 1999 | LEDs, optical sensors manufacturer | P | A |
Otto GmbH | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Hamburg | 1949 | Mail order company | P | A |
Otto Bock | Health care | Medical equipment | Duderstadt | 1919 | Wheel chairs, prosthetics | P | A |
Paulaner Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Munich | 1634 | Brewery, part of Brau Holding International | P | A |
PCC | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Duisburg | 1993 | Chemicals, energy, logistics | P | A |
Penny | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Cologne | 1973 | Supermarkets, part of REWE Group | P | A |
Philipp Holzmann | Industrials | Heavy construction | Frankfurt | 1849 | Defunct 2002 | P | D |
Phoenix Contact | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Blomberg | 1923 | Automation | P | A |
Phoenix Pharmahandel | Consumer services | Drug retailers | Mannheim | 1994 | Pharmacy retail chains | P | A |
Plus | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Mülheim | 1972 | Part of Edeka, defunct 2009 | P | D |
Porsche | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Stuttgart | 1931 | High performance vehicles, part of Volkswagen Group | P | A |
ProSiebenSat.1 | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Unterföhring | 2000 | Mass media | P | A |
PTV Group | Technology | Software | Karlsruhe | 1979 | Software design and consulting | P | A |
PUMA | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Herzogenaurach | 1948 | Shoes & sports apparel & accessories manufacturer | P | A |
Putzmeister | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Aichtal | 1958 | Concrete pumps | P | A |
Radeberger Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Radeberg | 1872 | Brewery, part of Dr. Oetker | P | A |
Recaro | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Stuttgart | 1906 | Vehicle seating | P | A |
Reemtsma | Consumer goods | Tobacco | Hamburg | 1910 | Tobacco and cigarette | P | A |
Rehau Group | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Rehau | 1948 | Polymer-based products manufacturer | P | A |
REWE Group | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Cologne | 1927 | Supermarkets, retail | P | A |
Rheinmetall | Industrials | Aerospace & defense | Düsseldorf | 1889 | Aerostructure, defense and automotive | P | A |
Rimowa | Consumer goods | Nondurable household products | Cologne | 1898 | Luggage and travel accessories, acquired by LVMH in 2016 | P | A |
Ritter Sport | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Waldenbuch | 1912 | Chocolates | P | A |
Robert Bosch GmbH | Conglomerates | - | Waldenbuch | 1886 | Automotive parts, home appliances, engineering, computing | P | A |
Rocket Internet | Technology | Internet | Berlin | 2007 | E-commerce | P | A |
Rohde & Schwarz | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Munich | 1933 | Electronic testing, radiocommunications devices | P | A |
ROSE Bikes | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Bocholt | 1907 | Bicycles | P | A |
RRI Rhein Ruhr International | Industrials | Heavy construction | Essen | 1942 | Construction, engineering | P | A |
RUF Automobile | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Pfaffenhausen | 1939 | Automotive | P | A |
RWE | Utilities | Electricity | Essen | 1898 | Electric generation and distribution | P | A |
SABA | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Triberg im Schwarzwald | 1923 | Radios, defunct 1980 | P | D |
Salzgitter | Basic materials | Iron & steel | Salzgitter | 1937 | Steel producer | P | A |
SAP | Technology | Software | Walldorf | 1972 | Enterprise software | P | A |
Ströer | Consumer services | Publishing | Cologne | 1990 | online advertising, mass media | P | A |
Schaeffler Group | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Herzogenaurach | 1883 | Automotive parts | P | A |
Schaller Guitarenparts | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Postbauer-Heng | 1945 | Musical instruments | P | A |
Schering | Health care | Pharmaceuticals | Berlin | 1851 | Defunct 2006, now part of Bayer | P | D |
Schmitz Cargobull | Industrials | Commercial Vehicles & Trucks | Horstmar | 1892 | Trailers and truck bodies | P | A |
Schott | Basic materials | Glass | Mainz | 1884 | Industrial glass, part of Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung | P | A |
Schwan-Stabilo | Consumer goods | Nondurable household products | Heroldsberg | 1855 | Writing instruments | P | A |
