German manufacturer of chassis and towing components
AL-KO Vehicle Technology Group
Headquarters in Kleinkötz (Kötz), Bavaria, Germany
Company type
Subsidiary / business unit
Industry
Vehicle components; trailer and recreational vehicle chassis technology
Founded
11November 1931;94 years ago(1931-11-11) (as a locksmith's shop)
Founder
Alois Kober
Headquarters
Kötz, Bavaria, Germany
Area served
Worldwide
Products
Chassis and chassis components for trailers, caravans and motorhomes; couplings and stabilisers; braking and suspension systems; support and levelling systems; related electronics
AL-KO Vehicle Technology Group is a German manufacturer of chassis technology and related components for trailers, caravans and motorhomes, and for certain commercial, agricultural and construction vehicle applications.[1] It operates as a business unit of DexKo Global, following the combination of AL-KO Vehicle Technology and Dexter Axle that was completed in January 2016.[2][3] In 2021, Brookfield Business Partners agreed to acquire DexKo Global in a transaction valued at US$3.4billion.[4][5]
Origins and early internationalisation (1931–1960s)
AL-KO traces its origins to 11 November 1931, when master locksmith Alois Kober took over a small locksmith's shop in Kötz, Bavaria.[1] The business developed into a small industrial company during the 1950s, producing components such as handbrake parts and overrun braking systems for trailers.[1]
The company records its first international expansion as the establishment of a subsidiary in Austria in 1961, followed by entities in England, France, Italy and Switzerland in 1970.[1]
Expansion in caravan and motorhome technologies (1970s–2015)
From the 1970s, AL-KO increasingly focused on components for caravans and leisure vehicles, including further developments in overrun braking (with auto-reverse capability) and later chassis solutions for motorhomes.[1] Products associated with this period include the AKS stabiliser coupling range and the ATC (AL-KO Trailer Control) electronic stability system for caravans and trailers.[1][6] Caravan publications have discussed ATC as an optional electronic system intended to help mitigate trailer sway by braking the caravan when excessive movement is detected.[7][8]
Integration into DexKo (2016–present)
The strategic combination of Dexter Axle and AL-KO Vehicle Technology was completed in January 2016, forming DexKo Global Inc., with the Dexter and AL-KO brands retained within the new group structure.[2] In July 2021, Brookfield Business Partners and institutional partners announced an agreement to acquire DexKo Global for approximately US$3.4billion, with completion later that year following regulatory approvals.[4][5]
Relationship to the AL-KO brand group
The AL-KO brand has been used by separate businesses, including AL-KO Gardentech, AL-KO Vehicle Technology Group and AL-KO Airtech.[9] Industry material distinguishes between AL-KO Vehicle Technology (part of DexKo Global) and the AL-KO Group entities associated with Gardentech and Airtech, describing them as independent groups following corporate restructuring around the Dexter combination.[10] AL-KO Air Technology, within AL-KO Airtech, was acquired by Trane Technologies in 2022.[11]
Operations
AL-KO Vehicle Technology operates as a global business unit within DexKo Global, with sites and subsidiaries in Europe, North America and the Asia–Pacific region.[1][12] Company materials record international expansion including the establishment of branches in the United States (1983) and Australia (1986).[1] DexKo describes itself as a supplier of trailer running gear, chassis assemblies and related components formed through the combination of Dexter and AL-KO Vehicle Technology.[2]
Brands and acquisitions
Brands
Within the DexKo group, AL-KO Vehicle Technology products are associated with a number of brands. DexKo’s brand listing includes AL-KO Vehicle Technology, SAWIKO, Winterhoff, Bradley Doublelock, Brink, E&P Hydraulics, and electronics brands such as CBE and Nordelettronica, among others.[13] AL-KO Vehicle Technology’s business-division descriptions also identify Bradley as a brand used for trailer and hitch components.[14] In 2016, AL-KO Kober stated that it would continue to invest in the Bradley Doublelock and Dixon-Bate brands in the United Kingdom.[15]
Acquisitions and investments
