History

1896 - 1918
The otto kuehnen company was founded in Vienna in the waning years of the 19th century. Its immediate purpose was to represent and market predominantly textile machinery of English origin in the then existing Austro-Hungarian monarchy as an agency. Aside from textile machinery the young company also marketed sprinkler systems and fire extinguishers under the AUDACES (Latin for the German “Die Kühnen” alluding to the family name) brand.

WW I and the following break up of the monarchy dealt a hard blow to the business of the company. Business nearly stopped completely at times.

1919 - 1945
The years from 1919 to 1945 saw the company’s activity refocused from representing English to mainly German machinery producers. To handle business activities in the most active market, the Czechoslovak Republic, a branch office was opened in the early 19 30ies in Brno. Around that time the reigns of the company were handed over to Dr. Ing Alois Kühnen., the second generation.

At about that time the company also patented the first cots made of synthetic oil free rubber and started to market them under the OTALO brand. Some years later also aprons of the same material were introduced.

1946 - 1990
After WW II the altered political and geographical landscape required, once more, significant adjustments of the orientation of the company. The geographical coverage  was step by step extended to include all of Yugoslavia and Poland. Also the representation scope was expanded to include more and more principals of other European countries, predominately Swiss, French and Italian companies. Significant investments in the textile industry during the reconstruction era eased the build up and development of the otto kuehnen company. Starting in 1970 Heinz Kuehnen took over as CEO, the third generation.

1991 - 1999
Once the first noticeable tendencies towards decentralization in the former communist countries became apparent, the otto kuehnen company followed suit by founding its first branch office in Prague and a little while later the next one in Warsaw which shortly thereafter was moved to Lodz for practical reasons. The Budapest office was opened only after the turn of the political tide was complete.

The new millennium
The start of the new millennium has seen a steep decline in the volume of the traditional textile industry in central and east-central Europe. Once more adaptation was the keyword of the day, which was met by enlarging the scope of the offering and also a continuation of the decentralization strategy by founding yet another branch office in Kranj, Slovenia. At about that time the fourth generation entered the company in the person of Stefan Kuehnen.