Lumberg Holding

Lumberg Holding GmbH & Co. KG is the parent company of the Lumberg Group, an independent German family business active in electrical engineering and electromechanical connection technology. Founded in 1933 by brothers Karl and Erich Lumberg in Schalksmühle — a town in the Sauerland region often described as a cradle of the German electrical industry — the company began by trading and manufacturing radio accessories, including the porcelain-insulator 'Eierkette' used to tension antennas on rooftops. It soon moved into connectors, tube sockets and antenna components for the emerging radio and television industries. Over nine decades Lumberg has developed, manufactured and globally distributed electromechanical components and mechatronic assemblies. Its core competence lies in connection and interface technology: board-to-board and wire-to-wire connectors, circular connectors, terminal blocks, cable assemblies and customer-specific sub-assemblies. The company is known as the originator of the M8 and M12 circular connectors that became a de facto standard in industrial automation, and it is regarded as a world market leader in RAST insulation-displacement (IDT) connectors, which it has produced since 1986. Its RAST portfolio spans pitches of 1.5, 2.5 and 5 mm and is widely used in home appliances, heating systems, heat pumps, fuel cells and solar thermal technology. In the automotive sector, Lumberg supplies connectors and complex modules used in propulsion, LED lighting, infotainment, climate control, driver-assistance systems and charging. The company states that 800 car models from 100 brands rely on its connectors or sub-assemblies, spanning conventional and fully electric vehicles. Other key markets include building technology, communication and consumer electronics. Lumberg is a third-generation family business. In December 2009 the Helbert family took full ownership; Meike Helbert (now Meike Schmidt), granddaughter of co-founder Erich Lumberg, joined the management and today holds approximately 78.5% of the shares, with the remainder held by two other family members. The group operates subsidiaries and production sites in Germany (Schalksmühle and Cloppenburg), Poland (Świebodzin), the United Kingdom (Newbury), the United States (North Chesterfield, Virginia), Singapore, China (Shanghai), France and Turkey. It markets itself under the slogan 'passion for connections' and positions itself as a high-tech partner to industry, combining in-house development, precision manufacturing and worldwide distribution.

Lumberg was founded in 1933 by brothers Karl Lumberg (born June 21, 1907), previously a machine fitter at Busch-Jaeger, and Erich Lumberg (born February 4, 1915), a commercial apprentice at Walch. In 1932 the brothers agreed to set up a company for radio products, and on January 1933 a trading license was issued for 'Karl Lumberg, Handel und Fabrikation von Radio-Artikeln', permitting the trading and production of radio products. The company was established in Schalksmühle, a town in the Sauerland region known as a cradle of the German electrical industry, at a time when radio broadcasting was growing rapidly. The first product was the 'Eierkette', a chain of porcelain insulators used to tension antennas on house roofs. In 1934 the company produced its first connectors: banana plugs, relay sockets, Zenith lightning-protection automatic devices and tube sockets for televisions, sold in high volumes. During the period 1933–1959 the pioneering spirit of the two siblings grew the small-scale operation into a recognized manufacturer of antennas, connectors and tube holders for the broadcasting and television industry. Over the following decades Lumberg expanded its manufacturing and international sales network. In 1970 it added production capacity with a plant in Cloppenburg. In 1976 it founded subsidiaries in the Netherlands and France, followed by the United Kingdom in 1977, the United States in 1985, Singapore in 1994 and China in 2000. In 1982 Lumberg offered the first watertight, three-pole coupling with a 7/8-inch screw connection and a pre-assembled, overmolded cable (type RK 30); the significantly smaller M12 connector was derived from it for the European market. Lumberg is regarded as the inventor of the M8 and M12 circular connectors, which today set the standard in automation technology. In 1986 the company began producing RAST connectors using insulation-displacement technology (IDT), and it is considered the world market leader in this field based on the breadth and variety of its RAST range. In 1988 the Schalksmühle production site was expanded with another plant, which was expanded again in 2004. Shortly after German reunification, Lumberg built a production facility for automation connectors on the former Robotron site in Hoyerswerda. In 1998 the device socket and cable plug for Siemens mobile phones — dubbed the 'Lumberg connector' by the trade press — came onto the market, combining charging and PC data connection in a single connector. In 2006 Lumberg's by far largest customer, BenQ Mobile (formed in 2005 from the takeover of Siemens Mobile's handset division and merged with BenQ's own telecommunications division), went insolvent and could not meet high outstanding liabilities to Lumberg. This forced hard restructuring measures. As a consequence, Lumberg Automation Components GmbH was sold retroactively to the American company Belden as of January 1, 2007. In 2007 Lumberg Polska was founded with a production plant in Świebodzin, Poland. On December 2, 2009, the Helbert family took over the company entirely; Meike Helbert (today Meike Schmidt), granddaughter of Erich Lumberg, joined the management, while the family line of the other founder sold its shares and left the company. Meike Schmidt today holds approximately 78.5% of the company shares, with the remainder distributed among two other family members. In 2016 Lumberg re-entered the automation technology market through its sister company Lutronic Holding GmbH, also headquartered in Schalksmühle. In 2018 the company brought SmartSKEDD to market, the first connector enabling reversible direct plugging at any position on a printed circuit board using IDT; previously direct-plug connectors were synonymous with connectors plugged onto the edge of a PCB, or contacting on the PCB was irreversible, for example by soldering. This was made possible by the patented SKEDD technology. Today Lumberg describes itself as an independent German family business in its third generation and a connector specialist with 93 years of history, with subsidiaries in Germany, Poland, Singapore, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Turkey.

