1683 1928 1934 1948 1949 1955 1974 1975 1976 1978
                   
1979 1981 1983 1990 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
                   
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
                   
2009 2010
   
   
   
 
1683 The shoemaking tradition in Kirchanschöring dates back to 1683, when Petrus Meindl worked as the first shoemaker of the Meindl family in Kirchanschöring.
   
 
1928 Lukas Meindl began independently shoemaking and started the company.
   
 
1934 He started the production of clothing. A stitching machine was bought for 15,00 €. At this time 2 shoemakers were working in the company.
   
 
1948 One of the sons of Lukas Meindl, Alfons Meindl started his work in the company.
10 People worked for Meindl.
   
 
1949 Mr. Alfons Meindl visited for the first time a shoe fair in Munich, where he exhibited his handmade shoes.
   
 
1955 Hannes Meindl, Alfons Meindl's brother started work in the company.
Now he runs the clothing company.
   
 
1974 After the death of Lukas Meindl, Alfons and Hannes Meindl run the company together.
   
 
1975 Meindl started working in neighbouring countries, as there were not enough qualified people Kirchanschöring. The idea of product categories was introduced. The first Outdoor booklet was published.
   
 
1976 Meindl´s shoemakers won German championships.
   
 
1978 First product-sponsoring for the Everest-Lhotse-Expedition. Hubert Hillmayer conquered Mt. Everest using Meindl-boots.
   
 
1979 The first Multigriff-sole was exclusively developed.
   
 
1981 Meindl pioneered development of the trekking boot segment. Meindl was one of the first companies in Europe to work with Gore-Tex and developed the Meindl Air-Active Technology.
   
 
1983 Contract for cross-skiing with Salomon for SNS-System.
   
 
1990 Lukas Meindl joins his fathers's company. Now the 11 th generation of Meindl shoemakers is working in Kirchanschöring. Lukas Meindl studied shoe engineering.
   
 
1991 Foundation of the Meindl-nature-committee.
   
 
1993 Construction of a recycling-system for old boots together with DGW, D-Hannover.
   
 
1994 Production of the first »Lightwalker«-models
   
 
1995 The new shoe production building in Kirchanschöring is completed.
   
 
1996 1996 Lars Meindl joins the company. Alfons Meindl now runs the company with his two sons. »European Outdoor Award« - prise of the international press-for the ISLAND model
   
 
1997 Shoe and boot production reaches 750.000 pairs a year.
A new range of shoes is created which is called Multi Terrain Hiker (MTH)
   
 
1999 For the first time a Meindl magazine, called »Movements« is published. A new product group called SOFTLINE is introduced. The 500 000 pair of our most successful model the Meindl Island Pro is sold within 10 years. The readers of the in German »Outdoor«-magazine voted the Meindl ISLAND the best trekking boot. Meindl won three awards from the British »Trail«-magazine.
   
 
2000 The first trekkingboot with GORE-Skin Tec under the name ComfortDry was produced. The MTH group is very popular with consumers. In which it has hardly changed the PERFEKT model is in its 20rh year of production.
   
 
2001 New groups like Air Revolution and the MTH Magic Line are launched. The group Air Revolution wins the ISPO Outdoor award. »European Outdoor Award« – prise of the international press-for the Model AIR REVOLUTION. The readers of the German »Outdoor«-magazine voted the Meindl ISLAND again their favourite boot.. Construction of the Relaxed Fit System together with Dr. Oliver Schröer.
   
 
2002 New production area was added in the production in Kirchanschöring. 1/3 more place in the soling and finishing Department.
   
 
2003 750.000 pairs of the model Island Pro are sold.
   
 
2004 Excellent awards for the product. In the magazin »Panorama« for hiking boots and mountaineering boots. Meindl is voted as No 1.
   
 
2005 A new warehouse is under construction and will be ready end of April. The new warehouse raises the logistic capacity of Meindl and with the new warehouse, Meindl can meet even better the demands of retailers, importers and partners in Germany and around the world.
   
 
2006 Development and presentation of the new line of MFS Vakuum and Light Hiker. Widening of the Magic line. Gear of the Year 2006 Award for the models Island Pro MFS, Air Revolution 3.1 and Aruba GTX from Outdoor magazine.
   
 

Alfons Meindl, Managing Partner and Senior Partner of Lukas Meindl GmbH & Co. KG, Kirchanschöring, passed away in the middle of September the day after his 77th birthday. In 1948 the entrepreneur, who was born in the same town in 1929, entered the family business founded by his father Lukas Meindl in 1930. In 1934 the company began manufacturing leather clothing and Lederhosen due to the strong competition between shoe companies. This area of production was later carved out as Meindl Bekleidung GmbH & Co. KG and is now managed by Hannes Meindl.

Initially employed as a sales manager, Alfons Meindl, who was an enthusiastic huntsman, took over management of the company after the death of his father in 1974. He continued to specialise in ski boots and trekking boots and developed the company with its 300-year old tradition of shoemaking into a global market leader. Documents show that since 1683 there has always been a Meindl working as a shoemaker in Kirchanschöring.

