PCB specialist enters its 40th year of company history
Steinach i.K., April 2025 – What began as a small two-man operation has developed into one of the leading specialists in the production of complex printed circuit boards. This year, the southern German family business celebrates its 40th anniversary. Under the motto “Speed Up,” Becker & Meuller emphasizes the core competency for which the company is known in the market: top quality with the shortest production and delivery times.
It all began – as so often happens – in a garage: Waldemar Becker started a side business called “PCB Service”. A short time later, he met Xaver Müller by chance. Both shared a strong passion for electronics and the courage to found a company. Shortly thereafter, their shared future was launched: in 1985, Becker & Mueller Schaltungsdruck GmbH was officially founded. The focus was on the production of PCB as prototypes, samples and small series – still Becker & Mueller’s proven core competency today.
Beginnings and Growth
The first few years were characterized by a lot of hard work. And it paid off, and the company grew. Michael Becker, the son of the company founder, was actively involved from an early stage. “I can still remember how we drilled circuit boards by hand back then,” he recalls. “It was an exciting time!” The recipe for success from that time has lost little of its relevance to this day: technologically at the forefront, very close to the needs of our customers, and also truly competitive – that’s Becker & Mueller.
Back to history: In 1991, the “Express Service,” now known throughout Europe, was launched. At the same time, plans were being developed for a company headquarters, as production capacity was increasingly reaching its limits: “For a time, production was even taking place in the former local kindergarten,” says Michael Becker. The new company location then became a reality in the Bildstoeckle industrial park in Steinach in the Kinzig Valley: the new home of Becker & Mueller. Shortly thereafter, the first 4-layer multilayer was produced.
The number of inquiries is increasing, and they’re becoming more complex – exactly what the two founders had in mind for their company. A clear and, above all, very far-sighted corporate strategy is already evident here, which Xaver Mueller sums up perfectly: “Actually, there was never an alternative for us: It was clear early on that mass-produced goods would migrate to Asia. So we concentrated on specialty circuit boards.” To this day, this focus remains one of Becker & Mueller’s key unique selling points.
Moving forward with commitment and innovation
In 1998, Waldemar Becker retired from operational business. His son, Michael Becker, and Xaver Mueller jointly managed the company, which developed into one of the most specialized providers in the industry in the following years. A few years later, even the new premises were already too small. With the addition to the company headquarters in 2008, Becker & Mueller almost doubled its production space.
In addition to spatial expansions, the PCB specialist also continuously invests in innovative technologies. These include an LED direct exposure unit that exposes all phototechnical structures – from the conductive pattern of the inner and outer layers to solder resist and legend printing. In combination with a vacuum etching system, even finer and more precise structures are possible: a true quantum leap in PCB production. New CNC drilling machines that ensure the exact positioning of the holes in relation to the conductive pattern of the inner layer cores of multilayers: A camera registration system registers the conductive pattern of the inner layers and automatically aligns the drilling program. The optimization of the multilayer registration system and the riveting process further increases process reliability for complex multilayers. A completely new etching system, with which Becker & Mueller is setting the course for even more precise and efficient PCB production.
And the path of innovation continues consistently: A new electroplating machine is currently being planned. This custom-made machine is intended to bridge the gap between express, special, and small-batch production. The design of two product carriers – running independently of each other in parallel – is a completely new innovation, simultaneously increasing efficiency in series production as well as flexibility for special applications and express production.
Becker & Mueller integrated Industry 4.0 approaches into its manufacturing processes early on, paying particular attention to sustainability. The result is efficiency gains on multiple levels, combined with increased environmental and climate protection. Another milestone will follow in 2021: Janik Becker, the founder’s grandson and thus the third generation, will assume management responsibility for the family business. He consistently pursues the path of innovation without straying from proven paths: “Values such as reliability and safety have made us successful,” says Janik Becker. “Of course, we will continue to adhere to these principles in the future.”
Into the future of PCB production at high-speed
More than 40 years have passed between the company’s first steps in the Becker family’s garage and its current status as a highly specialized expert in sophisticated PCB. What has changed in the meantime? A lot. The company has continued to grow. Manufacturing technologies have evolved, and Becker & Mueller has evolved with them: Always keeping up with the times means never standing still.
Today, the PCB specialist maintains close collaboration with renowned research institutions such as the Fraunhofer Institutes, the Technical University of Berlin, and others. Small, large, and even very large customers rely on Becker & Mueller’s specific expertise.
Many things slow down with age. Not so for Becker & Mueller: What began as a two-man operation in 1985 has really gained momentum in recent decades. With the third generation at the helm and a strong team of experienced specialists on board, the southern German medium-sized company is racing into the future of PCB manufacturing: prototypes, small series, special types – manufactured and delivered in record time. With 100% in-house production “Made in Germany.”
A lot of movement, a lot of change. And yet some things have remained the same to this day: the company’s location, of course. Becker & Mueller is and remains regionally rooted – and is clearly on the right track. “In recent years, we’ve increasingly noticed that this regionality is becoming a growing competitive advantage for our customers in Germany and Europe compared to Asia,” says Janik Becker.
Furthermore, the extreme vertical integration of Becker & Mueller is an important part of how we see ourselves – and for our customers, it guarantees safety and reliability. Above all, the PCB specialist remains true to its philosophy as a family business and thus to its core values: The name Becker & Mueller stands for reliability, down-to-earthness, and, above all, the highest standards of quality for the products that leave the company.
And tomorrow? “Basically, we want to consistently continue on the path we’ve chosen,” explains Janik Becker. “Nobody knows what the future holds. But we will continue to adhere to our ‘high-mix, low-volume‘ approach and give it our all for our customers – with high-quality printed circuit boards in record time and with impressive service expertise. The anniversary motto, SPEED UP, sums it up – we’re moving at speed into the future of PCB manufacturing and hope to inspire many more people with it.”