History of the company

About the company AFS

History of AFS

More than 30 years ago, Gerhard Arlt and Dieter Frei founded AFS Entwicklungs + Vertriebs GmbH. The distribution of accessories for the film industry has now turned into a globally sucessful company with over 100 employees.

We invite you to review the past years with us.

1985 Foundation

Foundation AFS Entwicklungs + Vetriebs GmbH by Dieter Frei and Gerhard Arlt. AFS stands for Arlt-Frei-Systeme. Company address: private address of Dieter Frei.

1986 first company premises

Moving to a two room apartment in Augsburg: sales office and development workshop. The first own product is produced there: the high voltage perforation detector, called a bag counter.

1987 First employees

Moving to Biburg, a suburb of western Augsburg. Three rented office spaces and a mechanical workshop in a former triple garage are the new home of the aspiring company. Together with the first employees, the first AFS corona station and the worlds first corona generator with micro processor control are created

1989 Expansion of production

Move to the first new building in Neusäß, also to the west of Augsburg. This is where the thousandfold proved SD generators and the AVB-100C station built in many hundred of units are created. The downside of success: After only two years, the new building is too small, so it is decided to construct a new building. The number of employees grows to 26 during this time.

1993 new production facilities

AFS moves to the 2nd new building. On 2200 m² each year 150 Corona- and Perforation systems are built.

1996 changes

Dieter Frei leaves the company for health reasons. Gerhard Arlt takes over his shares.

2004 New building in Horgau

AFS moves mechanical production and engineering to a new built factory hall in Horgau, the 3rd new building.

2005-2006 gradual move

One after the other, shipping department, warehouse, electrical production and R&D move to the new facilities in Horgau.

2008 new headquarters in Horgau

Relocation of the purchase department and administration into a new built office building in Horgau and abandonment of the facilities in Neusäß. With more than 60 employees, AFS manufactures ca. 300 Corona stations each year.

2016 New production hall

In autumn 2016, a new production hall was built. Production capacity and number of employees was raised, again.

2018

The number of 100 employees was reached.

2020 AFS America Inc.

Foundation of a daugther company in Duncan, S.C