• 2018

  SmartSKEDD launched, the first connector enabling reversible direct plugging at any position on a PCB using IDT.

• 2016

  Re-entry into the automation technology market via sister company Lutronic Holding GmbH.

• 2009

  On December 2 the Helbert family takes over the company entirely; Meike Helbert joins management.

• 2007

  Lumberg Automation Components GmbH sold retroactively to Belden as of January 1; Lumberg Polska founded with plant in Świebodzin.

• 2006

  Largest customer BenQ Mobile goes insolvent, forcing hard restructuring.

• 2004

  Schalksmühle plant expanded again.

• 2000

  Subsidiary founded in China.

• 1998

  Device socket and cable plug for Siemens mobile phones ('Lumberg connector') launched, combining charging and PC data connection.

• 1994

  Subsidiary founded in Singapore.

• 1988

  Schalksmühle production site expanded with another plant.

• 1986

  Began producing RAST connectors using insulation-displacement technology (IDT).

• 1985

  Subsidiary founded in the United States.

• 1982

  First watertight three-pole coupling with 7/8-inch screw connection and pre-assembled overmolded cable (type RK 30) offered; M12 derived for Europe.

• 1977

  Subsidiary founded in the United Kingdom.

• 1976

  Subsidiaries founded in the Netherlands and France.

• 1970

  Production capacity expanded with a plant in Cloppenburg.

• 1934

  First connectors produced: banana plugs, relay sockets, Zenith lightning-protection devices and tube sockets for televisions.

• 1933

  Trading license issued for 'Karl Lumberg, Handel und Fabrikation von Radio-Artikeln'; company founded in Schalksmühle.

• 1932

  Brothers Karl and Erich Lumberg agree to set up a company for radio products.

Independent German family business and specialist connector manufacturer, positioning itself as a high-tech development partner for automotive, home appliance, building technology, communication and consumer electronics industries.

• RAST connectors (pitch 1.5, 2.5 and 5 mm)

  Insulation-displacement (IDT) connectors used in home appliances, heating systems, heat pumps, fuel cells and solar thermal technology; Lumberg is regarded as world market leader.

• M8 and M12 circular connectors

  Circular connectors that set the standard in automation technology; Lumberg is regarded as their inventor.

• SmartSKEDD

  First connector enabling reversible direct plugging at any position on a PCB using IDT, made possible by patented SKEDD technology (2018).

• Series 25 IPx7 modular wall feedthroughs (RJ45)

  New IPx7 modular wall feedthroughs for RJ45, expanding Series 25 (announced January 2026).

• M16 circular connectors with crimp technology (SV and KV)

  New M16 SV and KV circular connectors with crimp technology, expanding the M16 portfolio (announced August 2025).

• High-current contacts for multilayer PCBs and busbars

  Compact and robust high-current contacts with flexible mating directions from top, bottom or side, enabling cost-efficient and vibration-resistant connections.

1. 1Lumberg - passion for connectionslumberg.com
2. 2History – Lumberglumberg.com
3. 3Automotive – Lumberglumberg.com
4. 4Products – Lumberglumberg.com
5. 5Lumberg Holding – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Lumberg Holding – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org