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Thermal & Fluid Systems

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MAHLE

MAHLE

MAHLE

Verified Sep 2026

Thermal & Fluid Systems

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Germany flag

Stuttgart, Germany

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Since 1920

MAHLE GmbH is a Stuttgart-based Tier-1 automotive supplier founded in 1920 and 99.9% owned by the non-profit MAHLE Foundation since 1964. The company operates 127 production locations across three segments -- Powertrain and Charging, Thermal and Fluid Systems, and Lifecycle and Mobility -- supplying OEMs including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and the Volkswagen Group. FY2025 revenue was €11.3 billion with 64,242 employees.

MAHLE

Verified Sep 2026

AT A GLANCE

Founded

1920

Headquarters

Germany flag

Stuttgart, Germany

Employees

~64,000

Ownership

MAHLE Foundation

MAHLE at a glance

Revenue

€11.3B

FY2025 · company-published

Employees

~64,000

FY2025 · company-published

Founded

1920

Bad Cannstatt workshop · Dec 1, 1920

Headquarters

Stuttgart, Germany

Ownership

MAHLE Foundation

Non-profit · 99.9% since Dec 1964

Certifications

IATF 16949

Claimed · all 127 plants · ISO 45001 at 117 locations

Import activity

66,619

US import shipments on record · Mahle Behr Dayton LLC

Known customers

BMW · Mercedes-Benz · Volkswagen Group · Stellantis · Ford

Company press · OEM parts fitment records

Industries

Automotive

Electric Vehicles

Electronics

Industrial Equipment

Sourcing and import activity

Via Mahle Behr Dayton LLC, US subsidiary -- through September 2026

US sea imports

66,619

Top origins

Germany · China · Brazil · India

Most recent shipment

Sep 16, 2026

Chart of the supplier's US import shipment volume trend over time

Shared foreign counterparties do not establish that these companies buy from MAHLE.

What this tells a buyer

Three-segment restructuring completed January 2025: Powertrain and Charging merges engine and electrification; Thermal and Fluid Systems unifies filtration and thermal management -- simplifying a product portfolio that spans combustion, hybrid, and fully electric drivetrains.

Adjusted EBIT improved to €442M (3.9% margin) in FY2025 even as reported EBIT fell to €228M (2.0%), a gap explained by restructuring charges. The divergence indicates near-term cost absorption rather than a structural margin collapse.

India was MAHLE's fastest-growing regional market in FY2025 at more than 20% currency-adjusted growth, while Europe and China declined -- a regional mix shift consistent with the company's stated MAHLE 2030+ strategy.

Source: US customs bill-of-lading records and public filings · Last verified Sep 2026

STABILITY SIGNALS

Operating

FinancialMonitor
TradeActive
QualityClaimed
ScaleLarge
Tenure20+ years

€11.3B revenue (FY2025), 2.0% reported EBIT margin, -3.6% YoY -- per the company's published annual results.

106 years in continuous operation; 99.9% foundation-owned since December 1964 with no debt-driven ownership change.

IATF 16949 certified across all production plants (company claim); ISO 45001 confirmed at 117 locations and 8 Tech Centers.

What MAHLE makes

MAHLE operates across three business segments, each covering distinct parts of the vehicle. The Powertrain and Charging segment -- reorganized into a single unit in January 2025 from two predecessors -- covers piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems, electric motors and e-drive units, and the electronics and control units that manage them. Output spans 24V to 800V systems and motor outputs from 1 to 250 kW; the company produces magnet-free electric motor variants that eliminate dependence on rare earth materials. The Thermal and Fluid Systems segment, equally reorganized in January 2025, handles the full chain from air management and filtration to battery thermal management, engine cooling modules, and air conditioning for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and electric platforms. MAHLE's battery cooling plates, now in series production at its Montblanc plant in Tarragona, Spain, are rated to keep lithium-ion cells below 40 degrees Celsius; the Montblanc facility ramped from 1,000 units per week at launch in July 2026 toward a stated peak of 15,000 per week. The Lifecycle and Mobility segment -- approximately €1.2 billion in annual sales -- serves aftermarket channels with spare parts, diagnostic tools, and workshop services across retail, wholesale, and e-commerce.

