From compact cars and medium-sized vehicles to luxury cars, from motorsports and the tuning scene to the world of classic cars: SONAX supports all car enthusiasts and experts when it comes to the perfect appearance of vehicles.
The history of SONAX goes back to 1903. At that time, Franz Hoffmann, the great-grandfather of the current company owner, extracted silica—an extremely fine mineral that was used in household polishes - in Neuburg on the Danube.
After World War II, Franz Hoffmann began manufacturing care products. The “Sona” brand was mainly used for household silver polishes; for car care products, an “X” as synonym for wax was added—“SONAX” was born.
The beginning was of simple nature: four SONAX representatives drove through Germany in fully loaded VW Beetles. It was the personal contact to customers that counted: at that time, advertising was unimaginable.
With the German economic miracle came the breakthrough for SONAX car care products. From the mid-1960s onwards, SONAX supplied the first fully automatic carwashes with high-quality cleaning and care products. At the same time, the programme for manual car care had been advanced continuously. More and more people proudly afforded private cars. On Saturdays, the car was ritually washed, rarely by the petrol pump attendant but rather manually by the proud car owner. The demand for car care products rose sharply—and with it the success of the SONAX brand.
Soon, SONAX opened up further markets: agricultural industry, hardware trade, forestry sector, construction, production engineering or the sanitary sector—all of them rely on the premium SONAX products.
Our experts in research and development are constantly working on improving existing recipes and developing new products and applications with a focus on the highest quality, effectiveness and ease of use. Their success is proven by the products’ outstanding performance in tests by leading car magazines like AutoBild, auto motor und sport and Auto Zeitung. With such outstanding quality, SONAX fulfils the highest expectations and is valued by private and professional users as a strong and reliable partner providing solutions to the problems of vehicle care.
SONAX is a family company with deep roots in its region, and has been characterised since the very beginning by a sense of responsibility towards society and the environment. Our long-standing headquarters in Neuburg on the Danube underscores the quality pledge, “Made in Germany”, allows short transport routes to our primary domestic and European sales markets and creates jobs in the region. As a specialist in retaining the value of vehicle surfaces, we help our customers extend the useful lifespan of their vehicles. As we innovate, we search continuously for sustainable solutions to further develop our products. In this, we work closely together with our partners along the entire value chain in reducing our ecological footprint, thus making a positive contribution towards social progress.
More about sustainability at SONAX