2025

Strong Partners for a Strong Future
With a new shareholder structure and Partner Tech Europe on board, the ANKER is setting the course for long-term growth and technological advancement. This entrepreneurially minded shareholder consortium brings not only stability but also targeted expertise and access to international markets to the group. Together with Partner Tech Europe, the collaboration in the areas of product development, manufacturing, and sales will be strategically expanded–for even greater innovation at the point of sale. ANKER an independently managed company with a clear focus on customer-oriented solutions.

2022

Having already established itself as a comprehensive provider of modern point-of-sale and self-checkout systems for small retailers and large retail stores through the acquisition of PORESY Consulting GmbH and its own point-of-sale software, LocaFox, the Bielefeld-based ANKER is focusing on a strategic realignment in 2023: A unified name, two divisions, and the launch of an innovative software solution for digitizing all store processes.

2021

All good things come in threes: With the acquisition of PORESY, a provider of implementation and support services for point-of-sale systems, the ANKER is expanding its offerings to include software development, customization, implementation, and long-term support for POS systems, including 24/7 first-, second-, and third-level support.

2020

ANKER the Berlin-based software company LocaFox GmbH. Its cloud-based software solutions are primarily aimed at sole proprietorships and small to medium-sized businesses in the retail sector. With this acquisition, ANKER is returning ANKER its roots as a comprehensive point-of-sale system provider offering both hardware and software.

2019

As part of a management buyout, ANKER executive management, together with Halder Beteiligungsberatung GmbH, ANKER Anker GmbH. Dr. Fabian Schühle, managing director, and Maik-Oliver Winzker, operations manager, are now co-owners. ANKER startup with 140 years of tradition ANKER has successfully reestablished itself in the market four years after its relaunch and is now the market leader in the German-speaking food retail sector.

2015

With the help of German private investors, ANKER was spun off from the Oracle Group ANKER .ANKER GmbH” is once again an independent manufacturer of point-of-sale components.

2007

In 2007, the entire group was acquired by the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management through the newly founded Torex Retail Holdings Limited. In mid-2012, the company was acquired again, this time by Micros Systems, which in turn was acquired by Oracle in the summer of 2014.

1995

In 1995, the ADS ANKER was sold to the “European Acquisition Company” (EAC).

1976

In 1976, the year of the company’s 100th anniversary, the executive board of Anker filed for bankruptcy. ANKER failed to make the transition to electronic cash register systems. That same year, Kurt Vorlop purchased the company’s assets. He continued to provide customer service and support, andANKER founded.

1965

In 1965–1966, the company was renamed “ADS – Anker.” The new name reflected the dawn of the electronic age.

1950

The 1950s marked the beginning ANKER economic miracle for ANKER , a new production program, the launch of the employee magazine “Die Ankerkette,” and the purchase of theAnker.”

1915

In 1915, the company was renamedAnker AG.” Revenue from cash registers grew to 50% of total revenue and, for the first time, exceeded revenue from the other business segments.

1901

In 1901, Otto Kramer became commercial director and, just a few months later, sole director. As a result of a boom, the company’s sewing machine and bicycle manufacturing operations became a success, and the company expanded.

1895

In 1895, the company was reorganised as a public limited company (AG): “Bielefelder Nähmaschinen und Fahrradfabrik AG, formerly Hengstenberg & Co.”

1894

In 1894, the company began manufacturing bicycles as sales had stalled. The company was now known as “Bielefelder Nähmaschinen und Fahrradfabrik Hengstenberg & Co.” That same year, the Anker brand name appeared for the first time Anker theAnker” sewing machine.

1876

Founded in 1876 by Carl Schmidt as the “Bielefeld Sewing Machine Factory Carl Schmidt,” with 70 workers and a 16 PS steam engine.

ANKER

History

Over 140 Years in Bielefeld and Around the World