Every day is a day for big targets.
We love and live challenges – your challenges. Whether everyday or extraordinary cleaning projects, a courtyard entrance, factory hall or Mount Rushmore – at Kärcher we want to make your everyday life simpler, better and more pleasant with powerful, efficient cleaning solutions. And to help you achieve big results and move things forward. To create and receive value.
What drives us?
Our clear, simple innovation philosophy: innovation is what benefits people. We are perfectionists, always rethinking systems and designs. We have the courage to break new ground and the conviction to do things instead of just talking about them. This philosophy results in solutions with convincing performance, quality and handling that are one step ahead of the market. Because for us cleanliness is the best challenge in the world. This is what we work towards. Every day.
Figures and Facts for Financial Year 2019
In 2019, Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG achieved a turnover of 2.578 billion euros, the highest in its history. The family-run company employs 13,500 staff in 127 companies across 72 countries. Over 50,000 service outlets worldwide ensure uninterrupted supply for customers all over the world. Innovation is the most important growth factor for the company and has been an essential component of the corporate culture since the company’s foundation in 1935: roughly 90% of all products are five years old or younger. A total of more than 1,000 employees work in research and development at the cleaning machine manufacturer. In 2019, Kärcher launched 150 new products – more than ever before within a single year.
About us
Kärcher is a global company and sees itself as a benchmark. We want to occupy a leading position in market share, innovation, quality and image, and we aim to be global market leaders in all areas of our business.
Working together
Trust, loyalty, transparency, fairness, reliability and respect characterise Kärcher's relationships with others, both inside and outside the company. Through teamwork and by actively exchanging information, we make the most of all of the experience and expertise our company has to offer in order to achieve our goals.
Customer focus
We foster open dialogue with our customers based on partnership. Our products and services offer ideal solutions which have real benefits for customers. Our customers' cleaning problems can be solved quickly and flexibly.
Alfred Kärcher – inventor and entrepreneur
Alfred KärcherAlfred Kärcher, like Robert Bosch, Gottlieb Daimler and Graf Zeppelin, was one of the inventors and entrepreneurs that Württemberg produced in such great number since the beginning of the industrial era. In 1935 he founded his own company in Bad Cannstatt, Stuttgart so that he could produce and market his own products in the field of heating technology. In 1939, the family-owned company relocated to Winnenden, where it still has its headquarters.
Move into cleaning technology
Alfred Kärcher made his breakthrough into the cleaning technology industry in 1950 with the development of the first European hot water high-pressure cleaner (the DS 350 steam jet). The design of the water heater proved to be so pioneering that it still forms the basis of all burners today.
Internationalisation
In 1962, Kärcher founded its first foreign subsidiary in France, followed by Austria and Switzerland. Internationalisation continued apace.
Growth through innovation
After a phase of diversification, Kärcher turned its attention to high-pressure cleaning in 1974. During this period, the colour of the machines was changed from blue to the now world-famous Kärcher yellow. In 1980, the company expanded its product range to cover basic cleaning requirements, initially in the areas of transport and buildings. Step by step, the range was expanded with the addition of wet and dry vacuum cleaners, sweeper vacuums and scrubber driers, vehicle washing bays, steam cleaners, cleaning agents and drinking water and wastewater treatment systems.
Kärcher becomes a global market leader
Innovation has been and continues to be the most important growth factor. In 2011 alone, Kärcher launched over 100 new products. The global market leader in cleaning technology will continue to be characterised by its ingenuity, top performance and innovative problem solving.
Top performance for cleanliness and value
We foster open dialogue with our customers based on partnership. Our products and services offer ideal solutions which have real benefits for customers. Our customers' cleaning problems can be solved quickly and flexibly.
Production and procurement
Our suppliers are part of our value chain. Together with them, we work continuously to optimise production intensity and process design. We ensure competitiveness in quality and costs through our responsiveness, speed and flexibility.
Corporate social responsibility
Kärcher stands by its responsibility to society: we respect the values and standards, human rights, and legal and social systems of all countries in the spirit of good citizenship.
Use of resources
We design our products, services and processes to be environmentally compatible. Wherever we are active, we take environmental requirements into account and, in doing so, use all of the available resources responsibly.