Krauss-Maffei
Encyclopedia
The Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co KG (KMW) or simply Krauss-Maffei is an injection molding machine
manufacturer and defence company based in Munich
, Germany
. The company produces various types of equipment as well as railroad locomotives, tanks, self-propelled artillery
and other armoured vehicles.
of various types. Maffei also built other steam-operated vehicles and, later, manufactured vehicles with combustion engines, including locomotives, trolleybuses and buses until the 1950s.
In the 1960s, Krauss-Maffei built several examples of diesel-hydraulic locomotives for demonstration and testing on American
railroads. Southern Pacific Railroad
and Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
participated in the tests, but both found the locomotives unsuitable for service in the rugged Rocky Mountains
through which the two railroads ran. 1963 the company started production of the Leopard tank, 1973 production of Leopard 2
. In the seventies they were involved in the development of the Transrapid
magnetic levitation
train. In 1999 the company fused with Mannesmann
DEMAG
.
had a 49% stake; Wegmann Group bought this stake in December 2010 to become the sole shareholder of KMW.
Injection molding machine
An Injection molding machine, also known as an injection press, is a machine for manufacturing plastic products by the injection molding process. It consists of two main parts, an injection unit and a clamping unit....
manufacturer and defence company based in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The company produces various types of equipment as well as railroad locomotives, tanks, self-propelled artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and other armoured vehicles.
Overview
Krauss-Maffei was formed in 1931 from a merger of the two Munich firms of Maffei (founded 1838) and Krauss & Co. (founded 1860). Both belonged to the leading German makers of locomotivesSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
of various types. Maffei also built other steam-operated vehicles and, later, manufactured vehicles with combustion engines, including locomotives, trolleybuses and buses until the 1950s.
In the 1960s, Krauss-Maffei built several examples of diesel-hydraulic locomotives for demonstration and testing on American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
railroads. Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
and Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...
participated in the tests, but both found the locomotives unsuitable for service in the rugged Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
through which the two railroads ran. 1963 the company started production of the Leopard tank, 1973 production of Leopard 2
Leopard 2
The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve...
. In the seventies they were involved in the development of the Transrapid
Transrapid
Transrapid is a German high-speed monorail train using magnetic levitation. Based on a patent from 1934, planning of the Transrapid system started in 1969. The test facility for the system in Emsland, Germany was completed in 1987...
magnetic levitation
Magnetic levitation
Magnetic levitation, maglev, or magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields...
train. In 1999 the company fused with Mannesmann
Mannesmann
Mannesmann AG was a German corporation with headquarters in Düsseldorf. The company was founded in 1890 originally to produce seamless steel tubes. It was traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company had 130,860 employees worldwide and revenues of €23.27 billion.Over time, Mannesmann...
DEMAG
Demag
Demag or Demag Cranes AG is a German heavy equipment manufacturer now controlled by US based Terex. The roots of Demag date back prior to its formation, but became Märkische Maschinenbau-Anstalt, Ludwig A.-G in 1906 as the biggest crane building company in Germany employing 250-300 people...
.
Relationship with Wegmann
The production of armored vehicles was joined with the company Wegmann to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. SiemensSiemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
had a 49% stake; Wegmann Group bought this stake in December 2010 to become the sole shareholder of KMW.
Products
Examples include:- Leopard 1 main battle tank
- Leopard 2Leopard 2The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve...
main battle tank - PzH 2000PzH 2000The Panzerhaubitze 2000 , abbreviated PzH 2000, is a German 155 mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall for the German Army. The PzH 2000 is one of the most powerful conventional artillery systems currently deployed...
self propelled howitzer - Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer GepardFlugabwehrkanonenpanzer GepardThe Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard is an autonomous, all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun . It was developed in the 1960s and fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics...
self propelled anti-aircraft artillery - Dingo 1 & 2ATF DingoThe ATF Dingo is a German heavily armored military infantry mobility vehicle based on a Unimog chassis with a V-hull design, produced by the company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann . It is designed to withstand land mines, rifle fire, artillery fragments and NBC-threats. ATF stands for...
infantry mobility vehicle - Panzerschnellbrücke 2
- FLW 100 and FLW 200 remote weapon stations
- GrizzlyKMW GrizzlyThe KMW Grizzly is a medium weight highly protected vehicle, developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann , designed for operation with the German Army based on the 6x6 Trakker chassis from IVECO adapted to meet the needs of the German Army. It is being developed under the direction of the German Ministry of...
highly protected vehicle - GTK BoxerBoxer MRAVThe Boxer is a German-Dutch multirole armoured fighting vehicle designed to accomplish a number of operations through the use of installable mission modules. It is produced by the ARTEC GmbH industrial group, and the programme is being managed by OCCAR...
armoured fighting vehicle - MARSM270 Multiple Launch Rocket SystemThe M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System is an armored, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher; a type of rocket artillery.Since the first M270s were delivered to the U.S. Army in 1983, the MLRS has been adopted by several NATO countries. Some 1,300 M270 systems have been manufactured in the...
tracked multiple rocket launcher - Artillery Gun ModuleArtillery Gun ModuleThe Artillery Gun Module is an air-portable self-propelled howitzer designed by Krauss-Maffei as. It is based on technology used in the German Army Panzerhaubitze 2000 system, to provide more air portable self-propelled artillery, transportable by Airbus A400 aircraft.The system is fully...
(AGM), which has been further developed into the Donar self-propelled howitzer - Mungo ESKMungo ESKThe Mungo ESK is an air-transportable, armoured multirole transport vehicle of the German Army for its Airmobile Operations Division and Division Special Operations....
armoured transport vehicle - Leguan - armoured bridge layer
- PumaPuma (IFV)The Puma is a German infantry fighting vehicle, the mass production has started on the 6th July 2009. It will replace the aging Marder IFVs, from 2010 through 2020. Governing company is PSM Projekt System Management, a joint venture of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Landsysteme. The Puma is...
infantry fighting vehicle - FennekFennekThe Fennek, named after the fennec , or LGS Fennek, with LGS being short for Leichter Gepanzerter Spähwagen in German , is a four wheeled armed reconnaissance vehicle produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Dutch Defence Vehicle Systems...
armoured reconnaissance vehicle - F2KMW F2The KMW F2 is a family of modular wheeled armoured vehicles, manufactured by KMW. The F2 is designed as a supplement to the Fennek and is intended to provide a maximum of mobility, protection and growth potential...
wheeled armoured vehicle