History
The roots of the traditional company MAHLER go back to 1864. What began at the start of the 20th century with the construction of household and kitchen stoves developed in the 1950s into the production of industrial furnaces for a wide variety of heat treatments of metals, especially under protective gas.
Milestones
1864
MAHLER was founded in 1864 as a family-owned company and initially specialized in the production of stoves and ovens for households and kitchens.
1950
In 1950, MAHLER shifted its focus to industrial furnaces, laying the foundation for innovation and growth in this sector. In 1952, the first protective gas furnace for bright annealing of 18/8 Cr-Ni steel was delivered.
1958
MAHLER pioneered the industry by delivering its first annealing furnace for stainless steel in 1958 – a significant milestone in industrial furnace technology.
1964
Delivery of the first protective gas continuous furnace with a built-in exothermic gas generator for bright annealing of low‑carbon steel.
1980
MAHLER continued its innovation journey and revolutionized manufacturing processes in 1980 with its first sintering furnace for powder metallurgy.
1995
The three companies were acquired by Bodycote International. The goal was to expand the service portfolio in heat treatment, but furnace manufacturing did not become a core business for Bodycote.
1999
In 1999, Schmetz, Mahler, and BMI were merged into the Metall Technologie Holding Group (MTH). To strengthen the European market and expand the portfolio with atmospheric furnaces, MTH acquired IVA and its Polish subsidiary Riva in 2005.
2006
In 2006, a joint venture with Huisen in Shanghai was established to expand Schmetz’s production capabilities and increase the group’s presence in the Chinese market. In 2009, MTH took full control of the joint venture and built local production facilities in China.
2019
In 2019, the IVA SCHMETZ Group was founded, bringing together four units, four brands, and one shared mission. Recognizing the group’s strengths and potential, Qijing Holding acquired the company to jointly pursue new ambitions.
2021
We are highly experienced not only with our own furnace brands but also with third‑party equipment. In March 2021, we opened our own service center in Kleve with specialized personnel for external furnace systems. In addition, technical expertise from the Dortmund and Menden locations was consolidated and centralized in Menden.
2024
Driven by solid growth in recent years and the relocation of jobs from Dortmund to Menden, the company outgrew its previous site. In the newly occupied building—originally constructed by AEG‑Telefunken in the early 1970s at the Stuckenacker intersection—the industrial furnace specialist now benefits from an additional 9,000 m², enabling further development both in workforce and operational capacity.