From Germany to the World Graepel Celebrates 20 Years in the U.S.

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From a logistics center to a full-service partner for engineering and production in 20 years: Graepel North America celebrates the anniversary of its U.S. location.

This year, Graepel—headquartered in Löningen, Lower Saxony (Germany)—is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Omaha, Nebraska. Graepel North America Inc. was founded in Omaha in 2006 and has grown from a one-person sales office into a full-scale production facility with 65 employees and 7,500 square meters (80,700 square feet) of production space. U.S. customers in the agricultural machinery, construction equipment, and commercial vehicle sectors rely on Graepel as a local supplier. With its U.S. location, the company combines German engineering expertise with short lead times and local production.

Carlo Graepel, who serves on the executive board of Friedrich Graepel AG alongside his brother Felix Graepel, explains: “Twenty years ago, we made a decision that has had a significant impact on Graepel’s future: We wanted to be where our customers are, offering the same quality and reliability they were accustomed to from Germany. Graepel North America proves every day that this was the right decision. And there’s much more to come.”

The Path to Becoming an Independent Production Site

The company’s growth story unfolded in four stages. Starting with rented office and warehouse space in 2006, the company moved into its first production facility in 2010 and imported its first hydraulic presses from Germany. In 2014, Graepel North America built its own plant in southwest Omaha and doubled its floor space again in 2022. This growth continued with the installation of a high-speed press in 2026, meaning that all products are now manufactured in Omaha.

Mark Zumdohme, President and CEO of Graepel North America, co-founded the facility in 2006 and continues to lead it today. He recalls: “We started out with no expectations. Nebraska won us over because of the people we found here and thanks to the support we received from the very beginning and continue to receive today. That combination is what built the company.” For Graepel, the U.S. plant has become a central pillar of its international manufacturing strategy. With six locations in Germany, Hungary, India, and the U.S., Graepel now serves customers in over 30 countries. The role of the Omaha plant has evolved from that of a logistics center to that of a full-service partner for engineering and production. Today, customers know Graepel North America as an American manufacturer with German roots.

Dual Training in the United States

Graepel North America was the first company in the Omaha area to introduce the German dual training model as part of the German-American Chamber of Commerce’s ICATT program. Today, more than 4,000 people in Nebraska participate in similar training programs, reflecting the far-reaching influence of German-American business relations in the region.