Schwarz Gruppe | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Neckarsulm | 1973 | Supermarket holding company | P | A |
Schwind eye-tech-solutions | Health care | Medical equipment | Kleinostheim | 1958 | Medical technology | P | A |
Sebamed | Consumer goods | Personal products | Boppard | 1957 | Skin care products | P | A |
Seca | Health care | Medical equipment | Hamburg | 1840 | Medical scales and measuring instruments | P | A |
Sennheiser | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Wedemark | 1945 | Audio electronics | P | A |
Setra | Industrials | Commercial vehicles & trucks | Berlin | 1951 | Automotive, part of Mercedes-Benz Group | P | A |
Severin Elektro | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Sundern | 1892 | Household appliances | P | A |
SEW Eurodrive | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Bruchsal | 1931 | Electric motors, components | P | A |
Signal Iduna | Financials | Full line insurance | Dortmund/Hamburg | 1907 | Insurance | P | A |
SGL Carbon | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Wiesbaden | 1992 | Carbon-based products | P | A |
Siemens | Conglomerates | - | Berlin | 1847 | Industrials, energy, mobility, health care | P | A |
Siemens Energy | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Munich | 2020 | Electrical engineering | P | A |
Siemens Healthineers | Health care | Medical equipment | Munich | 2020 | Medical technology manufacturer, part of Siemens | P | A |
Siemens Mobility | Industrials | Railroad equipment | Munich | 2020 | Rolling stock manufacturer, railway management, part of Siemens | P | A |
SIG Sauer | Industrials | Defense | Eckernförde | 1976 | Firearms, defunct 2020 | P | D |
SimScale | Technology | Software | Munich[4] | 2012 | Engineering simulation software | P | A |
SkySails | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Hamburg | 2001 | Marine propulsion by wind energy | P | A |
Smart | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Böblingen | 1994 | Automotive, part of Mercedes-Benz Group | P | A |
Software | Technology | Software | Darmstadt | 1969 | Enterprise software | P | A |
SolarWorld | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Bonn | 1988 | Photovoltaics | P | A |
Sonor | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Berlin | 1875 | Musical instruments | P | A |
Sortimo | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Zusmarshausen | 1973 | In-vehicle equipment | P | A |
Staedtler | Consumer goods | Nondurable household products | Nuremberg | 1835 | Writing instruments | P | A |
Steinway & Sons | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Hamburg | 1853 | Musical instruments | P | A |
Stihl | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Waiblingen | 1926 | Forestry equipment, gardening tools | P | A |
Südzucker | Consumer goods | Food & beverages | Mannheim | 1926 | Sugar | P | A |
Symrise | Consumer goods | Personal products | Holzminden | 2003 | Flavours, gustatory and cosmetic substances | P | A |
Talanx | Financials | Full line insurance | Hanover | 1996 | Commercial insurance | P | A |
Tchibo | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Hamburg | 1949 | Consumer goods, retail | P | A |
Telefunken | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Berlin | 1903 | Defunct 1967 | P | D |
Tengelmann Group | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Mülheim | 1867 | Retail holding company | P | A |
Tente International | Industrials | General industrials | Cologne | 1923 | Wheels and castors | P | A |
Tetra | Consumer services | Specialty retailers | Melle | 1951 | Fishkeeping supplies | P | A |
The Linde Group | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Munich | 1879 | Industrial gas production and plant engineering | P | A |
Thonet GmbH | Consumer goods | Furniture | Frankenberg | 1853 | Household furniture manufacturer | P | A |
ThyssenKrupp | Conglomerates | - | Duisburg | 1999 | Steel, defense, engineering, shipyards | P | A |
trivago | Technology | Internet | Düsseldorf | 2005 | Hotel and travel search, part of Expedia, Inc. (US) | P | A |
Trumpf | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Ditzingen | 1923 | Machine tools | P | A |
T-Systems | Technology | Software | Frankfurt | 2000 | Part of Deutsche Telekom | P | A |
TUI Group | Consumer services | Travel & leisure | Hanover | 1923 | Hospitality, tourism | P | A |
