Meinl History
"Meinl company is a family-owned manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments based in Gutenstetten, Germany. The brand portfolio of Meinl comprises Meinl Cymbals, Meinl Percussion, Nino Percussion, Meinl Sonic Energy, Meinl Stick & Brush and Ortega Guitars."
Meinl’s founder, Roland Meinl, launched Meinl Cymbals in 1951 as a one-man operation in his basement.
He was a natural born entrepreneur with a passion for high quality musical instruments. Through focused development, he was able to reach steady growth and establish a family business with a core of loyal employees that are still the very heart of all Meinl operations and the basis for the company’s success.
Now in its third generation of family ownership, Meinl company is still putting the passion for music and instruments in the center of all business.
1951
Meinl Cymbals is founded by Roland Meinl. Roland bought metal sheets, cut the cymbal shapes by hand, used a hand drill to drill the mount hole, and made cymbals from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m..
1959
Roland Meinl bought a two family house, where he manufactured cymbals in the basement.
1963
Meinl starts distribution of Star Drums from the Japanese company Hoshino Gakki
1964
Expansion begins. Until this year, Meinl's entire production was done by Roland Meinl, his mother, his sister and brother.
1970
Production moves to a new production facility to meet increased demand. Meinl receives the first shipment of Ibanez guitars from Hoshino Gakki.
1972
Reinhold Meinl starts working at Meinl, launches an extensive rebuilding and expansion
1974
Meinl's products began a partnership with Ambico to be their distributor in the U.S.A.. Meinl starts selling the first Japanese TAMA Drums from Hoshino Gakki.
1977
Ingrid Meinl starts at Meinl, takes over accounting and HR
1978
Meinl Percussion gets founded, starts production in Thailand
1980
Building of a new administration building and warehouse in Neustadt an der Aisch, Bavaria, Germany
1982
Launches the Avanti cymbal line, which was a great success.
Meinl re-vamps their production quality; returns 30-40 thousand finished cymbals back to their metal supplier to be melted down, in order to adhere to their new quality standards; Meinl dealers in Germany were able to return old stock to receive new Meinl cymbals of the new higher production standards.
1984
Meinl invests in more modern machinery to be competitive in the cymbal market. The first Meinl-branded cymbal lines - Meinl Profile & Meinl Dragon - are launched the same year.
1994
Launch of the nylon string brand Ortega Guitars
1998
Meinl‘s assortment of children’s percussion, NINO Percussion®, is launched
2000
Meinl USA is founded in Miami,FL
2001
Start of the Byzance production in Türkiye
2002
Meinl USA moves to Nashville, TN
2003
Meinl builds new cymbal production in Gutenstetten/Germany
2005
First Meinl Drum Festival
2007
Alexander Meinl starts working at Meinl
2007
Construction of the fully-automated logistics centers in Gutenstetten (build time: 7 months)
2007
Move of the Meinl company headquarter from Neustadt/Aisch to Gutenstetten
2011
Expansion of the logistics center
2011
60 year anniversary celebration - completion of a new exhibition hall next to the logistics centre
2012
Foundation of Meinl Polska, a sister-company of Meinl, and start of distribution in Central Europe
2012
Meinl expands the distribution territory to Hungary
2013
Mona Meinl joins Meinl
2014
Launch of Meinl Sonic Energy
2015
Start of distribution business in Czech Republic and Slovakia
2017
Launch of Meinl VivaRhythm®
2017
Construction and move into the new Meinl administration building
2018
Launch of Meinl Stick & Brush, Meinl’s brand for drumsticks and brushes
2018
Foundation of Meinl UK and start of the direct distribution to dealers in the UK for Meinl Cymbals & Percussion and NINO Percussion from April of this year
2018
first Meinl Percussion Festival
2019
Meinl UK starts distribution of Ortega Guitars in the UK
2019
Construction of a new Meinl Byzance cymbal production in Samsun, Turkey
Sources: "Inside Meinl" - Modern Drummer (Feb. 1985, pp. 22-25; 90-96) Meinl.com
