From Daimler’s First Drive to AK: The Legendary Origins of a Century-Old Electrical Pioneer

A glance at the history of AnKe Automotive Electrical Systems (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.’s parent company—Germany’s AK GmbH—reveals a development trajectory that has grown in tandem with the automotive industry. The company’s founder, Mr. Wilhelm Grimm, was born in 1876 and trained as an electrical engineer. In 1898, he became the first person in the German city of Kirchheim to drive a prototype vehicle manufactured by Daimler, sparking a deep interest in this emerging mode of transportation—a pivotal experience that laid a solid foundation for his future entrepreneurial endeavors.

In 1903, Mr. Wilhelm Grimm established his own electrical assembly plant, and in 1918 he formally founded the “Apparatebau” company. From its very inception, the company has been dedicated to manufacturing a wide range of automotive electronic components for both passenger and commercial vehicles, with its initial customer base including such pioneers of the German automotive industry as Daimler (Untertürkheim), Benz (Gaggenau), NSU, Maybach, and Horch. To this day, most of these companies remain key clients of AK. With the establishment of AK Changzhou, this century-old legacy of craftsmanship is now being carried forward in China, writing a new chapter in its storied history.