History The history of Franz Kiel GmbH Franz Kiel GmbH has been producing passenger seats for buses and trains for 75 years. We are proud of our history and we feel duty-bound to continue this tradition. Our many years of experience are our capital: our knowledge of the market and expertise allow us to survive in the fast-moving modern markets with their ever-increasing requirements, and to assert our position as the market leader for innovative and reliable system solutions. 1945 Company founded by Franz Kiel 1948 Franz Kiel and Friedrich Krüger, co-owners of the company, establish new company headquarters in Nördlingen 1950 The first rigid seat frame is produced 1955 Production of adjustable passenger seats, the so-called “greyhound seats” 1960 Start of armrest production for coaches 1965 Powder-coating plant and wet coating established 1975 Production begins on orders for the Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Federal Railway) 1981 Production begins on orders for the Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Federal Railway) 1989 Production expanded and a new office building built in Nördlingen (Bavaria) 1996 Kiel Oto Koltuk subsidiary founded in Bursa, Turkey 1997 Kiel Polska Sp. z o. o. subsidiary founded in Nowy Tomysl, Poland 2000 Franz Kiel B.V. founded in the Netherlands 2001 Kiel France s.a. r. l. founded in France Sales activities in Scandinavia, Greece and Israel 2002 Kiel takes over the production of train seats for a Norwegian company 2003 Production site built in Turkey Sales activities expanded to include Hungary, Slovenia and the countries of the former Yugoslavia Licence agreement for the production of bus seats in India 2005 Introduction of the computer system SAP 2007 Kiel Seating Ltd founded in Northampton, Great Britain 2008 The first MATCH train seat for regional transport is supplied 2009 Kiel N.A. L.L.C. founded in North America 2010 FKT Koltuk A.Ş. becomes Kiel’s new cooperation partner in Turkey 2011 The KFK OOO joint venture is founded in Russia 2012 Construction of a new production hall for train seat production in Nördlingen 2014 Development and delivery of the COMFORTLINE seat for high-speed trains 2016 Takeover of Emar Kiel in Spain 2017 Kiel Mazedonien DOOEL founded 2018 Development and delivery of the AVANCE X seat for coaches 2019 The Jiangsu ARSALE KIEL Seat Co., Ltd. joint venture is founded in China 2020 KSU N.A. LCC. founded in North America Vision We want to be a leading international manufacturer of train and bus seats and to achieve this success with empathy, a focus on the customer and an economical approach. Mission Finances We measure our company success by a sustainable increase in profitability and healthy growth. Co-operation with suppliers Our suppliers are our partners and we work with them to establish lasting, trusting business relationships, which allow us to reach our shared goals. Customer satisfaction We believe that successful collaboration is based on a close proximity to our customers: understanding their needs and the desire to always be able to provide the best possible solution. Environment We are contributing to the conservation and protection of our environment through the development and application of innovative materials and products, and through the use of environmentally friendly production techniques. Reliable delivery dates We are committed to providing our customers with punctual, reliable and comprehensive products and services. The same also applies to our internal processes. Safety Our seats exceed the safety standards that apply to train and bus seats. These standards include conformity with the requirements of the German and international Road Traffic Law and adherence to additional external regulations. Continuous improvement We safeguard the success of our company through continuous improvement processes across all sectors. Employees Our members of staff are our greatest capital. We are continuously investing in their training and qualifications and encourage their individual personal development. Quality Quality makes the difference Here at Kiel, we combine the satisfaction of our customers and the development of products designed to suit their individual wishes with technical innovation and the continuous improvement of our products and processes. This is our understanding of quality management. It is the cornerstone for our success as a premium manufacturer of seating systems in the national and international bus and train sectors. Last but not least, we can only ensure the high quality and reliability of our products because all of our employees see this as their shared duty and feel personally responsible for it. Product quality at Kiel means modern design, high-quality materials, the use of the latest technologies, adherence to environmental regulations and legal norms, such as those from the German and international Road Traffic Law, and the fulfilment of the highest safety standards. We are constantly improving our products. We have implemented a comprehensive quality management system for this purpose. In addition to regular audits of internal processes, products and suppliers, this also includes special problem-solving methods, the accurate documentation of all processes and their improvement, and the implementation of an internal suggestion scheme, which employees are heavily involved in. Our company is, of course, also certified in line with DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 and ISO/TS 22163-2017. Our products meet the latest regulations and legal requirements processes, Sustainability Sustainability is more than just a word Here at Kiel, we combine the satisfaction of our customers and the development of products designed to suit their individual wishes with technical innovation and the continuous improvement of our products and processes. This is our understanding of quality management. It is the cornerstone for our success as a premium manufacturer of seating systems in the national and international bus and train sectors. Last but not least, we can only ensure the high quality and reliability of our products because all of our employees see this as their shared responsibility and feel personally duty-bound to this claim. Production tspan { white-space:pre } .shp0 { fill: none;stroke: #000000;stroke-linecap:round } Core skills in the field of production tspan { white-space:pre } .shp0 { fill: none;stroke: #000000;stroke-linecap:round } Core skills in manufacturing COMPANY History Global presence Innovation Service Career News References Downloads PRODUCTS Bus Train LEGAL AGB Data protection Data protection career Sitemap Imprint Contact FRANZ KIEL GMBH Nürnberger Straße 62 D-86720 Nördlingen Telefon: +49 (0 90 81) 21 03 – 0 Telefax: +49 (0 90 81) 21 03 – 151 E-Mail: info@kiel-sitze.de ©Kiel Sitze – All rights reserved HOME Company Global presence Innovation Bus seats Train Seats KIEL PROTECT Service Careers News Contact English