The spirit of invention and innovative thinking have distinguished Kärcher since its inception. The company, established in 1935 by the inventor Alfred Kärcher, allowed him to put into practice progressive ideas in the field of heating technology and bring products to the market. The invention in 1950 of the first in Europe apparatus for high-pressure cleaning with heated water became the cornerstone in the transformation of the company into a world-famous company, which occupies a leading position in the market of cleaning equipment. After the death of Alfred Kärcher in 1959, the widow of Irena Kärcher continued her life, managing the company until her death in 1989. Kärcher remains a family-owned business with headquarters in Vinnenden near Stuttgart.