our history
1960 – First Automated String Pinsetter
In 1960 there were still thousands of bowling lanes that were operated by hand. Founder Karl Funk worked as an electrician for a bowling company that was developing the first advanced automated string pinsetter.
1964 – Funk Bowling Founded
Founder Karl Funk decides to move forward as an independent bowling manufacturer. Only 22 years old and nothing but an ambitious vision Karl Funk founded Funk Bowling.
1972 – Acquisition of Kröll
The automated string pinsetter was highly successful leading to the acquisition of Germanys oldest bowling company Kröll in 1972.
1985 – Acquisition of Spellmann
Karl Funk bought Spellmann, the largest German bowling manufacturer. Spellmann was found in 1885 and has built over 80,000 lanes. The newly formed company group included over 200 employees and quickly became the largest bowling manufacturer in Europe.
2000 – 2nd Production Facility Built
Funk builds a brand new production facility in the south of Germany. As a result Funk became internationally known and now exports its products all over the world.
2003 – Funk 2nd Generation Joins Company
The second generation Karl-Heinz Funk joined the company to further develop the companies international presence.
2009 – Funk’s First Steps on US Soil
Hall of Fame Bowling Headcoach Bill Straub from the Nebraska Cornhuskers NCAA Bowling Team saw the advantages of the string-pinsetter early. As one of the first Centers in the US, the Nebraska Bowling practice facility was equipped with string pinsetter technology. The Cornhuskers won 3 NCAA championships since then proving that Funk technology fits the professional needs of a bowling champion.
2018 – Funk North America Founded
In 2018 the 3rd generation, Alexander Funk joined the family business further accelerating international growth to the North American Market. The Funk Family saw the opportunity for its products in the US and decided to expand and Funk North America, with its Headquarters in Detroit, MI was born.
2022 – FUNK SOFTWARE FOUNDED
By following the Funk-Credo of continuous innovation the focus on software solutions of the future is further empathized with the foundation of another entity for the company group.
2022 – USBC Approves String Pinsetter
Funk’s legacy product, the String Pinsetter, was certified by the bowling world’s largest governing body – USBC. Funk has led the technological advancement of this technology for 60+ years and is proud of the industry wide adoption of String Pinsetter technology.
2023 – Funk Japan Founded
The successful completion of Japan’s first String-Pinsetter Center in 2022 has sparked great interest among the proprietors in one of the largest domestic bowling markets in the world. The successful String-Pinsetter certification by the BPJ in 2022 has paved the way for another expansion to the Funk Company Group: Funk Japan Ltd.
