Menu Home About History The LINAK story It started with a friend in a wheelchair. In 1976, a newly graduated Bent Jensen took over Christian Jensen & Sons, a family business founded by his grandfather. Since its foundation in 1907, the company had evolved very little. Its prime focus was still within agricultural manufacturing – e.g. flat belt pulleys, V-belt pulleys, grinding mills, and forges. Jensen saw no future in this line of business, so it was with some reluctance he took the job. However, him and his wife, Lene Jensen, gave themselves five years to come up with a new and better business idea. The idea came to Bent Jensen one day while talking to a friend from his student days. His friend had a disability, and the pair came up with an idea for a way to adjust his wheelchair – and that's how the electric linear actuator was born! Bent Jensen loved the idea so much that he decided to develop it further. In 1979 – less than a year later – the first prototype appeared. And, when Jensen received the first large order for 2,000 units for forage harvesters, he never looked back. In 1984, the company name changed to LINAK – short for ‘Lineær Aktuator’. To this day LINAK still uncovers new potential for electric linear actuators. 1907 Christian Jensen establishes a machine shop. In the town of Nordborg, Denmark, smith Christian Jensen starts his workshop. It grows to count seven employees, who build all manner of tools and aids mostly for agricultural use. 1976 Christian Jensen’s grandson, Bent Jensen, takes over. CEO Bent Jensen is put in charge of the company, now primarily manufacturing flat-belt pulleys, V-belt pulleys, grinding mills, and forges. But, the young newly graduated mechanical engineer has ambitions and allows himself five years to develop a more future-proof idea. 1979 Development of the first electric actuator After working on the project for a year, Bent Jensen develops the first electric linear actuator, the LA30, designed to improve various applications primarily within agricultural machinery. 1982 First major actuator order After delivering only small quantities of actuators for small customers in Denmark, the first major order for the LA30 is landed: Taarup Maskinfabrik (known today as Kverneland Group) orders for 2,000 actuators for its agricultural machines. 1984 The company changes its name to LINAK® Owner Bent Jensen decides to rename his growing company, LINAK – a contraction of the words ‘Lineær Aktuator’ (Linear Actuator) – as this fits better with the company’s new prime focus. 1985 First LINAK office outside Denmark. After a few years collaborating with a Swedish wholesaler, Bent Jensen decides to open LINAK Scandinavia AB in Stockholm. 1988 Electronics introduced The tentative beginnings of the electronics era as LINAK opens its first electronics department. Primarily to develop control boxes for actuator solutions in hospital beds. 1990 Complete actuator system for hospital and care is introduced For the first time LINAK presents a complete actuator system for healthcare applications. The system consists of the control box CB10, actuators LA32 and LA28, and a control unit. The system includes an optional battery backup setting a new standard for hospital beds. Business is expanding and the need for more subsidiaries grows. The UK and Denmark gets their own sales offices and by 1 November, Germany follows. 1993 LINAK presents the first Control Box with software. The control box, CB10 is launched with software. The versions: CB10M, CB10P, and CB10MP meet the market. Later the small and compact actuator LA12 is launched. Two more subsidiaries open – LINAK Benelux in April and LINAK Australia in December. 1994 LINAK US is established To gain a solid foothold in the USA, LINAK opens a subsidiary in Louisville, Kentucky. The first order of business was to build up a sales network. 1995 First JUMBO® actuator solution is presented. LINAK introduces JUMBO™ – an actuator system designed specifically for patient lifts. LINAK Netherlands is established and in July, LINAK France follows – primarily to service OEMs in the healthcare sector. 1996 Finland becomes the door to the North East To serve Finland, and later also potential markets in the Baltic area, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, LINAK OY opens an office and storage facilities near Helsinki, Finland. Linear actuator LA31 and control box CB9 are introduced and immediately set new standards for low-noise performance. 1997 New LA34 offers strong and ultra-low-noise movement As an improvement for patient lifts and other hospital related applications, LINAK launches the LA34. The product sets new standards for durability, noise levels, and introduces several new safety features. In February, LINAK Malaysia – the first office in the Far East – is established. In September, LINAK Norway opens in Drammen. 