Passion for music since 1951

History

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.

What started 1951 as a small one-man operation developed over the last six decades into a worldwide renowned manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments. Roland Meinl Musikinstrumente stands for German quality, competency and innovation.

„The passion for music is driving the old as well as our new generation constantly forward“

-Reinhold Meinl

† Roland Meinl (* 4 March 1929 - 4 Dezember 2007)
 

Timeline

1951 - 2020

1951

Meinl Cymbals is founded by Roland Meinl

1963

Meinl starts distribution of Star Drums from the Japanese company Hoshino Gakki

1970

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 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 adminsitration building and warehouse in Neustadt/Aisch 

1994

Launch of the nylonstring 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