The foundation of a legend. Max Oskar Meinel establishes the company in Markneukirchen, laying the groundwork for what would become a century of uncompromising quality. From the very beginning in Bavaria, our guiding principle has been a commitment to nature and the sophisticated crafted process that makes every single line unique.
A new chapter of resilience and innovation. Following the move to Geretsried, Bavaria, we marked a fresh beginning for the company after World War II. This facility became the cornerstone of our German Engineering, serving as a dedicated development center where our secret formulas and proprietary extrusion processes were first perfected. It was in this hub that we refined the artisanal approach that allows our lines to adapt naturally to their environment. This ensures every essential property—from extreme knot strength to superior abrasion resistance.
Driven by the desire to share German precision with the world, MAXIMA begins its journey into the United States. It is the first step in building a global community of anglers who demand more than just industry standards.
MAXIMA "arrives" in the States and immediately challenges the status quo. We transform the industry by creating the “One Shot Spool”—a concept designed to fill a reel perfectly with a single shot. Furthermore, MAXIMA pioneers selling fishing lines by the meter rather than by weight, prioritizing the practical needs of the angler.
The first shipments reach South Africa and Scotland, marking the start of a global legacy. Through continuous refinement and a perfect formula, MAXIMA expands steadily.
MAXIMA invents the adaptive camouflage fishing line. The first generation of the legendary Chameleon is introduced, featuring multi-tone pigmentation that shifts with the surrounding water. It mimics nature's own irregularities to disappear where other lines fail.
Anglers in over 80 countries—from Australia and New Zealand to the UK and Canada—rely on the consistent performance they can only get from a MAXIMA line.
With Marion Meinel, leadership passed to the third generation, continuing the family’s commitment to quality, innovation, and long-term vision.
To better serve the growing demand in the Western Hemisphere, MAXIMA opens its subsidiary in Costa Mesa / Los Angeles, California. This move brings our German-engineered excellence directly to the heart of one of the world's most vibrant fishing communities.
New headquarter with a whole new infrastructure and expanded warehouse capacity in Hillsboro (Oregon).
A century of innovation, craftsmanship, and trust.
Proudly honoring 100 years of excellence and looking ahead to the future.
MAXIMA is as alive today as on day one – reimagined under new management with a renewed brand identity, website, and packaging.
Still trusted in more than 80 countries, we continue our journey with the same passion, quality, and global spirit.
Built to Perform. Designed to Disappear. The best moments in fishing are not about the equipment. They are about the silence of the water, the beauty of nature, and the satisfaction of a successful day outdoors.Our lines are engineered to perform with absolute reliability—strong, precise, and dependable when it matters most. Yet they never demand attention. Because the focus should always remain where it belongs: On the angler, the experience, and the connection with nature.We provide the equipment that works seamlessly, so you can focus on what truly matters.
Built on MAXIMA’s accumulated know-how since 1920, every line is engineered for exceptional durability, outstanding abrasion resistance, and low memory. What emerges is a line that casts cleanly, ties securely, and holds under pressure — properties built in, not added on. A unique combination of precision manufacturing and carefully controlled hand-crafted process steps allows key performance characteristics to be refined beyond standard production methods.This craftsmanship not only contributes to strength and reliability, but also creates subtle natural variations in each MAXIMA line. The result is a fishing line that delivers consistent performance while naturally blending into its environment. These naturally occurring characteristics influence color and light absorption, helping the line integrate seamlessly into the surrounding water. Inspired by nature, every MAXIMA fishing line is unique.
Before any spool reaches a retailer, it passes a battery of in-house tests: tensile pull at breaking strength, knot integrity under load, surface abrasion under friction — and a diameter audit at multiple points along every metre of line. We reject material that meets industry standards but falls short of ours. That gap is MAXIMA.
There is a short list of gear that transcends generations. Rods passed down. Reels still running. And somewhere in that kit, a half-used spool of MAXIMA, the label worn but the line still true.
We make no claim to being fashionable. We make the claim that in 50 years, someone will hand your MAXIMA spool to someone younger and say: this is what you want on your reel. It still holds.
The photo shows Mrs. Shigemoto with a 1,050 lb marlin caught on 130 lb test Maxima IGFA monofilament. Mrs. Shigemoto, owner of Nanko, Inc., was with Wesley Takazono and Gary Nakashima (pictured right and left respectively) when they landed this marlin in Oahu waters on May 11, 1979.
Country's annual National Inter-Provincial Ski-Boat Angling Championship, Potential world record, 67.1 pounds albacore on 20-pound test MAXIMA line, Hout Bay, north of Cape Town, 1980.
Tippet 10 kg, Catfish 46,80 kg (103 lb 2 oz).Mequinenza, Spain 2004
Angler Florian N. Fehringer -- age 15 - caught this beautiful zander (Zander lucioperca) on October 18th 2016 while fly fishing the Isar River in his native country of Germany. Using MAXIMA 6 kg (12 lb) tippet, Fehringer needed nearly 30 minutes to land the 6.58 kg (14 lb 8 oz) fish after it ate the fly he was casting. If approved, the catch will earn Fehringer the new men’s 6 kg (12 lb) tippet class world record, which currently stands at 3.14 kg (6 lb 14 oz).