We mourn the passing of Otmar Kaup
Aschaffenburg, 26 May 2025 – Otmar Kaup, the tireless founder of KAUP GmbH & Co. KG (KAUP), outstanding design engineer and pioneer of material handling technology in Germany, fell asleep peacefully on 18thMay at the age of 96.
The thoughts of all KAUP employees are with the Kaup family and all those who were close to Otmar Kaup in these difficult times.
With the death of Otmar Kaup, KAUP has lost a driving force, inspiration and role model. For decades, his name stood for drive, inventiveness and entrepreneurial vision beyond the company. His vision will be missed; his extraordinary life's work will remain.
Even in old age, Otmar Kaup was still bursting with ideas and was driven to realise them. That is why he remained involved in "his" company until the very end, working as one of the managing directors.
Decades in materials handling technology
The trained blacksmith and qualified engineer has successfully dedicated more than 60 years to his medium-sized family business. Today, with the motto “The helping hands of your forklift truck”, it is the world's largest independent manufacturer of attachments for forklift trucks. The ideas and designs of Otmar Kaup, a passionate sportsman who said of himself, “I find solutions for every impossibility,” formed the basis for the success and current size of KAUP.
The son of a master blacksmith was originally supposed to take over his parents' ship smithy in Aschaffenburg. But Otmar Kaup chose a different path. After an apprenticeship, followed by a degree in mechanical engineering and his first job at MAN in Augsburg, he joined Güldner-Motoren-Werke in Aschaffenburg in the spring of 1954 as a design engineer for hydraulics. That was his entry into material handling technology. Otmar Kaup played a key role in developing the first hydrostatically powered forklift truck, the "Hubtrac," at what is now known as Linde Material Handling. A turning point for Güldner, material handling technology in Germany and Otmar Kaup.
His company
The pallet principle became increasingly important in the 1950s. At the same time, the number of manufacturers of attachments for forklift trucks was still limited. That’s where the visionary Otmar Kaup saw the opportunity for his own company. In early 1962, together with his father Kilian, he founded the company that is now known as KAUP GmbH & Co. KG. KAUP started with a staff of five, but now has over 900 employees worldwide.
Numerous honours
Otmar Kaup received numerous honours and awards for his entrepreneurial commitment. Special mention should be made of the City of Aschaffenburg's Citizen's Medal in 2005, the VDI Badge of Honour (2000) and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany awarded in 1998.