From DM 60,000 to €1.1 Billion
Einhell was founded in 1964 by Josef Thannhuber in Landau an der Isar, Bavaria. The first year turned over just DM 60,000 with a single employee. Sixty years later, the Einhell Group generates over €1.1 billion in revenue — EUR 1,109.7 million in 2024, up 14.2% — with record pre-tax earnings of EUR 98.5 million and a margin of 8.9%. Einhell is now one of Europe's leading DIY and battery-tool brands, selling in more than 99 countries through nearly 50 subsidiaries and 2,700+ employees.
The Sourcing Model Behind the Growth
Einhell's strategy has never been to own all its factories. Like many European DIY brands, it designs products, manages quality and builds its brand while sourcing manufacturing from partner factories — a large share of them in Asia, with a dedicated Einhell China entity coordinating procurement and production. The company's Power X-Change battery platform — one battery system across dozens of tools — is a product of this model: rapid line expansion across cordless tools, garden equipment and cleaning devices, made possible by a flexible sourcing network rather than in-house production for every category.
What Einhell Proves About OEM/ODM
Einhell's trajectory is the most cited example of the European 'brand + sourcing' playbook: • From zero to category leader — a one-man start became a 99-country brand in 60 years. • Scale without factories — full product lines built on partner manufacturing. • Brand value compounds — the Power X-Change ecosystem keeps customers inside one battery platform. • Consistent profitability — 8.9% pre-tax margin at €1.1B revenue. For any distributor or retailer thinking about launching a private label, Einhell shows the ceiling of what sourcing-based brand building can reach.
The Takeaway for Your Market
Einhell started with one employee and a plan. Your market can follow the same path: define a category, choose a brand position, and source from vetted factories with real QC. AETHEL works with 500+ partner factories across power tools, garden tools and hand tools — send us your requirements and we will reply within 12 hours with product options and a project plan.