Reported acquisitions and other corporate actions involving AL-KO Vehicle Technology and the wider DexKo group include:
SAWIKO – acquired at the end of 2011, according to SAWIKO company history.[16]
Winterhoff Group – acquisition announced by DexKo in 2016 via AL-KO Vehicle Technology.[17]
E&P Hydraulics – acquisition announced in 2018; DexKo identified E&P as a manufacturer of levelling system solutions for caravans, motorhomes and light commercial vehicles.[18]
Bankside Patterson – acquisition of UK-based chassis manufacturer Bankside Patterson Ltd, announced by DexKo in 2019.[19]
Safim S.p.A. – acquisition announced in 2019; DexKo described Safim as a manufacturer of hydraulic components including braking-related products.[20]
Aguti Produktentwicklung & Design GmbH – acquisition completed in 2020; Aguti was described as a supplier of seating systems for commercial and leisure vehicles.[21]
Nordelettronica – acquisition announced in 2020; DexKo described Nordelettronica as an electronics specialist for recreational vehicles.[22]
Brink International – agreement announced in 2021 and completion later in 2021; Brink was described as a towbar solutions specialist.[23][24]
Toptron Elektronik – acquisition completed in 2024; DexKo described Toptron as a manufacturer of electronic components for the leisure-vehicle sector.[25]
Products
AL-KO Vehicle Technology’s published product range covers chassis and running-gear components for trailers, caravans and motorhomes, together with coupling, braking, suspension, support and levelling systems and related electronic stability products.[26][1] The company history records a move from general metalworking into series production through handbrake components in the 1950s, followed by overrun braking systems for trailers.[1]
An AL-KO stabiliser (anti-snake) coupling (Schlingerdämpfer).
Chassis and running gear
AL-KO supplies chassis and running-gear systems for trailers in the leisure and general trailer markets, including axles, suspension components and chassis parts, along with accessories.[26] In the motorhome sector, the company offers the AMC (AL-KO Motor Chassis) range, including low-frame chassis intended for coachbuilt motorhome bodies.[27] For commercial vehicles and transporters, AL-KO lists chassis variants and suspension offerings for bodybuilder and fleet applications, including low-frame chassis marketed under names such as VARIO SPACE.[28][29]
Couplings, stabilisation and theft deterrence
AL-KO manufactures coupling heads and stabiliser couplings for towing applications, including products described as reducing trailer sway through friction-based stabilisation.[26] The product catalogue also groups security and anti-theft devices, including coupling-related products, within its trailer and leisure-vehicle accessories range.[26][8]
Braking systems
AL-KO supplies braking components for braked trailer running gear, including wheel-brake assemblies and associated service parts.[26] One product line is the AAA Premium Brake, which the company describes as a self-adjusting wheel-brake system for certain AL-KO brake types.[30] Caravan media has discussed AAA Premium Brake in the context of retrofit upgrades and towing performance.[31]
Electronic stability and trailer control
In addition to mechanical stabilisers, AL-KO markets the ATC (AL-KO Trailer Control) electronic stability system, which uses sensors to monitor trailer movement and can apply the caravan’s brakes to help restore stability when pre-set thresholds are exceeded.[6] Practical Caravan and other publications have described ATC as an optional system that can be factory-fitted or retrofitted to many caravans.[7][32]
Support and levelling systems
For motorhomes, AL-KO offers hydraulic support and levelling systems including HY4 and the LevelM range.[33][34] The LevelM Pro product description refers to the integration of control technology from E&P in an external protective enclosure.[35] Additional motorhome support systems are listed in the company’s product categories.[36]
Safety and recalls
In 2018, AL-KO announced a recall affecting certain K50 coupling hitch balls and advised owners to stop using affected parts pending inspection and return through the company’s stated procedure.[37]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to AL-KO Kober.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