1998 A new world of actuators for desks With the launch of the desk column DL1, the first complete actuator system for desks is born. 1999 First production facility outside Denmark. As a direct consequence of a fast growing market in the US, LINAK opens a manufacturing facility in Louisville, Kentucky. In July, LINAK Italia opens just a few kilometres south of Milan. 2000 LINAK awarded Royal Mark of Honour. In June, LINAK receives the “Mark of Honour of King Frederik the 9th” for consecutive years of rapidly growing export and for remarkable success in difficult markets. LINAK also wins the prestigious “Workplace of the Year” awarded by SID – Denmark’s largest labour union. Another three subsidiaries are established – Barcelona in Spain, Krakow in Poland, and Auckland, New Zealand. 2001 Gazelle of the Year Leading Danish financial daily, Borsen, names LINAK "Gazelle of the Year". New products are launched, including the integrated desk actuator DB1 and the foot control FS2 for healthcare applications. 2002 The first dedicated LINAK segment is created. Activities in adjustable desks take off, leading to the creation of our first dedicated segment, DESKLINE®. DESKLINE releases DESKPOWER™ – a system consisting of the lifting units DL4 and DB4, control box CBD4 and control DPA. The system sets the standard for low noise, high speed independent of load, and a long stroke length. The DL4 is also available in all RAL colours. In September, the LINAK office in Zürich, Switzerland, opens. 2003 LINAK intensifies activities in Japan. After collaborating with wholesalers in Japan for ten years, LINAK opens an independent subsidiary in Japan. LINAK TWINDRIVE® is introduced – a dual actuator to make movement in leisure beds even smoother and more comfortable. 2004 LINAK US expands to keep up Adding another 7,000m² (75,000ft²) to the existing manufacturing facilities in Louisville, Kentucky, LINAK U.S. more than doubles in size to keep up with the growing demand. DESKLINE® introduces six new products. Among them is the DP1C, a panel with memory function. Sales offices in China and Czech Republic are established. 2005 Welcome to OpenBus™ - and to Brazil. In order to enhance solution flexibility, allow more functions, and create advanced motion control in applications used within healthcare, LINAK develops and introduces the OpenBus™ communication platform. TECHLINE® launches the powerful actuator LA36. LINAK opens in São Paolo, Brazil. 2006 LINAK sets up manufacturing in China. The first actuators (LA27) leave a brand new LINAK manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China. In May, an office in Turkey opens. MEDLINE® & CARELINE® releases the CB20 – the first control box with the OpenBus Communication platform. 2008 Manufacturing starts in Slovakia. In January, LINAK opens its fourth manufacturing facility. This one in Prešov, Slovakia. 2010 LINAK introduces green initiatives In order to increase environmental awareness, minimise the company CO₂ footprint, and ultimately save energy, LINAK reveals plans for a solar panel plant featuring a LINAK Solar Tracking System. LINAK releases ZERO™ - a technology that reduces standby power consumption from 1-2W to 0.1W 2011 New office established in Russia During the summer, LINAK opens a subsidiary in Russia. 2012 Actuator solution for solar panels introduced LINAK TECHLINE® presents the actuator LA37 designed for outdoor applications such as solar power plants. In May, LINAK opens a subsidiary in Seoul, South Korea. 2013 Safety feature for Desk actuators introduced DESKLINE® launches PIEZO™ - an anti-collision solution for desks and workbenches. LINAK opens an office in Brunn am Gebirge, Austria. 2014 LINAK increases focus on climate change 2,800 new solar panels are installed at LINAK Headquarters in Denmark, increasing the amount of green energy to 16% of total consumption. LINAK announces plans to become CO₂-neutral by 2029. LINAK moves to a larger manufacturing facility in Prešov, Slovakia, and DESKLINE® introduces LINAK Desk Control™ – a small piece of software connecting your PC to your desk, reminding the user to either sit or stand. HM Queen Margrethe II knights LINAK founder, Bent Jensen. 2015 Kick & Click™ and an entirely new control box platform are introduced. LINAK presents the top frame assembly system, Kick & Click™. It halves the time it usually takes to assemble height adjustable tables. A brand new control box-platform (the CA and CO series) for hospital and medical applications is launched. It eases logistics, aligns worldwide approvals, and generally makes LINAK systems even easier to integrate and use for customers. LINAK welcomes employee number 2,000. 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