The company's stated product breadth is unusual even at the Tier-1 supplier scale: MAHLE claims that one in every two vehicles globally carries at least one of its components. The chargeBIG product line extends that footprint into AC destination charging infrastructure. R&D spending of €607 million in FY2025, a 5.4% ratio, with roughly 4,500 engineers involved and approximately 70% of 361 new patents related to electrification.

Financial performance

MAHLE posted €11.257 billion in revenue for FY2025, down 3.6% from €11.681 billion in FY2024, per the company's own published annual results and the Berylls top-100 study. Organic growth adjusted for foreign exchange and divestitures was 0.6%, meaning the reported decline primarily reflects currency headwinds and portfolio changes rather than volume loss at constant conditions.

Reported EBIT came in at €228 million, a 2.0% margin, down from €423 million and 3.6% in FY2024. The gap between reported and adjusted EBIT -- €228 million versus €442 million adjusted -- reflects significant restructuring charges taken in the period. The company cut headcount by 3,466 people (5.1%) to 64,242 employees as of December 31, 2025, as part of a production network consolidation weighted toward Europe and North America. Net debt improved by €136 million to €1.03 billion; the equity ratio rose from 20.1% to 21.9%. New orders with an annual sales value of €1.9 billion were announced in the period. India was the fastest-growing regional market at more than 20% on a currency-adjusted basis.

CEO Arnd Franz described the company as "on the way to profitable growth" in the annual results announcement. Credit ratings as of June 2026 are Ba2 with a Stable outlook from Moody's and BB- with a Positive outlook from S&P Global.

Ownership and history

Hermann Mahle began work on December 1, 1920, at a small workshop in Bad Cannstatt focused on two-stroke engine development. His brother Ernst joined the operation in November 1922 as head of engineering. The brothers became the company's sole shareholders by the early 1930s and renamed it MAHLE KG in 1938, introducing the wordmark still in use today.

In December 1964, Hermann and Dr. Ernst Mahle transferred almost all of their personal assets and company shares to the non-profit MAHLE Foundation (MAHLE Stiftung), which now holds 99.9% of shares in MAHLE GmbH and thus in the MAHLE Group. The foundation's stated purpose covers health and nursing care, education, agriculture and food, and arts and culture, all guided by anthroposophical principles. The ownership structure was designed explicitly to remove succession risk and ensure continuity of management across generations.

MAHLE GmbH is headquartered at Pragstrasse 26-46, D-70376 Stuttgart, Germany. The group operates 127 production locations and 11 R&D centers globally, with India identified as its fastest-growing regional market.

Certifications and quality

The company says all of its production plants are certified to IATF 16949, the automotive-sector quality management standard, and that production lines have been audited and approved by vehicle manufacturers. MAHLE's own sustainability data confirms ISO 45001 certification at 117 production locations and 8 Tech Centers. The company describes APQP and PPAP as standard procedure across its manufacturing operations. MAHLE also holds validated EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) declarations at multiple German and Austrian facilities.

Known customers

MAHLE is a documented OE supplier to the major global vehicle manufacturers. The relationships below are drawn from the company's own press materials, aftermarket fitment records, and commercial vehicle program disclosures.

Customer

Evidence

Confidence

BMW

OEM parts fitment data across passenger car and commercial vehicle lines; company press materials citing the relationship (2026)

Documented

Mercedes-Benz

OEM parts fitment data; MAHLE aftermarket catalog entries covering Mercedes-Benz powertrain and thermal management (2026)

Documented

Volkswagen Group

OEM parts fitment data spanning VW, Audi, Porsche, and Skoda; MAHLE company press materials (2026)

Documented

Stellantis

OEM parts fitment data across multiple Stellantis brands; company press materials (2026)

Documented

The company states it serves 120 commercial vehicle customers and that its components appear in nearly all battery-electric and fuel cell trucks operating in Europe. A 2026 MAHLE press release disclosed a thermal management module program totaling nearly €1.5 billion in order volume -- described as including the largest single order in the company's history -- without naming the OEM customers involved. Battery cooling plate series production at Montblanc began July 2026 for an unnamed OEM customer.

