Company

Our company history

A man, a name: Walter Hengst

As to whether it was fate or a simple coincidence that the very name of Hengst (German name of Stallion) builds a bridge between horse power, engines, oil and fuel filters, has been philosophized about for over half a century now. More precisely since 1958, when Walter Hengst set up his Ing. Walter Hengst KG in Münster, Germany. Thus, he laid the foundations for the eventful and successful development of a company which is now under the management of his grandson, Jens Röttgering and under its new name of Hengst SE.

Founded during a time of many new beginnings and new developments, the company kept pace with the swiftly developing and fast-growing automotive industry and its continuously increasing requirements for filter products. This was the core business back then and it still is today.

Today will be tomorrows yesterday

In retrospect, our company's history is also an exciting family history. It is important to remain aware of one's roots and of one's development. Primarily, however, looking back at our history strengthens our confidence and optimism for a safer future for our company and our employees. And our motto has always remained the same: "If it works, take it. If it doesn't work, leave it."

2020s

2022
Acquisition of the industrial air specialist Linter from São Paulo.
2021
Start of a climate offensive of the Hengst group: Münster becomes the first location to become climate-neutral in 2022.
2021
Takeover of the hydraulic filtration business from Bosch Rexroth and integration of the Ketsch plant in Baden-Württemberg as the 21st location of the Hengst Group.
2021
Founding of the Health Care Filtration business unit with a focus on medical filtration products.
2020
Successful start for the production of medical surgical masks and air purifiers in Münster and Camden.

2010s

2019
Opening of the 20th location of the Hengst Group in Jinan, China.
2019
Opening of the 19th location of the Hengst Group in Rawicz, Poland.
2018
Takeover of the industrial air specialist DELBAG from Herne in North Rhine-Westphalia.
2018
Opening of the 16th location of the Hengst Group in Gogolin, Poland.
2018
The sustainable alternative to the "Blue.on" screw-on oil filter developed by Hengst wins the innovation prize of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
2017
Hengst continues its global strategy and changes its legal form to Hengst SE.
2016
Takeover of the Danish specialist for process air filtration Nordic Air Filtration with around 100 employees at three locations.
2015
Founding of Hengst Poland Sp. z o.o. and opening of the first Polish location in Gostyń.
2015
Foundation of the joint venture Hengst Luman Pvt. ltd in Delhi/India.
2014
Founding of the sales company Hengst Asia Pacific Pte. Based in Singapore.
2013
Change of legal form to Hengst SE & Co. KG.
2013
Establishment of the Hengst Automotive India location in Bangalore, India.
2011
Opening of the new plant in Nordwalde.

2000s

2009:
Hengst Filter Systems (Kunshan) Co.,Ltd. opens its new company building in Kunshan, China.
2009:
Completion of a new plant in Münster and establishment of the Competence Center Energetic (CCE).
2008:
Opening of the company's day-care center "Hengst Kinderland".
2006:
The stallion Indústria de Filtros Ltda. Opens its new company building in Joinville, Brazil.
2005:
Foundation of the subsidiary Hengst of North America, Inc. in Camden, South Carolina.
2005:
Foundation of the subsidiary Hengst Filter Systems (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. in Kunshan, China.
2004:
Acquisition of all shares in the joint venture Hengst-Wetzel Ltda. in Brazil and renaming Hengst Indústria de Filtros Ltda.
2002:
Business graduate Jens Röttgering, grandson of company founder Walter Hengst, begins his work in the family business in the third generation.
2001:
Opening of a logistics center in Nordwalde.
2000:
Founding of the Nordwalde site with its own aluminum foundry and expansion of Energetic production.

1990s

1999
Establishment of a joint venture in Joinville, Brazil, under the name Hengst-Wetzel Ltda.
1998
The biggest fire in the city of Münster's post-war history destroys a third of the Hengst filter works.
1995
Establishment of an own plastic production in Münster.
1993
World first: Hengst successfully launches the environmentally friendly filter system ENERGETIC®, the first metal-free filter insert.
1992
Wera Röttgering founds the Herzensfreunde e.V. association for seriously ill children and young people.
1990
Takeover of the VEB filter and carburetor plant in Berlin under the name of Hengst Filterwerke Berlin GmbH & Co. KG.

1980s

1987
Completion and inauguration of Plant 2 in Münster.

1970s

1979
Founding of the first foreign company in Vöcklabruck, Austria. A production plant for screw-on filters is built here.
1978
Company founder Walter Hengst dies at the age of 86.
1977
Laying of the foundation stone for the expansion of the main building in Münster.
1977
Günter Röttgering joins the company as the son-in-law of company founder Walter Hengst. In this context, the company changes its name to Ing. Walter Hengst GmbH & Co. KG.

1960s

1962
First stand at the International Motor Show (IAA).
1958
Engineer Walter Hengst founds the company Ing. Walter Hengst KG in Münster.

Contact us

Hengst SE
Nienkamp 55-85
48147 Münster
Germany
© 2024 Hengst SE

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purifying our planet

Our vision
Sustainable

We make the planet a purer place with our products. We also take this journey as cleanly as possible.

Innovative

We develop the filtration solutions of the future. For our customers and for society.

Efficient

Our focus is on energy efficiency. This protects the environment and saves costs.