Klöckner Wood Technology GmbH had its beginnings in 1897 in the small town of Hirtscheid situated between Cologne and Frankfurt, Germany. The reason for placing the company in Hirtscheid was the availability of forests and water power as well as the fact that a railroad was to be built through this region. Ernst Klöckner, the company's founder, came from a miller family, and his first production consisted of wooden water wheels as well as components for grain mills.
Initial production took place on the Klöckner family's own premises about 200 meters west of the company's present location. The machines at that time being mostly made of wood, Klöckner actually started out as a woodworking company evolving into a metal-working company in the course of industrialization.
The first buildings of today's premises date back to 1925. In the early 1930s, Klöckner's sons Alex and Wilhelm took over and changed the company name into Klöckner Brothers. Ernst Klöckner continued working in the company even after he retired and died in 1960, 87 years old. His son Alex Klöckner retired in 1958 and Wilhelm Klöckner's daughter Inge Kolb-Klöckner had to take charge of the company together with her husband Lothar Kolb.
During the 1950s, Klöckner acquires the license for the HZM (meaning HolzZerkleinerungsMaschine = wood processing machine in German) and develops it further to become its first drum chipper. This gives Klöckner a head start and makes it the leading supplier of drum chippers for the woodworking industry.
During the 1960s, business activities are expanding so that Klöckner becomes the market leader not only at home but also on a growing export market.
The knife flaker was developed by Klöckner during the years 1976-1977 when it devised an entirely new method of producing raw material for the board industry by using a uniquely flexible tool system.
Bengt Nilsson acquires Klöckner from BMH in 1996 and BRUKS acquires Klöckner in the year 2000.