350 years of Lesjöfors
Precision and innovation since 1675
2025 marks an extraordinary milestone: The Lesjöfors Group, which also includes Ernst W. Velleuer GmbH & Co. KG from Velbert, can look back on three and a half centuries of industrial history – from iron hammering in Sweden to an internationally positioned manufacturer of springs, stamped and bent parts. Today’s portfolio is the broadest in the industry, ranging from gas and gate springs to flat springs, tool springs, wave springs, disc springs and much more. Today, over 50 locations in more than 20 countries work together in a network – always with the aim of making technical solutions reliable, efficient and sustainable.
From a smithy to a global technology SME
The roots date back to 1675, when metal was processed in a small smithy on the Swedish river Lesjöström. Over generations, this developed into a company that combines manufacturing expertise, material competence and modern process control – and supplies customers worldwide.
Milestones in our development
- 1853: Components from Lesjöfors help power Sweden’s first steam locomotive – an early example of applied engineering.
- 1925–1950s: Under the leadership of Baron Gerard De Geer, modernisation follows: electrification, increased automation and international growth – including through export business during difficult economic times.
- 1980s–2000s: Employee participation and later integration into the Beijer Alma Group usher in a new phase of expansion
- 2002–2016: Entry into new markets – Asia, the United Kingdom, North America – and expansion of the medical technology segment
- 2011: Ernst W. Velleuer GmbH & Co. KG joins the Lesjöfors Group
- 2023–2025: Commitment to Science Based Targets (SBTi), additional branches in India and France, among other places, plus an online shop with one of the most extensive ranges of standard springs worldwide
Invisible – yet indispensable
Lesjöfors components work behind the scenes in numerous applications: automotive and aviation, agriculture, defence, medical technology, electronics and energy. They secure contact forces, dampen, store energy or perform precise movement functions – often small, but crucial to the overall design.
People make the difference
Managers from the regions repeatedly emphasise the same point: technology is only as good as the team behind it. This applies to long-standing colleagues with in-depth process knowledge as well as to new talent in the globally growing organisational units. This focus on collaboration, customer orientation and further development shapes culture and strategy.
Anniversary: review, recognition, visions of the future
To mark its 350th anniversary, the Group is honouring influential personalities (‘Legacy Champions’), hosting international team events and compiling stories, timelines and portraits on a dedicated anniversary landing page. This highlights how experiences from the past are being incorporated into concrete innovation projects of today and tomorrow – from sustainable materials to smarter spring systems.
To the official anniversary page: https://www.lesjoforsab.com/350-years-of-lesjofors/#legacy-champions
