Our philosophy: smart connections

Pulling together for success:
the KOSTAL family

We achieve success by pulling together. Our goal is to work with our customers and partners to continually advance new developments. Working together, we turn visions into tangible results that can hold their own in a competitive industry. That's why we welcome our clients into the KOSTAL family, in which each member can rely on the others.

A company with tradition

The founder of our company was Leopold Kostal, who began with the production of installation material for industrial and private use in Lüdenscheid, Germany in 1912. Over the years, both his son Kurt and his grandson Helmut Kostal contributed their entrepreneurial spirit to the family-owned business. Today we look back at decades of experience which was passed down through the generations. Since January 2011 the company has been in the hands of the fourth generation under the leadership of Andreas Kostal.

Four generations KOSTAL family
Family-owned company KOSTAL

The gradual path to the KOSTAL Group

In 1927 the company ventured into the sector of Automotive Electrical Systems with a self-developed turn indicator for automobiles. A few years later, in 1935, Kurt Kostal took over the company in the second generation. Under the management of these two generations, Leopold Kostal KG began to focus on the development and production of services for the automotive industry.

A strong community

In 1995, Helmut Kostal divided the company into four independent business divisions: Automotive Electrical Systems, Industrial Electronics, Connectors and SOMA Test Technology. These areas are equipped with their own resources and capital in order to ensure the independence of the divisions from one another. These efforts at diversification are the central component of KOSTAL's long-term strategy.

In 2004, KOSTAL Industrial Electronics was transformed into an independent private limited company (GmbH), which moved to the Hagen location in 2005.
KOSTAL has been a family-owned company for over 100 years
For the international sale of our PIKO inverters, KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH was founded in December 2006 as a subsidiary of KOSTAL Industrial Electronics GmbH in Freiburg. It is represented with its own branch offices in various countries.

Following reorganisation in 2008, the KOSTAL Group now consists of the three business divisions: Holding, Automotive Electrical Systems and Industry. The industry business division thereby encompasses the companies Industrial Electronics, Connectors and SOMA Test Technology.

Family as the connecting element

In our dealings with our internal and external partners, we see ourselves as a KOSTAL family, in which every member can rely on the others. That is why the close, trusting partnership we have with our customers is especially important to us. Taking time for everyone allows us to find individualised and specific solutions in close cooperation with our customers. We believe in the value of long-term, trust-based relationships.