Frequently asked questions

What does MAHLE make?

MAHLE makes components and systems across three segments: Powertrain and Charging (piston systems, cylinder components, valve trains, electric motors, electronics), Thermal and Fluid Systems (battery cooling plates, engine cooling, air conditioning, filtration), and Lifecycle and Mobility (aftermarket parts and workshop services). The company's own materials state that one in every two vehicles globally contains at least one MAHLE component.

Who owns MAHLE?

MAHLE GmbH is 99.9% owned by the MAHLE Foundation (MAHLE Stiftung), a non-profit established in December 1964 when co-founders Hermann and Dr. Ernst Mahle transferred their personal assets and company shares to the foundation. MAHLE is not publicly listed and has no private equity shareholders.

What is MAHLE's annual revenue?

MAHLE reported €11.257 billion in revenue for FY2025, down from €11.681 billion in FY2024, per the company's published annual results. Organic growth adjusted for currency and divestitures was 0.6% for the year.

Where is MAHLE headquartered?

MAHLE is headquartered at Pragstrasse 26-46, D-70376 Stuttgart, Germany, the same Baden-Wurttemberg city where the company's origins trace to 1920. The group operates 127 production locations and 11 R&D centers worldwide.

Who are MAHLE's customers?

MAHLE is a documented OE supplier to BMW, Mercedes-Benz, the Volkswagen Group, Stellantis, Ford, and major commercial vehicle manufacturers including MAN, Scania, and Volvo Trucks. The company states it serves 120 commercial vehicle customers and that its components appear in nearly all battery-electric and fuel cell trucks in Europe.

Last verified September 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.

Latest news

Sep 2026

MAHLE demonstrated thermal management systems for battery and electric drive applications in rail transport at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, per the company newsroom (Sep 10, 2026).

Jul 2026

MAHLE unveiled its range extender system for heavy electric trucks at IAA Transportation 2026, claiming more than 800 km range and more than 80% CO2 reduction versus diesel, per the company newsroom (Jul 21, 2026).

Jul 2026

Battery cooling plate series production commenced at the Montblanc plant in Tarragona, Spain, following a double-digit million-euro investment; the site employs 750 workers and is scaling toward 15,000 units per week, per the company newsroom.

Refreshed weekly · updated Sep 22, 2026

Leadership

Arnd Franz

Chairman of the Management Board (CEO)

Markus Kapaun

Member of the Group Management Board, CFO

Georg Dietz

Member of the Group Management Board

Location & contact

Stuttgart (HQ)Headquarters · Stuttgart, Germany
Montblanc, TarragonaManufacturing · Tarragona, Spain
Dayton, OhioManufacturing · Ohio, USA
PuneManufacturing · Maharashtra, India
ShanghaiManufacturing · Shanghai, China
Sao PauloManufacturing · Sao Paulo, Brazil
Stuttgart (HQ)Pragstrasse 26-46, D-70376 Stuttgart, GermanyGroup headquarters and technology center

Email

investor.relations@mahle.com

Certification

IATF 16949

Inside the facility

Photo of the supplier's manufacturing facility, plant, or products

MAHLE MCT magnet-free electric motor -- product photography from MAHLE press kit

Photo of the supplier's manufacturing facility, plant, or products

MAHLE headquarters, Stuttgart -- exterior, MAHLE press kit

Photo of the supplier's manufacturing facility, plant, or products

MAHLE A/C compressor -- product photography from MAHLE press kit

Photo of the supplier's manufacturing facility, plant, or products

Engineers at MAHLE R&D facility -- MAHLE press kit

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