F. Herder en Sn.

F. Herder en Sn., formally Friedrich Herder Abraham Sohn GmbH, is a German cutlery company based in Solingen. It traces its origins to 27 February 1727, when Peter Herder registered the trademark 'Schoppenass' (equivalent to 'Pik As', the ace of spades) in the register of the Solingen knife-makers' court. The company has produced knives, scissors and tools for a wide variety of fields since that date, and the 'Pik As' mark remains one of its trademarks. Over the centuries it operated as a family business, exporting strongly to the Netherlands and Belgium, and later to overseas markets in Asia and South America. At its peak it employed around 450 factory workers and a similar number of home workers. After facing increasing price competition in the late 20th century, the company filed for insolvency in 1993 and was continued as a GmbH by businessmen Hans Joachim Röllecke and Detlef Weides. Today it remains active in Solingen, with a product range that includes knives with plastic handles, knives with wooden handles, pocket knives, scissors and sharpening steels. Its historical factory building in Solingen-Höhscheid is a protected monument and now houses a start-up and technology centre.

The company's founding date is 27 February 1727, when Peter Herder of Pilghausen had the trademark 'Schoppenass' (meaning 'Pik As', the ace of spades) entered into the trademark register of the Solingen 'Messmachergericht' (knife-makers' court). The certificate is still preserved in the Solingen city archive. Later, the fork mark and the cross-shaped double key were added. After Peter Herder's death in 1762, the company, which was already exporting to the Dutch market, passed to his sons Abraham and Johann Peter Herder. They were followed by Abraham Herder's eldest son, Johann Abraham Herder, born in 1761. When he involved his sons in the business, he named the company 'Joh. Abr. Herder & Sne'. After his son Abraham died, Johann Abraham Herder took his grandson Friedrich Herder as a partner in 1839, shortly before his own death, and from 1841 Friedrich continued the company under the name 'Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn'. This name has been retained to this day, even though no Herders are among its owners today. After Friedrich Herder's death in 1887, Gustav Weyersberg took over the management. He was the eldest son from the first marriage of Friedrich Herder's daughter Emilie to Hermann Weyersberg. The younger son Carl Weyersberg took over the management of the newly founded branch in Buenos Aires in 1908 together with Hermann Bick, the son from Emilie Herder's second marriage to the Solingen pastor Bick. They ran the company until it was continued out of insolvency in 1993 as 'Friedrich Herder Abraham Sohn GmbH' by the businessmen Hans Joachim Röllecke and Detlef Weides. The company's location was initially a residential and commercial building in Obenpilghausen. In 1859, a residential building was erected on today's Grünewalder Straße, later production facilities, and in 1913 the still-preserved administration building opposite the J. A. Henckels company. In 1995, production and administration were moved to the company building on Obenitterstraße. In 2016, the company finally moved to Obere Dammstraße at the Schlagbaum. In its core business of knife and scissors production, the company was strongly export-oriented. Its main sales markets were the Netherlands and Belgium. In addition, overseas markets were developed from the late 19th century, especially in the colonial areas of Asia (Dutch East Indies) and, from 1908, South America, particularly Argentina. At the peak of its development, Herder employed around 450 factory workers and employees as well as about the same number of home workers. The company remained a manageable and conservative family business that could not bring itself to diversify further apart from taking up the production of drop forgings. It ultimately had nothing to counter the increasing price competition in its traditional markets towards the end of the 20th century: it filed for insolvency in 1993 and was subsequently continued as a GmbH. Today, the former 'Schneidwarenfabrik und Gesenkschmiede Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn' is a listed building complex at Grünewalder Straße 29 in Solingen-Höhscheid. Only the buildings designed by Hermann vom Endt (1861–1939) survive from the factory. The four-storey brick office building from 1911 to 1913 shows both neo-classical elements (risalits, pilaster strips) and forms of the Heimat style (hip roofs, white wooden cornices on eaves and gables). The natural stone cladding of the ground floor continues in the enclosure wall of the factory premises. The historically significant company building was acquired by the city of Solingen in 1994 in order to set up a start-up centre there after conversion. Conversion work began in 1995 and was completed in 1998. A total of 24 million DM was invested in the conversion. The new start-up and technology centre was opened on 25 February 1998 and is now also home to Solingen's economic development agency.

• 2016

  The company moves to Obere Dammstraße at the Schlagbaum.

• 1998

  The new start-up and technology centre opens in the converted building on 25 February.

• 1995

  Production and administration move to Obenitterstraße; conversion of the old building begins.

• 1994

  The city of Solingen acquires the historic company building.

• 1993

  The company files for insolvency and is continued as 'Friedrich Herder Abraham Sohn GmbH' by Hans Joachim Röllecke and Detlef Weides.

• 1913

  The administration building on Grünewalder Straße is completed.

• 1908

  Carl Weyersberg and Hermann Bick take over the newly founded Buenos Aires branch.

• 1887

  After Friedrich Herder's death, Gustav Weyersberg takes over management.

• 1859

  A residential building is erected on today's Grünewalder Straße.

• 1841

  Friedrich Herder continues the company under the name 'Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn'.

• 1839

  Johann Abraham Herder takes his grandson Friedrich Herder as a partner.

• 1762

  After Peter Herder's death, the company passes to his sons Abraham and Johann Peter Herder.

• 1727

  Peter Herder registers the 'Schoppenass' (Pik As) trademark in Solingen.

Traditional Solingen cutlery manufacturer with a long heritage, known for the 'Pik As' trademark and export-oriented production.

• Knives with plastic handles

• Knives with wooden handles

• Pocket knives

• Scissors

• Sharpening steels

1. 1Friedrich Herder official websitefriedrichherder.com
2. 2Wikidata: Friedrich Herder Abraham Sohnwikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia (German): Friedrich Herder Abraham Sohnde.wikipedia.org