In 1884 Maschinenfabrik Bach GmbH was founded in Apolda, Thuringia, as a manufacturer of weaving and knitting machines.

In 1903 the owner erected a new factory building at the "Kaiser-Wilhelm-Strasse" as it was called in these days (Erfurter Strasse by today). Already two years later an extension of the foundry building including a cupola furnace was required. The new equipment including the cupola furnace "Hannovera" no. 2 was delivered by the company "Koch & Kassebaum" from Hanover. In the meantime the company was re-named Wilhelm Bach Strickmaschinenfabrik (Wilhelm Bach knitting machine factory).

During the Second World War the knitting industry was reduced to a minimum for military reasons. At the same time Adolf Messer GmbH, a company from Griesheim, a city close to Frankfurt (Main) and being a leading maker of flame cutting machines moved their production facilities to safer Thuringia and shared know-how with Bach in Apolda. At the end of the war Messer moved back from Apolda again and rebuilt their damaged factory in Griesheim. But the know-how of manufacturing of flame cutting machines remained with the Maschinenfabrik Bach in Apolda.

Maschinenfabrik Bach continued in manufacturing knitting machines, such as automatic circular-knitter machines and machine tools like shaping-planing machines and high-power high-speed shapers. In parallel the manufacturing of of oxy-fuel flame cutting machines, based upon the Messer technology had been continued.

In the German Democratic Republic only Maschinenfabrik Bach exclusively made flame cutting machines. Her customers were state-owned heavy machinery plants, state-owned railway maintenance facilities, machine tool makers, railroad equipment manufacturers and textile machinery plants. But in these days Maschinenfabrik Bach did not only deliver to Eastern German clients, but also successfully exported her products to Yugoslavia, Poland, to the UAE, to India, Luxembourg and to a couple of countries more.

Only in 1972 the almost 90 years old Maschinenfabrik was expropriated, turned into a state-owned enterprise and renamed into VEB Brennschneidemaschinen Apolda (Peoples Owned Enterprise Flame Cutting Machines Apolda).

But also as a state-owned enterprise the successful product range was maintained and the research and development work carried on. In 1983 the company proudly presented a new portable flame cutting machine at the Leipzig Sping Fair. This machine got equipped with a break-through electrical control for the first time.

In April 1990 the company was returned to the former owner's family and was converted into a privately owned enterprise again. Now being named Maschinenfabrik Bach GmbH (Machinery Factory Bach Company Limited) the company continued making flame and plasma cutting machines with CNC-photoelectric control, being designed as well as portal and as articulated arm cutting machines.

Since Mr.Christian Zweng was the managing director in 2005 a clear development has been carried out. The name BACH is well known under the leading constructors of gas-cutting technology in Germany and on international markets, too.