BAUMANN ONLINE

Our story

How it all started

Baumann is renowned as an innovator, especially in the important areas of safety, environment and productivity.

Explore Our Reach
Explore our Heritage

Watch the Video

50 Years Of Baumann Sideloaders

Petrol and peaches

1965 - 1969

The Beginning

In 1965, brothers Wolfgang and Rolf Baumann founded Baumann in Bühlertal, Germany. The early years were tough, with challenges finding skilled workers and suitable production space. Their determination to build something lasting set the tone for the decades that followed.

A Bold Move

By 1969, Wolfgang, then just 32, began searching for a new production site. Austria was first on his list, but being outside the European Economic Community made it impractical. He turned his focus to Italy, known for its mechanical engineering expertise, and set out to find the perfect place to grow Baumann.

The Search for a Home

With support from the Chamber of Commerce, Wolfgang visited 32 locations across northern Italy, from Turin to Trieste. None felt right. On his journey home, he recalled his father’s stories about Lake Garda. A stop at a petrol station led him to Cavaion—and a conversation with the station attendant, who happened to be the town’s mayor.

Building in Cavaion

The next day, Wolfgang explored the area and saw its potential. Cavaion had strong logistics, nearby universities, and a promising future. On Good Friday 1969, he bought land on a former peach plantation to build Baumann’s new home. With no road, power, or water, he created the infrastructure himself and later gifted it to the community—marking the true beginning of Baumann’s story in Italy.

Expanding horizons

The 1970s

The Founders

Baumann was established by Wolfgang and Rolf Baumann, each holding 40%, and technical manager Adolfo Gazza with 20%. Adolfo brought valuable sideloader experience from a previous manufacturer. While Rolf stayed in Germany to oversee sales and service, Wolfgang and Adolfo drove production in Italy.

Early Growth

Only eight months after purchasing the land, the factory was complete, and the first truck was built, sold, and delivered—serial number 78, a nod to the founders’ combined ages. By the end of that year, Baumann employed 18 people with an average age of just 23, building a team full of energy and ambition.

Expansion and Resilience

Throughout the 1970s, Baumann’s reach grew rapidly. The US, Australia, and Germany were key markets, while Scandinavia and Switzerland became new strongholds. When high interest rates hit at 28%, Wolfgang responded by helping to found a local bank with other industrialists. That move paved the way for a second production hall in 1979, marking a major step forward in Baumann’s capacity and stability.

Recognition

1980s & 1990s

Global Momentum

In the early 1980s, Baumann passed the 100-unit mark in annual sales. Strong demand from the US and Russia pushed growth across Europe. Wolfgang Baumann often travelled to America himself, seeing huge potential in a market with no local sideloader manufacturers.

Recognition and Growth

In 1986, Wolfgang received the ‘Cavaliere Del Lavoro’ award from the Italian Foreign Minister for his contribution to industry—an honour rarely given to non-Italians. During this period, Baumann expanded rapidly, adding a third production hall and employing over 50 people, producing up to 200 machines a year.

Leadership and Legacy

Adolfo Gazza sold his share of the company to the Baumann brothers but stayed on as technical director until 2010. In 1996, mechanical engineer Riccardo Bove joined the business and went on to lead the technical department, continuing the tradition of engineering excellence that defines Baumann today.

Brand Confusion

The 2000s

A Split in Direction

Between 1999 and 2007, Baumann also produced machines under the Irion name. In 2000, Rolf Baumann bought the Irion brand rights, creating a divide in vision between the operations in Germany and Cavaion. The brothers eventually agreed to separate the two companies, each taking full ownership of their own business.

Challenges and Change

Irion’s strong name wasn’t enough to offset its challenges. Differentiating the Baumann and Irion ranges doubled the product lines, adding complexity to production. While Cavaion grew stronger with new products, another production hall, and Wolfgang becoming an honorary citizen, the German operation struggled. After an outside investor’s involvement, the company was sold to a competitor, sparking a decade-long legal battle over the brand name.

Innovation Through Adversity

Despite these difficulties, Baumann continued to thrive. The company expanded beyond timber and steel into plastics, concrete, rail, and energy sectors. By the end of the decade, Baumann had built an advanced design and production system, streamlined spare parts operations, and earned awards for innovation—including a hydrogen-powered sideloader and a 120-volt electric model. A bold new outreach system was already on its way.

Celebrating 50 years

2011 - 2019

A Major Breakthrough

In 2011, Baumann introduced the Variable Reach System (VRS), a completely new way to extend and retract the mast. Patented worldwide, it delivered smoother, more precise control and became the biggest step forward in sideloader design in almost 50 years.

Growth and New Markets

Baumann UK was founded in 2015 and quickly became one of our most successful markets, rising to second place within just eight years. To meet growing demand for larger capacity trucks and our airport PRM vehicle, PaxLift, we built yet another production hall and expanded our reach across new sectors.

Milestones and Achievements

The decade closed with multiple awards for design and environmental performance, and a major celebration for our 50th anniversary. The timing couldn’t have been better—the same year saw the completion of our most powerful machine ever, the 50-tonne GXS500, a fitting symbol of half a century of progress.

Exciting Evolution

2020 - Present Day

The Shift to Electric

What began as a slow move toward electric power in the late 1990s has now become a complete shift. In the 2000s, only 6% of Baumann’s sales were electric. By 2019, that number had reached 50%. Today, engine-powered sideloaders are the exception. Stricter emission standards pushed rapid change, with Baumann adapting from just five engine types over 35 years to 24 in the following 15.

Leading the Charge

Baumann’s early investment in electric technology paid off. Our 120-volt range now helps hundreds of companies cut carbon emissions while maintaining performance. As demand grew, we expanded production with a new solar array, robot welding, upgraded power systems, and CNC machinery capable of producing parts for trucks built decades ago.

Looking Ahead

Growth continues across the world. We’ve re-established our North American presence and launched Baumann Australasia to serve customers in Australia and New Zealand. Alongside this, we’ve begun our largest investment programme yet, modernising the factory and setting the stage for the next chapter in our story. As always, with Baumann, watch this space.

Products & parts

Our Sideloaders

Who are we?

About Baumann

Learn more

Knowledge

Our sideloaders

EXL 50

EXL Range

Electric Sideloader

ELX 05-min

ELX Range

Electric Sideloader

EGX 02-min

EGX Range

Electric Sideloader

HX 09-min

HX Range

Diesel Sideloader

GS 01-min

GS Range

Diesel Sideloader

EGX 03-min

GX Range

Diesel Sideloader

Your Needs. Our Support.

How can we direct your enquiry?

I am looking for a new or used sideloader

I am looking for technical support

I need spare parts or service materials

I am interested in working at Baumann

Products & solutions for Baumann

I am looking for a

technical support

I am looking for

spare parts or service materials

I am looking for

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT BAUMANN

I am looking for a

New or used sideloader

I am looking to offer

Products or solutions to Baumann

This site is registered on wpml.org as a development site. Switch to a production site key to remove this banner.