The 10 fastest growing family businesses in Germany

They are all Mittelstand businesses and all of them are achieving annual revenue growth of 10% or more. Few of us have heard of them, but they are essential to the economic dynamism of Germany and the rest of Europe. This list is taken from a survey by the Munich Strategy Group of the top performing Mittelstand companies. They are also big generators of jobs, and that is what underlines the Munich Strategy study, which ranked them according to the Birch Index, a measure of employment growth. FamilyCapital has measured them in terms of revenue growth.

1.  Beumer

A maker of conveyors and packaging equipment, Beumer was founded in 1935 and is now under the control of the third generation led by Christoph Beumer. From the 10 year period to 2012, Beumer achieved annual revenue growth of 17.2%, according to the Munich Strategy survey.

2.  Hirschvogel Automotive Group

Hirschvogel is one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers in the areas of steel and aluminum forging/machining.  Founded in 1938, it is controlled by two families: Hirschvogel and Britzger. Based in the Bavarian town of Denklingen, Hirschvogel had an average annual growth of 15.8% in the ten year period up to 2012.

3.  Rosenberger

A maker of fiber optics, Rosenberger had an average annual growth rate of 14.3% in the ten year period up to 2012. Founded in 1958, the business is now under the ownership of the second generation of the Rosenberger family.

4.  Pöschl Tabak

The world’s largest producer of snuff tobacco, as well as a big manufacturer of other tobacco products, Pöschl Tabak is now under the leadership of the fourth generation of the Engels and Pöschl families. Based in Bavaria, Pöschl Tabak had annual growth of 14.2% in the ten year period up until 2012.

5.  Mapal

A precision tool maker, Mapal is jointly managed by the second and third generation of the Kress family. Founded in 1950, Mapal had an annual growth rate of 13.8% in the ten year period up to 2012.

6.  Igus

Igus makes plastic parts like bearing and cable carriers. It’s under the control of the second generation of the Blase family. Igus had an annual revenue growth rate of 13% in the ten year period to 2012.

7.  Lürssen

Lürssen designs and constructs yachts, naval ships and special vessels, and has been in the boat business since 1875. Now under the control of the fourth generation of the Lürssen family, the boat maker achieved annual growth of 12.6% in the ten year period up to 2012.

8.  Brückner Group

A mechanical and plant engineering group in the field of film stretching and specialty film lines, Brückner Group was founded in 1960 and is still family owned. It achieved annual growth of 11.7% in the ten year period up to 2012.

9.  Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen

A precision engineering group, MR has been a family business since 1868 and is still owned and managed by the Scheubeck family. MR had annual revenues of 11.2% in the ten year period up until 2012.

10. Sennheiser Electronic

The maker of microphones and headphones, Sennheiser is now managed by the third generation of the Sennheiser family. Based near the city of Hanover, Sennheiser had annual revenues of just under 10% a year in the ten year period up to 2012.