100 years INDEX

In 2014, INDEX-Werke from Esslingen looked back on a 100-year history.

The company founded in 1914 by Hermann Hahn produces today CNC-controlled automatic production turning machines, multi-spindle automatic lathes, turn/mill centers as well as universal and vertical turning machines. The product portfolio was expanded to include the sliding headstock automatic lathes of TRAUB-Drehmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG that became part of the INDEX Group in 1997. Besides the three German production sites (Esslingen, Deizisau, Reichenbach), machines are also built in Brazil, China and Slovakia. The INDEX Group, which own plants across Germany as well as overseas companies in France, Sweden, USA, Brazil, China and Slovakia, is one of the technological leaders in turning for machine tool construction.

Today INDEX is one of the largest autonomous and independent turning machine manufacturers in the world. Since the death of Eugen Hahn, the son of the company's founder, 85% of the company's shares have been held by the non-profit organization, the "Eugen and Irmgard Hahn Foundation". The foundation promotes supports research in the area of widespread disease, the technical professional training of young people as well as care for the elderly. The remaining 15% share is held by Dr. Tessky Erben Beteiligungs-GmbH.

Despite a number of challenging crises that affected the entire machine tool construction industry over the last few years, the company succeeded in gaining a leading position in a very competitive market with discerning customers. Essentially this is thanks to the commitment of the highly qualified and motivated employees who assure the company's innovative strength. Young talented employees are offered as much training as possible within the company. There are currently 145 young people within the business who are completing their technical or commercial training.

In 2014, approximately 2,200 employees worldwide generated sales of approximately €450 million. The focus for the future is upon expanding our global market share. With regard to the planned growth, we recently expanded the production and assembly capacities at the Deizisau plant.

INDEX will continue to support its customers in the future with high precision and productive machinery to help them manage their tasks.