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ECM Manufacture - The Company

The story behind ECM began 25 years ago with the vision of founder Wolfgang Hauck and together with the then partner ECM S.p.A from Italy to create heat exchanger espresso machines for the upscale household.

The decades of acquired expertise as exclusive importer for a host of Italian brands such as Gaggia, Cimbali, Pavoni, Quick, and Vibiemme and his idea to produce high-quality and durable espresso machines using tried-and-tested components from the world of professional technology finally led Hauck to turn his dream into reality in 1996 and to market his own products for the first time. The product range began with the first version of the "ECM Technika" model, which is still incredibly popular today.

Step by step, more models were added. The machines were assembled in the same factory in Italy where the majority of ECM machines are manufactured today. The demand for the new age of household machines with Italian espresso bar character and flair was indeed large and the company grew rapidly. In 2005, the cooperation with the Italian partner of the same name came to an end. Design, construction, and product development were all completely relocated to Germany. The production, which was initially outsourced to a third company as an "extended workbench", was taken completely into the company's own hands just two years later. The ECM range is presently manufactured at two locations. The single-boiler and heat exchanger models continue to be manufactured in Italy, while the dual-boiler Synchronika model, the commercial machines, and the entire range of grinders are also handmade in Germany.

In 2009 Michael Hauck, Wolfgang Hauck’s son, joined the company’s managerial team. To this day, he is not only the owner of an ever-growing, motivated team of coffee enthusiasts, but also plays an absolutely pivotal role as an idea generator in terms of design and product development.

The passion of the two Hauck generations for the world of espresso is reflected not only in their own products but also in their fascination for the incredible craftsmanship and design achievements of early espresso machine and grinder manufacturing; the family has accumulated an impressive selection of historic devices over the years. This collection of antiques and coffee relics can be found in their private in-house museum which acts as the heart of the ECM company as well as a real time travelling tour through the exciting world of espresso.