Development and history

Innovation leader and Hidden Champion

Over 140 years of experience in spray technology - that's what Lechler is. Today, more than 900 employees develop and manufacture precision nozzles and nozzle systems worldwide for a wide variety of industries. Our in-depth knowledge of the industry and process is based on countless inventions and patents that Lechler has achieved since 1879. This is what has made Lechler the innovation leader in nozzle technology. So that this remains so in the future, every year a considerable part of our turnover flows back into research and development.

Right now, Lechler produces in Germany, England, Hungary, India, China and the USA. Further subsidiaries and more than 40 agencies complete the worldwide sales network. Despite being internationally orientated, we remain at heart a Swabian company - with the typical passion for accuracy, innovation and the urge to constantly become better.

Company history

1879	Paul Lechler founds the company of the same name as a trading house for technical products.
1893	Lechler acquires a patent for liquid atomising nozzles and sells these products in subsequent years.
1915–1919	Start of own production at the Stuttgart-Berg, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt and Stuttgart-Stammheim sites.
1933	Relocation of the nozzle production to Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, in an extension of the sealing ring factory.
1950	From 1950 onward, intensified development and sale of nozzles for dust control in mining as well as for roller cooling and descaling in the steel industry.
1958	Relocation of production from Bad Cannstatt to Feuerbach.
1962	Foundation of sales offices in Germany.
1967	Acquisition and expansion of the former Joh. Braun cloth factory in Metzingen and relocation of Feuerbach's production to this site.
1972	Acquisition of Kershaw, Hughes & Partners Ltd. in Sheffield / England, today's Lechler Ltd.
1973	Bundling of all sales and administrative activities of the Lechler companies in the newly built Lechler building in Fellbach.
1975	Lechler acquires shares for the Spray Engineering Co. in USA.
1977	Acquisition of Vollet in Paris, today Lechler France S.A.
1978/1979	Lechler acquires 100% of the Spray Engineering Co., name change to Spraco Inc.
1986	Relocation of Spraco Inc. to St. Charles, Ill. and at the same time name change to Lechler Inc.
1988	Complementing the nozzle program for environmental and desulphurisation technology by selling separator profiles and complete separator cassettes.
1992	Foundation of Lechler AB, Sweden.
1993	Foundation of Lechler India Pvt. in Thane, near Mumbai. Foundation of Lechler KFT in Kecskemet / Hungary.
1995	Relocation of sales and administration from Fellbach to Metzingen. For the first time in the company's history, all functions are now combined in one location.
1996	Foundation of Lechler S.A. N.V., Belgium.
1999	Foundation of Lechler S.A., Spain.
2002	Change of name from Lechler GmbH + Co KG to Lechler GmbH.
2003	Foundation of Lechler Oy, Finland.
2004	Foundation of Lechler China.
2010	Inauguration of the new production facilities at the company headquarters in Metzingen.
2015	Founding of Lechler Spray Technology S.r.l. / Italy
2016	Opening of the development and technology centre in Metzingen
2017	Foundation of Lechler Spray Technology Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia.
2018	Professor Walter H. Lechler, Managing Partner of Lechler GmbH, dies at the age of 75
2019	Lechler celebrates 140th anniversary
2020	Founding of the new Chinese subsidiary Lechler Nozzle Systems Changzhou (LNSC) and start of construction of the new headquarters in Jintan, China.
2020	Construction of a new factory building in Thane/India
2021	New Lechler logistics center in Metzingen completed
2023	Start of construction of the new Lechler Campus
Today	Today, Lechler is a group of companies with 900 employees worldwide with a consolidated turnover of approx. € 152 million (2023). The fourteen foreign subsidiaries, five of which have their own production facilities, are combined under Lechler International GmbH.