Mario Frigerio KOCH machinery acquisition
Mario Frigerio SpA in Italy has acquired the intellectual property rights and inventory of ERNST KOCH GmbH & Co. KG, a long-established German wire and equipment manufacturer. This Mario Frigerio KOCH machinery acquisition strengthens the MFL GROUP’s position in the global wire and rope equipment market.
New KOCH Machinery and Technology company in Germany
Following the acquisition, Mario Frigerio created a new German entity, KOCH Machinery and Technology GmbH (KOCH). Lucia Frigerio, executive vice president of Mario Frigerio, now serves as managing director of KOCH alongside Jochen Koch.
According to Lucia Frigerio, the new organization will deliver “the world’s best European technology” while responding quickly to customer service needs worldwide. KOCH will also stock and supply original spare parts, ensuring continuity and support for existing KOCH-installed bases.
Expanded MFL GROUP portfolio and service offering
With this move, the MFL GROUP expands and completes its Wire and Rope Division portfolio. The group now adds reinforcement steel wire lines and cold heading wire lines to its existing equipment range.
KOCH will support the full program of the former ERNST KOCH entity, including spare parts supply, maintenance programs, electrical revamping, and mechanical retrofitting. As a result, existing KOCH customers gain an integrated service and upgrade partner under the MFL GROUP umbrella.
ERNST KOCH legacy in wire machinery
Founded in 1921, Ernst Koch GmbH has a long history in wire machinery. The company delivered its first wire machine in the 1930s, developed by master mechanic Ernst Koch.
In the 1950s, his sons Albert and Heinrich expanded the portfolio with wet drawing machines, take-up frames for galvanizing lines, and wire straightening and cutting machines. By 1969, ERNST KOCH partnered with WAFIOS AG to supply specialized drawing machines and cold-rolling technology.
Over the years, ERNST KOCH broadened its product range, grew to around 130 employees, and built a customer base in more than 60 countries. Today, about 80% of its products go to export markets, underscoring the global reach that MFL GROUP and KOCH can now further develop.
