In 1920, engineer and pilot Hellmuth Hirth established a small workshop in Bad Cannstatt with others, where he developed and constructed a two-stroke engine. 26-year-old Hermann Mahle started working for Hirth on 1 December 1920 as his seventh employee. The workshop was then called Versuchsbau Hellmuth Hirth. 1 December 1920 is acknowledged as the birth date of today's Mahle Group.
It soon became clear that the workshop would not survive by only conducting engine tests, so the need arose to build a profitable line of production in order to finance ongoing engine tests. At that time, pistons in automotive engines were generally made of cast iron, but Versuchsbau Hellmuth Hirth experimented with light alloy pistons.
On 1 November 1922, Hermann's brother Ernst joined the factory as head of engineering. In 1924, the company merged with Chemische Fabrik Griesheim-Elektron, the inventors of the magnesium alloy Elektron, and was renamed Elektronmetall GmbH.
In 1927, the company developed Germany's first controlled-expansion piston, and in 1931, the world's first aluminium ring carrier piston for diesel engines. Following this, piston technology was steadily improved. In 1931, aero engine manufacturing was split off as a separate company, Hirth Motoren GmbH.
In 1938, Elektronmetall became Mahle KG, and a new company logo was introduced. The company expanded, and before World War II was the only company in Germany manufacturing die-cast magnesium alloy products. During the war, the company's Bad Cannstatt factory made alloy pistons ranging from those for small cars to pistons with a 40 cm (15.7 in) bore for submarine engines (such as the 522 L (31,854 cu in) diesel MAN M9V 40/46). The Fellbach plant accounted for 70% of Germany's output of magnesium, aluminium and zinc alloy pressure die castings. After 1945, new products were developed and produced (such as aluminium cylinders with Cromal surface coatings in 1951).
In 1964, Hermann and Ernst Mahle decided to waive private ownership in their company and make it part of a foundation for public benefit. They transferred the company shares to the Mahle Foundation.
In 1976, Mahle made the first series-production aluminium engine blocks in Europe using low-pressure die casting. In 1988, their composite camshaft was enhanced to production standards, and in 2001, they developed a cooling system for diesel engine pistons in high-speed passenger cars. The first all-plastic oil filter in the world followed in 2003. Mahle developed and constructed its first complete engine in the same year, which was used in Formula Student.
Mahle has become a predominant system supplier for components of piston systems, cylinder components, valvetrain systems, air management systems, and liquid management systems. The Mahle Group generated sales in excess of €5.2 billion in 2010, and in excess of €12.8 billion in 2017.
