HANNING & KAHL GmbH & Co. KG is an owner-managed family business which can look back on a 125-year history. Founded in Bielefeld in 1898, the company headquarters have been in Oerlinghausen, East Westphalia since 1992. Today, around 500 employees work on innovative, safety-relevant solutions for rail-based transportation worldwide.
Our company is 100 % owned by the founding Hanning family – currently in the fourth generation. Our export share was approximately 68% in 2025. With a strong international network of over 28 representatives outside of Germany and a service subsidiary in the USA, we serve customers in 289 cities, 47 countries and 6 continents – with particular focus on growth regions such as North and South America.
HANNING & KAHL structures its product range into two operating divisions.
Rolling Stock: development and production of hydraulic braking systems, track brakes, levelling and sanding systems – in particular for trams, light rail, and metros.
Infrastructure: solutions like point-setting systems, control technology, signalling installations and digital depot management systems for urban and industrial rail applications.
Our portfolio is rounded off by an extensive range of services which are provided via our global partner network. HANNING & KAHL’s excellence, innovative strength and customer focus is affirmed by numerous awards and certifications, including the international quality standard IRIS (ISO-22163).
Specialist for hydraulic braking systems worldwide
In the Rolling Stock Division our main focus is on the development and production of hydraulic braking systems. These include our BrakeMaster, track brakes, LevelMaster® hydraulic levelling systems and our GripMaster® sanding systems – in particular for trams, light rail, and metros. As mass transit continues to expand, our hydraulic braking systems are gaining in importance, particularly in North America.
The HANNING & KAHL L.P., our subsidiary in Bridgeport/Philadelphia, supports customers on site with project planning, service and spare parts. With short response times, local repair possibilities and individual service offers, we position ourselves as a reliable partner for all brake requirements.
Our US subsidiary is one of an exclusive group of just fourteen companies in the USA to meet the international quality standard ISO-22163 (IRIS). This confirms HANNING & KAHL`s high process quality, reliability and innovative strength.
References in North America – Successful projects build trust
HANNING & KAHL is already successfully participating in a number of major North American project as a supplier of hydraulic braking systems. The Innovia Metro 300 Vancouver Skytrains built by Bombardier are equipped with a HANNING & KAHL braking system. Our braking system is also deployed in ALSTOM`s new Mark V vehicle fleet.
As part of initial training at the main depot in Vancouver, Alstom and operator BCRTC staff received comprehensive instruction in maintenance, trouble-shooting and working with diagnostic systems as well as testing and service equipment.
Further projects in North America include the Siemens S200 vehicles for Cleveland which will be commissioned this year. Our braking systems are also deployed on CAF`s Urbos 100X and Urbos 100 fleet in Calgary and Omaha, and in the S200 vehicles for St. Louis.
These references underscore the performance, reliability, and usability of our hydraulic braking systems in demanding urban rail transportation projects.
With our local service stationand the continuous expansion of workshop capacities, optimized repair processes
and service equipment, we ensure fast, customized assistance to North American customers. Close coordination with company headquarters in Germany enables us to continuously increase the availability and efficiency of our braking systems.
With this strategy, HANNING & KAHL is positioning itself as a leading supplier for hydraulic braking systems in North America – in a reliable, innovative, and forward-thinking manner.
Key HANNING & KAHL Products
- BrakeMaster – Hydraulic Brake Systems
- GripMaster® – Sanding System
- LevelMaster® – Hydraulic Levelling
- ConnAct® – System for condition-based maintenance
