more than 40 years of UTSCH:

From a vehicle license plate manufacturer and development pioneer to an international leader in system technology.

Some of the most important milestones:

1961
Erich Utsch started the company as a small family business. Father, mother and their eight children started to manufacture and sell vehicle license plates. Their first machine was a modified wine press.

1962/63
UTSCH provides a complete equipment and service package for plate production and manufacturing for independent embossing operations.

1965
UTSCH launches the first mechanical embossing press. Efficient and light at a good price.

1970
UTSCH starts mass producing license plates on nearly fully automatic production lines developed and built by UTSCH. The first embossing tools made of durable plastic are a revolution in the field!

1974/75
The automatic embossing press is born.

1979
UTSCH establishes its own company named BIG for the management of vehicle plate embossing operations in Germany.

1980
UTSCH develops automatic machines for the embossing and processing of consecutive numbered reflective vehicle plates in high volume production.
UTSCH plans and delivers one of the first production lines for the manufacturing of millions of vehicle plates to the Italian state-owned company IPZS. Electronically controlled production lines are supplied to Saudi Arabia and other countries.

1982
UTSCH relocates its company headquarters.
Machines and tools are developed for the manufacturing of bar code plates made of metal as indestructible carriers of information.

1983
Establishment of the Autoschildergesellschaft GmbH  (ASG) (Vehicle Plate Association) to centralise embossing activities in Germany.

1985
UTSCH launches the new license plate frame generation ”ERUT 1“. The attractive design of this license plate frame and its function as a permanent advertising medium on the vehicles is very popular with automobile dealers. The ERUT 1 becomes a bestseller.

1988/89
In cooperation with the leading film manufacturer Kurz, UTSCH develops a totally new, environmentally friendly and qualitatively superior dry roller coating technique for vehicle plates called HOT STAMPING to eliminate the need for the polluting and hazardous solvents required by old-fashioned wet roller coating.

The famous artist Hundertwasser visits UTSCH in Siegen to discuss the design for the new Austrian vehicle plate.

After many years of pioneering work by UTSCH and UTSCH's participation in government and industry associations, reflective license plates become compulsory in Germany.

1990
The former wet roller coating technology using paint and solvents that pollute the environment is replaced in Germany by UTSCH hot stamping.

From Austria to Mexico, from Iceland to China – this new technology gains international support and UTSCH is the only supplier. Because UTSCH moved quickly after the reunification of Germany, UTSCH has also had great success in Eastern Germany: More than 400 former GDR vehicle plate manufacturers are equipped with complete embossing stations.

1991
In the EC, Ireland pioneers the introduction of the new European vehicle plate.
Through the UTSCH subsidiary in Ireland UTSCH delivers the samples to be presented to the government and provides the technical equipment for the manufacturing of vehicle plates by hot stamping to the Irish embossing companies.

Establishment of UTSCH RECYCLING GmbH & Co. KG as a specialist for aluminium recycling of used vehicle license plates all over Germany.

1992
UTSCH establishes joint ventures in Poland, Russia and Belarus.

1995
UTSCH offers a comprehensive security concept especially for the international market. It consists of

1. vehicle license plates with country-specific emblems
2. integrated security features such as holograms and laser codes (“security license plate”)
3. the “third number plate” and identity cards in credit card format for vehicle registration and driver’s licenses.

The joint venture AZON-UTSCH for the manufacturing of vehicle license plates in thermo-transfer print is started in the USA.

1996
UTSCH is certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001 and successfully completes the ecoaudit pursuant to the EC directive.

The expansion of the office and factory space paves the way for continued growth. With further innovations in lamination and control technology (GPS: Graphic Positioning System), UTSCH optimises the production of license plate blanks with integrated graphic elements.

1997
UTSCH establishes a joint venture with a Spanish partner.

By selling the first computer-controlled automatic embossing press, UTSCH takes another big innovative step in vehicle plate manufacturing.

Merger of ASG GmbH and Kroschke AG. By raising the participation in the Kroschke AG by 20% to 43% UTSCH becomes the market leader in Germany.

1998
UTSCH delivers two fully automatic production lines for centralized vehicle plate manufacture in Italy to the state-owned company IPZS. A real sensation: The embossing of the alphanumeric combinations is done by an integrated inline automatic embossing press.

UTSCH introduces process-oriented management. With an emphasis on “project and order management” and their “customer centre,” their main targets are to increase efficiency and customer service along with improving teamwork.

The establishment of a French subsidiary expands UTSCH’s market position in Europe.

1999
The technology of automatic embossing presses is further developed by UTSCH and is used successfully in many countries.

2000
Uruguay and Sri Lanka introduce UTSCH security license plates as a governmental measure to fight the high rate of vehicle thefts.

In addition, Sri Lanka starts using the “third number plate” or “License Tag” developed by UTSCH.

A holographic sticker is placed on the inside of the windscreen and tears apart when tampered with. The “third number plate” shows the same data as the outside number plates, thereby thwarting attempts at theft or forgery of license plates.

UTSCH delivers graphic laminators in accordance with UL standards for the US market.

2001
UTSCH enters into a joint venture contract with an Indian partner.

Erich Utsch KG is transformed into Erich Utsch AG.

2002
For the first time since the founding of the company UTSCH's export sales exceed domestic sales in Germany.

With ERUCARAT, UTSCH launches a completely new number plate frame generation.

In cooperation with the chip producer INFINEON and the film specialist SCHREINER, UTSCH exclusively promotes the technologically advanced “third number plate” with integrated an transponder, the so-called iltag (Intelligent License Tag).

2003
The “self-illuminating embossed license plate” is developed together with partner company FER Fahrzeugelektrik in Eisenach.

UTSCH secures the international marketing and production rights.

2004
The UTSCH Self-Illuminating Embossed License Plate is introduced to international markets at the international fair “Intertraffic” in Amsterdam.

2003
Participation of 33 1/3% in Messrs Irwin Hodson, Oregon, USA.

2004 - 2005
Participation of 50% in the biggest private Canadian license plate manufacturer, Messrs Waldale, based in Amherbst, Nova Scotia.

2006
Largest individual order of UTSCH AG for the delivery of new license plates and production lines to Saudi-Arabia.

2008-2009
Largest individual order of UTSCH AG for the delivery of new license plates and production lines to Egypt. 

2010
Beginning of the reconstruction and extension of the office building of the headquarters of Utsch AG at Siegen-Eiserfeld.

2011
In September, the reconstruction work for the office building at the headquarters at Siegen-Eiserfeld was completed. The completely renewed building has four floors now. At about the same time, UTSCH celebrated its 50th company anniversary on a grand scale on 23 September. Nearly 300 guests had accepted our invitation, amongst them business partners from five continents, numerous friends and partners from Germany and Siegerland as well as local guests of honour. After the official celebrations of the day, the employees came together in the company for their own anniversary party in the evening.

In November, UTSCH was DIN EN ISO 14001-certified. Thus, UTSCH officially implemented an internal environmental management system, but the idea of protecting the environment had already been an essential part of the company policy for decades. A newly developed network-enabled 80-ton press was added to the product range in 2011.