BILSTEIN – Innovative Technologies “Made in Germany”

When August Bilstein laid the foundations for BILSTEIN in 1873, nobody had any idea of the crucial influence the company’s products would one day have on the driving comfort and safety of vehicles. Instead it was metal window fittings – sold under the catchy name of AUBI, an abbreviation of August Bilstein – that soon made the company famous far beyond the boundaries of Bilstein’s local region in Germany.
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A whole series of technical innovations followed and the revenues earned through these patents provided a solid basis for the later successes of what was still a young company. In order to meet the exacting quality demands already in the preliminary stage of manufacturing the fittings, the company set up its own strip iron rolling mill in 1919.  It was around this time that Hans Bilstein, August Bilstein’s son, returned from the USA to take over the company from his father, bringing with him new concepts for nickel- and chrome-plating processes.
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‍Entry into the world of the automobile: 1928 to 1954

In 1927, thanks to the technical inspirations gained in America, Hans Bilstein made the first move towards the automotive accessories industry through his co-operation with the Berlin-based lifting gear company Levator-Hebezeug-Fabrik. He did not have to wait long to see his activities bear fruit.

In 1928, four years before the opening of the motorway between Cologne and Bonn, BILSTEIN supplied the first chrome-plated bumpers for mass-produced cars. Just one year later the company began producing car jacks. In typical BILSTEIN style, it entered this market with a resounding technical innovation, introducing the first usable side jack to a world that was only slowly getting used to the car. But the true world sensation was still to come.