From supplier of ovens and stoves in Germany to an internationally successful manufacturer of machines and plants: Amandus Kahl looks back on 150 years of company history at a special commemorative event held in Reinbek September 3–5, 2026, under the motto “150 Years of Innovation – Tradition with a Future.” Guests from the company’s international network of customers and partners, as well as from politics, business, and industry, discussed new technologies, collaboration within the KAHL Group, and the future of the Reinbek location.
Founded in Hamburg, Germany, in 1876 as Wendte & Kahl, Amandus Kahl has become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pellet mills and process technology for the compound feed, biomass, and recycling industries.
After moving to Reinbek in 1965, the administrative offices, engineering department, design department, and production facilities were consolidated into one location.
The KAHL flat-die pellet mill remains the company’s core product to this day, and the KAHL Expander has been a well-established machine in feed processing for more than 30 years.
The product portfolio also includes extruders, pan grinder mills, crushing roller mills, dryers, coolers, and fluidized bed plants.
Amandus Kahl is the flagship sister company of the KAHL Group, which comprises nine companies with different fields of activity and expertise, employing approximately 900 people.
Looking ahead to what the future may hold
The “Visions & Solutions Day” on September 3, 2026, marked the start of the celebrations. Company representatives and employees from around the world gathered in Reinbek for the event.
The focus was on technical developments and new applications, including digitalization, automation, and data-supported process solutions.
Joachim Behrmann delivering his speech at the 150th anniversary celebration. (Source: Amandus Kahl)
Another key topic was collaboration within the KAHL Group and across national borders.
The ceremony looked back at 150 years and ahead to the future, addressing the question of which strengths Amandus Kahl will carry forward into the coming decades.
Amandus Kahl’s 150-year history shows that we have consistently succeeded in adapting time-tested capabilities to new eras. What sets us apart is our combination of process engineering expertise with a network of complementary sister companies. Together, we achieve more than we could alone, said Dr Victoria Behrmann, Managing Director of Amandus Kahl.
During guided tours of the production facilities, guests learned about the manufacturing process and the site.
We are committed to Germany as a manufacturing location and continue to invest in Reinbek, including in a new technical center costing over ten million euros. Our personal relationship with our customers remains a constant, commented Dr Joachim Behrmann, spokesperson for the company’s management.
The internal celebration at Gut Thansen on September 5, 2026, marked the end of the anniversary events. The event was open to employees, former employees, and their families.
All participants received a special gift: an elaborately designed, 330-page anniversary book chronicling the Amandus Kahl story with selected milestones, technical developments, and personal memories spanning 15 decades of the company’s history.
For the anniversary, Amandus Kahl asked guests to forgo gifts and support one of four organizations instead: the Stormarn Child Protection Association, the “Glinder Tafel”, the “Don Bosco House” in Mölln, or the Buhck Foundation.
The company is donating a total of EUR 50,000 divided equally among the four organizations.
