In December 1924, Josef Martin (1883-1955) files an application for the newly developed "reverse-acting grate" with the German Patent Office, the Reichspatentamt. At the time, he can look back on 18 years of professional experience as an engineer and inventor. Back in 1919, when he was still working for Vesuvio AG, he had filed a patent for the cascade grate. Although the technology is a milestone in the waste incineration industry, it does not yet fully meet the expectations of perfectionist Martin. Due to technical disagreements, he decides to leave Vesuvio AG in 1924 and set up on his own – with success.

The defining feature of the reverse-acting grate is that it moves in opposite direction to the fuel, thus eliminating the need for dangerous manual poking. In 1925, Josef Martin founds Josef Martin Feuerungsbau GmbH in his private flat at Montsalvatstraße 3 in Munich with just 2 employees: himself and his brother Johannes.

Josef Martin invents the discharger. As early as 1932, the discharger becomes part of the standard equipment. In the 1930s, the discharger is advertised as "the combustion system toilet". The basic principle of the discharger has lasted to this day and is used in almost all modern waste-to-energy plants, including those of our competitors. 

At the same time, a MARTIN reverse-acting grate is used for the first time to incinerate unsorted household waste in a waste incineration plant in Romainville near Paris, proving a complete success! 

National Socialism has at first little impact on MARTIN. Nobody is dismissed and there are no close ties with the new regime. Josef Martin never joins the Nazi party. 

However, the beginning of the Second World War in 1939 also has repercussions on MARTIN. A dwindling labour force – due to numerous conscriptions – and a shortage of raw materials hamper production and maintenance operations. When components can no longer be supplied with the required chrome content, Josef Martin promptly develops a new monitoring system to guarantee his grates will continue to last as long as possible. It is thanks to its customers that MARTIN can remain in business despite all the restrictions. As was the case before the war, MARTIN mainly supplies grates for coal mines – mines that are crucial for the Nazi armaments industry. 

On 30 April 1945, the US Army takes control of Munich without meeting any resistance, marking the beginning of the American occupation. The house where Josef Martin lives and works sustains substantial damage due to air raids but is not destroyed. In June, MARTIN already receives official permission to resume business – which is something that cannot be taken for granted in these uncertain times.

MARTIN is awarded the contract to build two waste incineration plants in São Paulo, Brazil. The core business having been hitherto the incineration of coal from mines and collieries, now the incineration of waste takes centre stage. What is more, MARTIN is acting as a general contractor for the first time, supplying not only the grate but the entire plant. 

Founder Josef Martin dies. His sons Dr Johannes Martin and Walter Martin take over the management of the company. 

The successful collaboration with the French company CNIM is formalised in an agreement. This marks the beginning of a long-standing cooperation built on mutual trust that serves as a model for similar contracts, such as those concluded with the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in 1971 and the US company Covanta in 1983.

MARTIN moves into the new office building in Leopoldstraße, which is still the company's headquarters today and is currently the workplace of approximately 280 employees.

Large amounts of dioxins escape in an accident at a chemical plant in the Italian city of Severe – this comes at a time when a new awareness of environmental protection and the dangers of such toxins is developing. As a result, the waste disposal industry draws more public attention. 

Public opinion is divided in particular with regard to waste incineration plants. On the one hand, there are concerns about pollutants and toxins being released into the environment. On the other, the plants are an important alternative to landfills and, as closed systems, can be easily controlled. In addition, disposal and flue gas cleaning are subject to ever more stringent requirements. MARTIN is constantly developing new technologies – the basis for today's ultramodern plants.

In Switzerland, MARTIN AG für Umwelt- und Energietechnik (MAG) is founded as a public limited company to provide after-sales services in the Swiss market. More subsidiaries will follow.

MARTIN GmbH für Umwelt- und Energietechnik emerges from Josef Martin Feuerungsbau GmbH. Around the same time, the first version of the MARTIN cartoon is created. It explains waste incineration in a way that is easy to understand for lay audiences – and over time develops into a trademark in its own right. 

The Bazenheid waste-to-energy facility is the 100th MARTIN plant to go online.  By this time, 189 lines with a total throughput of almost 50,000 t/d have been built in 16 countries on 4 continents. 

Johannes Martin, who has been with the company since 1983, is appointed Managing Director in 1991. Before that, he has worked in a number of different departments of the company and, among other things, was involved in setting up the research and development department. Until the death of his uncle Walter Martin in 2002, the second and third generations jointly shape the fortunes of MARTIN.

Waste volumes are steadily increasing and the constantly changing composition requires more sophisticated technology, from software developments such as MICC (Martin Infrared Combustion Control) to the further development of our grate systems.

MARTIN is awarded the contract to supply 6 lines for the Singapore-Tuas South plant. Equipped with the MARTIN reverse-acting grate, the facility is the largest waste-to-energy plant in the world when it goes online in 2000. 

MARTIN takes over the waste-to-energy  division of ALSTOM, adding the horizontal grate (W+E patent) and SITY 2000 grate systems to its technology portfolio.

The MARTIN reverse-acting grate Vario is presented at the IFAT fair. Equipped with three drive zones that can be controlled individually, the new grate technology is ideal for optimising operation to suit changing waste qualities.

MARTIN adds the 5th continent to its reference list. Licence holder Sanfeng Covanta builds its first plant in Africa, in Ethiopia.

Johannes Martin retires and hands over the helm to his children. The 4th generation of the family, Ulrich Martin and Valerie Degenhardt, have previously held several positions in the company. 

Campus Leopold is under construction and will be awarded the gold and diamond DGNB certificate in 2021 by the German Sustainable Building Society. Munich's first business garden currently offers companies ultra-modern rental units and helps to secure the location for the future. 

MARTIN takes on its first two apprentices, who train to become qualified IT specialists.

With MARTIN.digital the company has launched a new product range that from now on expands its portfolio to include digital solutions.

As the first product from this range, MARTIN presents an innovative digital solution for optimising thermal waste utilisation: waste stream analysis. This AI-supported system improves the efficiency and operational reliability of waste-to-energy plants by precisely monitoring the waste volume flow from the moment waste is fed to the combustion system. 

The new MARTIN.grate is presented.

• Easier access to hydraulic drives and simple maintenance during operation
• Three independent drive zones; grate speed can be adjusted individually for each grate zone
• Optimised height
• Proven MARTIN reverse-acting grate principle for optimum burnout and efficiency
• Improved primary air supply

Compact | robust | reliable | modular | maximum availability | Can be adjusted to any boiler concept | covers a wide range of waste qualities and heating values

MARTIN celebrates its 100th birthday and, together with approximately 280 employees in Munich and over 800 employees in the MARTIN Group, will continue to live its values both within the group and in our relations with external stakeholders.

We are the technology partner of choice for the thermal utilisation of residual materials.

Drawing on 100 years of experience, we develop cutting-edge technologies and apply them globally. We take a holistic view of the entire process, from chute to stack, and supply the necessary equipment, supporting our customers throughout the life cycle of a plant.

For a clean world without landfills.