March 2, 2026, 7:25 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
With the radio device “Heinzelmann,” the rise of the Grundig brand to a German traditional company of global renown begins in the 1950s. But how is Grundig faring today?
From Fürth, company founder Max Grundig creates a veritable radio equipment empire in just a few years. It’s the time of the German economic miracle. People in Germany are treating themselves again in the post-war period, especially radios and televisions. However, Grundig also produces other electronic devices. The video recorder will be the company’s downfall.
Overview
The Quiet Farewell to Grundig
The company experiences a steep decline in the early 1980s. In 1984, the Dutch company Philips takes over the management of Grundig AG. The company and the name Grundig continue to exist for quite some time, but the luster of the economic miracle era has faded.
In 2003, Grundig files for bankruptcy. Various ownership changes follow. Today, the brand belongs to the Beko Group, a subsidiary of the Turkish conglomerate Arçelik and a manufacturer of technical household appliances. However, even they couldn’t lead Grundig to long-term success. After decades of decline, Grundig is finally withdrawing from the TV business in Europe. Since January 1, 2026, no new devices are being produced; only existing stock is being sold.
For customers, little changes for now. Service, spare parts, and warranty processing are expected to remain available, writes the “Süddeutsche Zeitung.” The company cites intense competitive pressure and a price development that has turned the TV segment into a fiercely contested low-margin market for years as reasons for the exit.
The move marks the provisional endpoint of a long erosion of the once-iconic German electronics brand. Attempts to reconnect with new OLED models or the Google TV platform were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the brand diluted as it increasingly became associated with household appliances–far removed from its origins as a premium provider of radio and television technology.
The name Grundig will not completely disappear, however. The brand will continue to be used for other product segments where it is already established. So while the TV era of the traditional house ends, Grundig remains as a label in the household appliance sector–a quiet continuation of a name that has shaped the German electronics market for decades.
Grundig has also had to leave its Franconian home. The current company headquarters is in Eschborn, Hesse.
1930: Where It All Begins
The story of Grundig begins in 1930 in Max Grundig’s small radio shop at the former Sternstraße 2 in Fürth. Since radio technology is still in its infancy, technical defects occur repeatedly. Spare parts are in high demand. The company specializes in the production of transformers, as this component often failed in the early days of radio.
Like many others at the time, Grundig also profits from German war activities. The company supports the military with radio technology devices. The production is mainly carried out by forced laborers. A dark chapter in the company’s history.
Immediately after the end of World War II, Grundig launches the kit for the tube radio model “Heinzelmann”. With this radio, the brand’s star begins to shine.
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A “Heinzelmann” Makes Grundig Famous
In 1949, the 100,000th “Heinzelmann” radio is sold. Grundig is the market leader with 20 percent of total radio sales. By now, 800 people work for the company. They produce 12,000 radio devices monthly.
In 1951, Grundig even has its own factory TV channel that regularly broadcasts a program. Historical footnote: German television, ARD, begins broadcasting only on November 1, 1954.
Speaking of television: The manufacturer is now also producing TV sets, although the market is limited due to a (still) missing TV program. In 1954, there are only 100,000 registered televisions. But company founder Max Grundig believes in the new medium and serves a market that will soon grow rapidly.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Grundig also produces other electronic items, such as dictation machines, tape recorders, cassette players, and car radios. The company is one of the first manufacturers to offer a color television and rises to become the largest TV set producer in Germany in the 1960s.
Grundig at Its Peak
In the early 1970s, portable radios and small portable TV sets follow. By the late 1970s, the company is at its peak. Nearly 39,000 people work for the Fürth company. Grundig’s devices generate more than 1.5 billion euros in revenue.
However, by this time, the first dark clouds appear on the company’s horizon. Competition from the Far East, especially Japan, is giving the German traditional company a hard time. Although Max Grundig has always had an excellent sense for trends throughout his entrepreneurial life, he seems to have missed the mark with video recorders.
The company recognizes the business potential in video technology far too late, and it is not alone. Other German brands like Nordmende and Telefunken also see only the red lights of the train heading to Asia.
As is often the case with technical innovations, a battle for the best standard in video ensues. Here, Grundig even tries to establish its own standard with the Video 2000 system. The competition from Asia opts for VHS and wins.