Erbslöh Aktiengesellschaft

Erbslöh Aktiengesellschaft is a German metal-working company that has concentrated above all on the processing of aluminium. It was founded in 1842 by Carl Emil Wolff and Julius Erbslöh I. in Barmen-Wupperfeld, today part of Wuppertal, initially as a plating factory producing gold- and silver-plated sheet metal for buttons, carriage lanterns and similar goods. Over the decades the product range expanded to include passe-partouts, silver-plated plates for daguerreotypes, purse plates, brass, copper and stencil sheets, and fine silver and patterned sheets. From 1872 the business traded as Julius & August Erbslöh. In 1889 it became one of the first companies in Germany — perhaps the first anywhere — to process the then-new material aluminium on an industrial scale. In 1911 the introduction of a hydraulic press with a pressing force of 1,000 tonnes set the company on the path to becoming one of the most important manufacturers of aluminium profiles. As early as the 1880s the firm introduced a company health insurance scheme as well as a pension and support fund for its employees. The company continued to grow, adding halls and presses to raise output. By 1942 it employed around 650 people on a 58,000 m² site and produced 5,300 tonnes of semi-finished products from various alloys. After the Second World War the occupying power imposed a complete production ban until 1947. In the subsequent years of reconstruction, aluminium became a sought-after material in many industries, especially the emerging automobile industry. Since 1996 the company has traded as Erbslöh Aktiengesellschaft. Since 2000 its majority owner has been the Walter Klein GmbH & Co. KG Firmengruppe. In 2015 the firm had 3,150 employees and annual sales of €532 million. Its production sites have included the original Wupperfeld works in Wuppertal, the Kupferhammer works at the Blombach, and a third plant built from 1957 in Neviges, today a district of Velbert, to which the Wuppertal production was relocated in 1978.

The company was founded in 1842 by Carl Emil Wolff and Julius Erbslöh I. in Barmen-Wupperfeld (today Wuppertal) as a plating factory. Production consisted mainly of gold- and silver-plated sheet metal, as used for the manufacture of buttons, carriage lanterns and similar items. Over the years a wide variety of related articles were added, such as passe-partouts, silver-plated plates for daguerreotypes, purse plates, brass, copper and stencil sheets, and genuine fine silver and patterned sheets. From 1872 the company traded under the name Julius & August Erbslöh. In 1889 it became one of the first companies in Germany — if not the first anywhere — to process the then-new material aluminium on an industrial scale. In 1911, with the introduction of a hydraulic press with a pressing force of 1,000 tonnes, it began its development into one of the most important manufacturers of aluminium profiles. As early as the 1880s the firm introduced a company health insurance scheme as well as a pension and support fund for its employees. In the following period the company continued to grow. Additional halls were built and new presses increased production output. In 1942 the firm employed around 650 people on a 58,000 m² site and produced 5,300 tonnes of semi-finished products from various alloys. After the Second World War the occupying power imposed a complete production ban until 1947. In the subsequent years of reconstruction, aluminium became a sought-after material in many industries, especially the emerging automobile industry. Since 1996 the company has traded as Erbslöh Aktiengesellschaft. Since 2000 its majority owner has been the Walter Klein GmbH & Co. KG Firmengruppe. In 2015 the firm had 3,150 employees and annual sales of €532 million. As for production sites: the founders bought a house at Wupperfelder Schönenstraße 2 in 1842, where a ribbon factory had previously operated. The purchase price was 20,000 Thaler. The house had water power from the Mühlengraben flowing behind it and consisted of a large double house, one half of which was used for manufacturing while the other half long served the Julius and August Erbslöh families as a shared residence. As business expanded, in 1891 the residential half was also drawn into the factory, being demolished and replaced by a new building. In 1899 the remaining part of the old Bergisch house also fell and a large, uniform factory was erected on the site. Over the years the firm acquired various neighbouring houses and in 1893 the Pfennings and Greefs hammers on the Blombach, the former now called Kupferhammer. A branch works was established there, which underwent a significant expansion in 1904. Further adjoining plots were also purchased for the Wupperfeld works. In the Second World War the production sites were destroyed in 1943 during the great bombing raid on Wuppertal. After capacities at the Wupperfeld and Kupferhammer production sites were exhausted, construction of a third works began in 1957 in Neviges, today a district of Velbert, to which the Wuppertal production was relocated in 1978.

• 2015

  3,150 employees and annual sales of €532 million.

• 2000

  Walter Klein GmbH & Co. KG Firmengruppe becomes majority owner.

• 1996

  Company trades as Erbslöh Aktiengesellschaft.

• 1978

  Wuppertal production relocated to Neviges.

• 1957

  Construction of a third works begins in Neviges (today Velbert).

• 1947

  Complete production ban imposed by the occupying power lifted.

• 1943

  Production sites destroyed in the great bombing raid on Wuppertal.

• 1942

  Employed around 650 people on 58,000 m² and produced 5,300 tonnes of semi-finished products.

• 1911

  Introduction of a hydraulic press with 1,000 tonnes pressing force, beginning development into a leading aluminium profile manufacturer.

• 1904

  Significant expansion of the Kupferhammer branch works.

• 1899

  Remaining part of the old house demolished; a large uniform factory erected on the site.

• 1893

  Acquisition of the Pfennings and Greefs hammers on the Blombach (Kupferhammer).

• 1891

  Residential half of the original house demolished and replaced by a new factory building.

• 1889

  One of the first companies in Germany to process aluminium on an industrial scale.

• 1872

  Company trades under the name Julius & August Erbslöh.

• 1842

  Founded by Carl Emil Wolff and Julius Erbslöh I. in Barmen-Wupperfeld as a plating factory.

One of Germany's earliest industrial aluminium processors and a leading manufacturer of aluminium profiles.

• Aluminium profiles

• Aluminium semi-finished products

• Gold- and silver-plated sheet metal

• Brass, copper and stencil sheets

• Fine silver and patterned sheets

1. 1Erbslöh (Metallverarbeitung) – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Erbslöh – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Erbslöh Aktiengesellschaft – WKWwkw.de