In 1995 the passionate mountain-climber was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit for his services to the region. His home town made him a freeman of the community in 1999 following many years of commitment to local government. Amongst other things, it is also due to his initiative that shoes are worn by the mountain rescue service on Kilimanjaro and by children in the Kinderdörfer of the Caritas association.

Management of the family company has passed to his sons Lars and Lukas. The two shareholders represent the 11th generation and have already been employed in the company for a long time as commercial manager and manager of production and development respectively.

   
 
2007 Meindl presents its shoes at the start event of the Tour de Ski in Munich.

Award of the Bavarian State Medal 2006 for merit earned in the field of environmental protection and health on March 16, 2007 at "Residenz" in Munich.

"Training, training and even more training" is once again the motto for this year: Numerous specialist dealers and consultants flock to MEINDL in Kirchanschöring in the EuRegio where they learn all about the elaborate and complex business of producing shoes. Seminars are held for sports dealers where they can learn how to produce shoes of their own.
Meindl has had a fruitful cooperation with the GORE-TEX since 1977 and was one of the first shoe manufacturers to explore the opportunities this has opened up – the 30th anniversary of this cooperation was celebrated at the ISPO trade exhibition in Munich.

Meindl entered into a new cooperation agreement with the Hohe Tauern National Park. The National Park staff will be outfitted with Meindl shoes in future.

Numerous Nordic Walking events have been organised this year. Master trainer Anke Faller trains many end users wearing Meindl shoes.

1st Meindl shops in Prague and China opened – both are very successful.

In 2007, Meindl offered several apprenticeship posts – both for office workers and shoemakers.

Meindl shoes have been ranked top by leading specialist outdoor and mountaineering magazines, such as Bergsteiger, Outdoor Magazin, Alpin, ...
   
 
2008 Establishment of the Alfons Meindl Social Foundation — dedicated help. At the beginning of the year, the foundation was recognised by the state. The purpose of the foundation is the promotion and/or support of people who suffer hardship through no fault of their own and who do not receive sufficient support from other sources such as official authorities or social aid institutions. With this foundation, Lukas and Lars Meindl are continuing their father’s work. Many successfully completed apprenticeships both in commercial and shoemakers trade.
Meindl Movements (MEINDL’s customer magazine) is published with some 2 million copies in 7 languages and is distributed world-wide. Many traders visit our production site in Kirchanschöring every year and experience the comprehensive art of traditional shoe-making live. The Meindl Alpin competence team has been increased – together with Peter Geyer (former President of VDBS), the Meindl Alpine Group is expanded and improved. The “Jäger” journal awards the “Golden Keiler 2008” award to the ISLAND PRO MFS in the category “stalking boots”. “A milestone in outdoor equipment” – the editors of Outdoor magazine award the Outdoor Innovations Award to the ISLAND PRO MFS. The model has been setting the standard in the outdoor market for 20 years now. The Timberking model, a special model meeting the specifications of cut protection class 3, receives the Forest Engineering Award.
During the OutDoor trade show in Friedrichshafen, Meindl & W.L. GORE celebrate 25 years of partnership. Meindl was a pioneer – Alfons Meindl was one of the first shoe-makers to use a GORE-TEX membrane to line a shoe. Filming for TV at Meindl in Kirchanschöring — TV station N24 filmed the production of high-quality brogues and lederhosen.
   
 
2009 During the OutDoor trade show in Friedrichshafen, a jury consisting of outdoor equipment dealers, journalists and product designers awards Meindl the Outdoor Industry Award 2009 for the ISLAND MFS ACTIVE model.
The WISO German TV science magazine programme bought several trekking boots in a close look at specialised shops and put them through their paces to find out if the wide price differences are justified. Meindl’s NEBRASKA LADY XCR model remains victorious among the eight branded models tested.
Meindl shoes and boots win awards in many national and international tests. The readers of Outdoor magazine once again rate Meindl shoes as “products of the year”: 1st rank for AIR REVOLTUION 3.1 in the hiking boot category; 1st place for VAKUUM GTX in the trekking boot category and an excellent 3rd place for MAGIC 5.0 XCR in the multifunctional category! As always, Meindl apprentices achieve above-average rates in their final examinations.
In a DAV reader survey among 8000 readers, Meindl was distinguished both the in the category “best hiking boots” and in the category “best mountain boots”.
 
2010 No other trekking boot has won more awards during the last 20 years as the Meindl "Island". Die newest version, the "Island Active MFS" continues this tradition immediately. The jury of the Outdoor magazin awards the Outdoor Editors Choice Award to the new Island model. Meindl Movements, the costumer magazin of Meindl, is distributed around the world. Speedhiking – a new trendy sport is presented at the Outdoor show in Friedrichshafen together with the cooperation partners Deuter, Leki and Lowa. Speedhiking means fast walking with poles and light gear in the terrain.
October 2010 the Outdoor magazin "Outdoor" elects the model "Alpine Trek" as test winner with the result "outstanding".
   
   
   

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