The year is 1885, which is the date of a number of formative events. First, engineer Gottlieb Daimler received a patent for his riding carriage, the prototype of today's motorcycle. In addition, the French chemist Louis Pasteur achieved a phenomenal feat in the scientific field. After a long period of testing, he administered the first protective vaccination against rabies to a young boy, curing him after he had been attacked by a rabid animal. But that was not all.
1885
Schmidt and Kranz also founded Schmidt, Kranz & Co. GmbH was founded. Their business at the time included the manufacture of tunnel boring machines and shaft equipment for the potash and salt industries. A great year.
1928
Prof. Karl Glinz took over the company and added other business areas such as the production of tractors (Normag) and the manufacture of various products for coal mining.
1945
A change took place within SK - it was declared a joint stock company in the Soviet occupation zone. At the same time, Normag Zorge GmbH was founded in Zorge.
1947
The political changes necessitate the return of the province of Saxony to the state of Thuringia. As a nationally owned company, Normag produced tractors for the East Bloc very successfully until reunification - history was made.
1952
SK became bigger and bigger. Thus, a new company building was moved into and the headquarters were relocated to Velbert/Langenberg.
1956
Normag Zorge now resumes the production of spare parts and the product expansion for potash and hard coal mining also progresses. Normag grows. They grow so much that the plant in Zorge is expanded in 1970 and the high-pressure hydraulics sector is added to the product range.
1970
This new product area is so successful that a new brand name is established for the high-pressure technology division - MAXIMATOR is born.
1990
When Germany became one again. 329 days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of the two German states is completed on October 3, 1990: Schmidt, Kranz reacquires the former parent plant in Nordhausen as part of the reunification and takes over most of the employees.
1995-2001
The child slowly takes wing - Maximator's product range is steadily expanded, e.g. manufacturing. & testing systems, gas injection technology, product line valves/fittings/tubes.
2002
Now the child has grown up - the Maximator High Pressure Technology division is transferred to an independent limited liability company with 200 employees. The Schmidt, Kranz & Co. Group of Companies now acts as a holding company for Maximator GmbH.
2004
The VFT portfolio is one of Maximator's best sellers. It is constantly being expanded to include, for example, ball valves and valves with pneumatic and electric actuators.
2004-2007
Maximator goes international. Foundation of Maximator Far East in Singapore/Maximator Shanghai / Maximator Middle East office in Abu Dhabi/ Maximator AS in Norway /Maximator India and Maximator Australia.
2004
Introduction of new product line oxygen gas compressors.
2007
Completion of Nordhausen plant conversion and concentration of the testing and production equipment business unit at the NDH site.
2008
New record for Maximator - Number of employees exceeds 300 for the first time.
2008-2009
Foundation of the service center MAXIMATOR Test LLC in USA-Gurnee as well as foundation of Maximator Italy s.r.l. in Bergamo.
2010
Production relocation from Zorge to Nordhausen incl. expansion of the gas compressor series to 2,400 bar and the introduction of new hydrogen compressor product line. Nordhausen finally becomes the new home for Maximator - centralization of activities at the Nordhausen site by acquiring the premises at Kyffhäuser Straße 7 and moving in completed. Foundation of Maximator Hochdrucktechnik Ges. m.b.H. in Austria and Maximator Turkey in Bursa.
2012
Start of the product range of breathing air compressors. Foundation of Maximator Switzerland AG. Expansion of the high-pressure pump series to 7,000 bar.
2013
World's first autofrettage machine for 25,000 bar. Introduction of a new sealing concept for hydrogen compression up to 1,000 bar.
2014
Foundation of Maximator Iberica in Barcelona and Maximator AIM in Michigan USA.
2015
Hydrogen mobility is becoming an increasingly important topic. Thus, Maximator launches the first project for the storage of hydrogen in motor vehicles.
2017
Foundation of MAT in Vienna. Laying of the foundation stone for the new service and training center at the Nordhausen/Lange Str. site.
2018
Foundation of TesTnet Maximator GmbH in Garchingen/D as well as Maximator Gas Solutions GmbH in Flacht/D and the highlight: First major order for a hydrogen filling station. Number of employees exceeds 400 for the first time.
2019
The hydrogen market takes off and H2 becomes Maximator's new hobbyhorse: Market launch of the pioneering hydraulically driven compressor system for hydrogen filling stations MAX Compression Gen 1 - Foundation of Maximator Hydrogen GmbH in Nordhausen and Maximator Hydrogen Inc. in San Francisco (USA).
2020
Commissioning of the first hydrogen filling stations in DE/CH/NL/B Expansion of the H2 product and service portfolio (components, systems and services).
2022/23
The H2 market will also be further expanded at Maximator GmbH independently of the H2 filling stations: Market launch of the modular hydrogen compressor systems X-Tower and Hydro Hulc. Foundation of Maximator Veteq in Iserlohn.