Dormakaba Group

About Dormakaba Group

If you’ve ever walked through an automatic door, used a hotel key card, or turned a modern key in a lock, you’ve likely interacted with technology from Dormakaba Group. This company is a global powerhouse in the access and security industry, shaping how we move through the world, from airports to hospitals to our own front doors. But its story isn’t one of a single startup; it’s the tale of two European family businesses, born a generation apart, that grew to dominate their fields before joining forces. The story starts with two separate but parallel journeys. In Switzerland, Franz Bauer founded a locksmith and cash register factory in Zurich in 1862. His company, initially known as Bauer AG, built a reputation for quality safes and locks. A defining moment came in 1934 when an inventor named Fritz Schori created a revolutionary cylinder lock with a reversible key—a simple convenience we take for granted today. Bauer AG patented the invention and named it "Kaba," a nod to the company's founder, the "Kassenbauer" or "maker of cash registers." This innovation set Kaba on a path of expansion, eventually going public on the Swiss stock exchange in 1995 and growing through strategic acquisitions in North America and Asia. Meanwhile, in Germany, Wilhelm Dörken and his brother-in-law Rudolf Mankel founded Dörken & Mankel KG in 1908. With Dörken managing the business and Mankel focused on the craftsmanship, they started by producing double-action spring hinges for doors. The company registered the brand name Dorma in 1927 and steadily expanded its expertise, entering the door closer market in 1950 and producing its first automatic doors in 1962. Like Kaba, Dorma grew into a global leader in its own right. For over a century, these two giants operated in the same industry, often as competitors. But in 2015, they saw an opportunity to create something bigger. On September 1, 2015, Dorma and Kaba merged to form the Dormakaba Group, instantly creating one of the top three access and security solutions companies in the world. The merger combined Dorma's strength in door hardware and entrance systems with Kaba's expertise in high-security locks and electronic access control. Today, the publicly traded Dormakaba Group is focused on the future of access, investing heavily in smart, connected, and sustainable solutions. From cloud-based access control to mobile key technologies, the company continues to innovate, driven by the same spirit that started in two small European workshops over a century ago.