Uhlsport | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Balingen | 1948 | Shoes & sports apparel & accessories manufacturer | P | A |
Ulla Popken | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Rastede | 1880 | Clothing | P | A |
Ultrasone | Consumer goods | Consumer electronics | Tutzing | 1991 | Audio electronics | P | A |
Underberg | Consumer goods | Brewers | Rheinberg | 1846 | Bitters | P | A |
Uniper | Utilities | Electricity | Düsseldorf | 2016 | State-owned nuclear-based electric power | S | A |
United Internet | Telecommunications | Fixed line telecommunications | Montabaur | 1988 | ISP | P | A |
Vaude | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Tettnang | 1974 | Clothing, mountain sports equipment | P | A |
Vector Informatik | Technology | Software | Stuttgart | 1988 | Software | P | A |
Veltins | Consumer goods | Brewers | Meschede | 1824 | Brewery | P | A |
Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke | Industrials | Aerospace | Bremen | 1964 | Defunct 1981 | P | D |
Viessmann | Industrials | General industrials | Allendorf (Eder) | 1917 | Heating systems | P | A |
Villeroy & Boch | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Mettlach | 1748 | Ceramics | P | A |
Voith | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Heidenheim an der Brenz | 1867 | Mechanical engineering | P | A |
Volkswagen Group | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Wolfsburg | 1937 | Multinational automotive firm | P | A |
Vonovia | Financials | Real estate | Bochum | 2001 | Real estate | P | A |
Vossloh | Industrials | Industrial transportation | Werdohl | 1888 | Railway systems engineering | P | A |
Vitesco Technologies | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Regensburg | 2019 | Automotive parts | P | A |
Wacker Chemie | Basic materials | Speciality chemicals | Munich | 1914 | Silicon & polymer based products | P | A |
Wacker Neuson | Industrials | Machinery: Construction & handling | Munich | 1848 | Construction equipment | P | A |
WAGO Kontakttechnik | Industrials | Electrical components & equipment | Minden | 1951 | Electrical components | P | A |
Warsteiner | Consumer goods | Brewers | Warstein | 1753 | Brewery | P | A |
Wella | Consumer goods | Personal products | Darmstadt | 1880 | Hair care and cosmetics | P | A |
Wera Tools | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Wuppertal | 1936 | Hand tools | P | A |
Werner & Mertz | Consumer goods | Personal products | Mainz | 1867 | Chemical industry | P | A |
Weser Flugzeugbau | Industrials | Aerospace | Bremen | 1934 | Defunct 1964 | P | D |
Wilkhahn | Consumer goods | Furniture | Bad Münder | 1907 | Office furniture manufacturer | P | A |
Wintershall | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Kassel | 1894 | Part of BASF | P | A |
Wirecard | Financials | Financial services | Aschheim | 1999 | Payment solutions | P | A |
Wittenstein | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Igersheim | 1949 | Mechanical engineering | P | A |
Wolff & Müller | Industrials | Heavy construction | Stuttgart | 1936 | Construction | P | A |
Wortmann | Technology | Computer hardware | Hüllhorst | 1986 | Computer manufacturer | P | A |
Würth | Industrials | General industrials | Künzelsau | 1945 | Fasteners | P | A |
Wüsthof | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Solingen | 1814 | Kitchen knives | P | A |
ZF Friedrichshafen | Consumer goods | Auto parts | Friedrichshafen | 1915 | Automotive parts | P | A |
Ziegenhahn & Sohn | Industrials | Defense | Benshausen | 1911 | Firearms | P | A |
Ziehl-Abegg | Industrials | Electrical components & equipment | Künzelsau | 1910 | Electrical components | P | A |
-
Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg
-
BASF chemical plant in Ludwigshafen
-
Opel Olympia produced from 1935 to 1970
See also
[edit]- Category:Companies of Germany
- List of largest German companies
- List of German companies by employees in 1907
- List of German companies by employees in 1938
References
[edit]- ^ a b DeCarlo, Scott (14 February 2025). "The Fortune 2024 Global 500". Fortune.
- ^ "Best Global Brands – 2014 Rankings". Interbrand. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ Gavin, Mike (23 September 2010). "Germany Has 1,000 Market-Leading Companies, Manager-Magazin Says". Businessweek. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
- ^ SimScale GmbH: Private Company Information - Bloomberg