That year Prince Rainier of Monaco married the American actress Grace Kelly. It was a daring step which shocked royalty. However public enthusiasm soon silenced the critics.

1973

This was a difficult year for the Ludwig Mauer company. The business was taken over by Klöckner-Werke. This made it possible to significantly expand the product line. The first step towards becoming a large enterprise was now taken.

The oil crisis brought growth in the industrialized countries to a standstill. In Germany, indeed throughout Europe, driving a car on Sundays was prohibited as a conservation measure.

1981

Klöckner Ferromatik GmbH expands and new production facilities are established with the acquisition of Desma Works in Achim, Fridingen and Hermeskeil. A strong foundation for Klöckner Ferromatik Desma is thus secured.

With the Cold War at its height, the peace movement takes root in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of people gather under the sign of the white dove, demonstrating against war and the arms race.

1982

Efforts to enter the market for large injection-molding machines are successful. Thanks to the acquisition of GKN-Windsor, Ferromatik is now able to produce injection-molding machines with a clamping force of up to 40,000 kN.

Helmut Kohl becomes chancellor of West Germany. Although few expected him to last for long, he stayed in office until 1998 winning several key elections along the way.

1987

The company assumes ownership of Remak Engineering GmbH: continued success depends on continuous growth!

This is the year when the Mir space station was launched into space.

1992

Klöckner Ferromatik Desma introduces the first fully electric injection-molding machine at the K1992 trade show. The ELEKTRA has a clamping force of 1000 kN.

In the U.S.A., democratic party candidate Bill Clinton wins the presidential election.

1993

A strong overseas partner – Cincinnati Milacron Inc. – buys the Malterdingen firm. Now a player on the global scene, Ferromatik Milacron Engineering GmbH, is ready to take on the challenges of the future.

A new 5-digit postal code system is introduced in Germany. The unification of East and West means that twice as many postal code combinations are needed to represent all of the addresses in the country.

1995

The MAGNA range of models with a clamping force of 5500 to 7750 kN for the production of large parts is introduced in the European market under the joint direction of Cincinnati and Malterdingen.

“Three – two- one – mine!” EBay is established on the internet. Almost no one anticipates the success that will follow for the new online auctioning service.

1996

The fully electric ELECTRA disco machine, used in the production of optical media, is developed and introduced to the market soon thereafter.

A massive deployment of 19,000 German police officers and border guards provide security for the transportation of CASTOR containers of highly radioactive waste from a reprocessing plant in France to an intermediate storage location in North Saxony.

1998

The hydraulic 2-platen MAXIMA series with a clamping force range of 300 to 30,000 kN is introduced and replaces the MAGNA series in the following years.

After 16 years the Helmut Kohl era in Germany is over. A new majority government is elected with a coalition of SPD and Green Party representatives.

2000

The development of the five-color K-TEC machine is another milestone in the evolution of multi-component technology. Soon thereafter a six-color version is also available.

Shortly after take-off a Concord jet en route from Paris to New York crashes and all 109 passengers, including 97 Germans, lose their lives. Following the incident Air France and British Airways suspend all Concord flights.

2001

The fully electrical ELEKTRA range of models is expanded with the launch of the ELEKTRA evolution. Aimed at the mass market, the new system offers impressive performance capabilities for a machine in its price range.

The world is shocked and horrified by the terrorist attacks of September 11th on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the U.S.A.

2003

Ferromatik Milacron introduces the world's first fully electric two-colored machine: the new ELEKTRA evolution. The new product confirms Ferromatik’s position at the cutting edge of fully electrical machine technology.

A great epoch in the auto industry draws to a close as the last original model VW Beetle leaves the assembly line.

2004

Ferromatik Milacron takes over the management of the Milacron organizations in China including three offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzen. The number of subsidiary companies is thereby increased to eleven.

The European Union expands to include Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Cypress.