The origin of the company’s history goes back to the 1950s, when the dental instrument manufacturer „KaVo Dental GmbH“ in Biberach started to build up its own ball bearing production.Very soon it was realized, that the quality and performance of the dental handpieces depend crucially on the precision of the applied ball bearings. In order to preserve this expertise, in 1968 the fully owned subsidiary of KaVo, „MKL Miniaturkugellager Leutkirch“, was founded by the managing directors Erich Hoffmeister and Kurt Kaltenbach (KaVo). Production took place in Biberach first. Since 1960, miniature ball bearings has been manufactured in the KaVo factory in Leutkirch. From 1962 on, this branch was called MKL.
In 1971, the up-and-coming company was sold to „RMB Roulements Miniature Bienne SA“ (Biel/Switzerland), which soon planned another factory building in Leutkirch. The production and administration building was opened in 1975. For many years, KaVo remained MKL’s largest customer, but also additional segments and products had been gradually added. A big milestone was the owner family’s decision, to sell RMB to the financial investor „CapVis Equity Partners AG“ in 1999. The company got a new name. The corporate name „myonic“ is derived from „my“ (1/1000 mm) and the German term „(Mechatr)onic“. In 2001, Bernhard Böck and Walter Heilmann took over the management. After the transformation of RMB into myonic AG, the complete administration was transferred to Germany. Thus major changes took place at the turn of the millennium with the new management, new structures and a new name. Additional challenges were the entry into the X-ray tube bearing segment, the introduction of SAP and the currency reform.
The turbulent years continued. In 2006, the management buyout with „Süd Private Equity“, „DZ Equity Partner“ and the two managing directors Bernhard Böck und Walter Heilmann took place. After luckily overcoming the economic downturn with only a black eye, in 2009 a new era began with the acquisition by the Japanese Minebea Group (today: MinebeaMitsumi Inc.). myonic GmbH re-established its business in the years afterwards, was able to record significant growth and also built a new factory building in 2012. The production of large-size bearings for machine tool components since 2013 initiated the entry into a new segment. Nowadays it is a promising expansion of myonic’s expertise.
Fifty years after the company’s founding, almost 500 employees work at the main site in Steinbeisstraße, in the second factory in Leutkirch’s Nadlerstraße, at the assembly plant in Roznov (Czech Republic) and at many representational offices worldwide.
This steady advancement makes us very proud and allows us to be optimistic about future challenges!
