Carl Schlenk

Carl Schlenk, commonly known as Schlenk, is a German family-owned metal-processing company headquartered in Barnsdorf (Roth), Bavaria. Founded in 1879 by Carl von Schlenk-Barnsdorf, the company has grown into a global supplier of metallic effect pigments, technical aluminium and copper powders, and metal foils. Its products serve a wide range of industries, including coatings, printing inks, plastics, cosmetics, construction materials, chemicals, photovoltaics, batteries, and electronics. Schlenk operates production sites in Europe and the United States, with application technology departments in Germany, the USA, China, and Southeast Asia, and a worldwide sales and service network of around 100 representatives. The company has an export share of over 72% and employs approximately 900 people worldwide. It is certified according to DIN ISO 9001:2015 and DIN ISO 14001:2015, and is a member of the UN Global Compact, the Bavarian Environmental Pact, and the sustainability initiative Chemie³. In 2023, Schlenk converted into a European Company (SE).

Schlenk was founded in 1879 by Carl von Schlenk-Barnsdorf, who invested in the insolvent Zainmetallschlägerei Weiss & Feyertag in Barnsdorf and built his own company from it. In the early decades, Schlenk started aluminium powder production in Barnsdorf in 1892, went public in 1897, and opened its first production plant in the USA in 1904. After World War I, Carl Schlenk's sons Arthur and Wilhelm took over the management of what was then the largest company in the industry. In 1928, Schlenk acquired a rolling mill in nearby Bernlohe and founded the metal foil division. The company suffered greatly during the Great Depression and World War II, including the expropriation of its US operations in 1920 and the wartime destruction of production facilities in Barnsdorf and Rothenbruck in 1941. In 1954, Schlenk produced aluminium pastes in Barnsdorf for the first time, followed two years later by aluminium powder for the aerated concrete industry. In 1957, Günter von Schlenk-Barnsdorf took over as the third generation. In the mid-1960s, modernisation and expansion of a new production technique for aerated concrete aluminium powder was completed at the Barnsdorf site. Subsidiaries were established in the USA, France, and Brazil. In 1992 and 1998, Schlenk acquired two plants in Bojkovice (Czech Republic) and Kamnik (Slovenia). In the mid-1990s, Joachim von Schlenk-Barnsdorf became the new CEO. In 1999, another site was opened in Bitterfeld. In 2004, Schlenk built its own pigment plant in Jiangsu Province, China, and production began in Taixing in 2008. In June 2020, production there was discontinued and the branch was wound up; Schlenk still maintains two offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong. In 2020, Schlenk acquired API Lawrence in Lawrence, Kansas, USA, a manufacturer of special metallized films that had previously been a supplier. In 2023, the company converted into a European Company (SE).

• 2023

  Conversion into a European Company (SE).

• 2020

  Acquisition of API Lawrence in Lawrence, Kansas, USA; discontinuation of production in Taixing, China.

• 2008

  Start of production in Taixing, China.

• 2004

  Construction of a pigment plant in Jiangsu Province, China.

• 1999

  Opening of a site in Bitterfeld.

• 1998

  Acquisition of a plant in Kamnik, Slovenia.

• 1992

  Acquisition of a plant in Bojkovice, Czech Republic.

• 1957

  Günter von Schlenk-Barnsdorf took over as third generation.

• 1954

  First production of aluminium pastes in Barnsdorf.

• 1941

  Wartime destruction of production facilities in Barnsdorf and Rothenbruck.

• 1928

  Acquisition of a rolling mill in Bernlohe and start of metal foil production.

• 1920

  Expropriation of Schlenk USA.

• 1904

  First production plant in the USA opened.

• 1897

  Schlenk became a stock-exchange-oriented public company.

• 1892

  Start of aluminium powder production in Barnsdorf.

• 1879

  Carl Schlenk founded the company in Barnsdorf.

Global industrial supplier of metallic effect pigments, metal powders and foils, with a focus on innovation, quality and sustainability.

• Zenexo®

  Metal interference pigments, awarded the 3rd main prize at the Bavarian Innovation Award 2022.

• Light Harvesting String (LHS)

  Cell connector for solar modules that can increase module performance by up to 3%.

• Vacuum Metallized Pigments (VMP)

  High-gloss foil pigments for coatings and plastics.

• Aluminium pastes for aerated concrete

  Used in the construction industry for aerated concrete.

1. 1Metallfolien und Metallpigmentede.schlenk.com
2. 2Pressede.schlenk.com
3. 3Historiede.schlenk.com
4. 4Interviewsde.schlenk.com
5. 5Schlenk SEde.wikipedia.org
6. 6Carl Schlenkwikidata.org