GEDIA

In 1910, in the German town of Attendorn, brothers Anselm and Ferdinand Dingerkus founded a company to produce jewelry. This was the humble beginning of what would become GEDIA Automotive Group. The first major pivot came in 1925 when they began manufacturing sheet metal handles for enamelware, followed by a move into plastic handles in the 1950s. The defining moment for the company arrived in 1955. Seeing an opportunity in Germany's booming post-war economy, GEDIA entered the automotive supply industry, producing pressed, stamped, and drawn metal parts. This decision set the company on a new trajectory. The focus shifted decisively in 2003 when GEDIA sold its handle division to concentrate fully on automotive technology, specifically lightweight structural components and chassis parts. This sharpened focus precipitated a period of significant international expansion. Starting in the late 1990s, GEDIA established production plants in Spain, Poland, Hungary, China, Mexico, India, and the United States. Rather than a single event like an IPO, GEDIA’s story is one of strategic, family-owned growth and adaptation. The company has invested heavily in technology, such as hot-forming and advanced robotics, to become a key supplier of high-strength, lightweight components for major car manufacturers, including parts for the growing electric vehicle market.