Bauknecht Hausgeräte GmbH, commonly referred as Bauknecht, is one of Germany's leading manufacturers of household appliances, and since 2024 a brand of Beko. The headquarters of the company was in Schorndorf in Baden-Württemberg until 2006 when it relocated to Stuttgart. Whirlpool has closed its three plants in Calw (refrigerators/freezers), Neunkirchen (dishwashers) and Schorndorf (washers and dryers). Since 2012 all Bauknecht branded products have been manufactured outside Germany.[2]
History
The company was founded in 1919 by Gottlob Bauknecht as an electrical workshop in Neckartenzlingen. He received recognition for the first time for his self-developed universal electric motor "Landfreund".
But it was only in the postwar Germany when the company made its big step in the production of electrical appliances, starting in 1948 with the kitchen appliances "Allfix". In 1951, the first Bauknecht refrigerator was produced, in 1958 the first washing machine, and in 1964 the first dishwasher.
On 9 September 1976, the company founder died at the age of 84 years, leaving his sons the management. Because of some loss-making foreign investments and the withdrawal of banks from other financing commitments, on 13 May 1982 a settlement was requested.