Possehl

Possehl is an entrepreneurial group (Unternehmergruppe) headquartered in Lübeck, Germany. Under the umbrella of the management holding L. Possehl & Co. mbH, it comprises currently ten operationally independent business divisions and more than 200 companies, with over 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries on five continents. Its business areas span mechanical and plant engineering, construction, precious metal processing, electronics and digital solutions. The group's sole shareholder is the charitable Possehl-Stiftung, to which its earnings flow to support non-profit purposes in Lübeck.

On 1 May 1847, Ludwig Possehl founded his firm L. Possehl & Co. in Lübeck and began trading in iron and coal. Customers initially came from the region: coal was needed by all segments of the population of the Hanseatic city and its surroundings, while iron goods were sold to various trades and businesses in the nearby area. Possehl soon also supplied the first large industrial customers with sheet iron, hard coal and general goods such as nails and wire. An important business principle already then was to place the business on as broad a foundation as possible. Possehl weathered economic crises thanks to a stable equity base; a cautious withdrawal policy meant that, despite the difficult first 15 years, the company's equity rose to seven and a half times the starting capital. In 1873, Emil Possehl, Ludwig's eldest son, took over the management of the business. At that time the heavy industry phase began. Emil Possehl recognized the industrial trend early and aligned the business accordingly. In the 1890s the industrial revolution was in full swing. Emil Possehl organized in particular the Swedish ore [trade]. On 17 May 1919, the Possehl-Stiftung was legally established by senate decree. At the same time, the structure chosen by Emil Possehl of the Possehl-Stiftung as sole owner of the Possehl Group created the precondition for corporate governance designed to last. Thus the corporate group and the foundation have been closely linked for more than 100 years. The headquarters of both company and foundation have been in the Beckergrube in Lübeck from the very beginning. The corporate group forms the foundation's endowment capital. In order for the Possehl-Stiftung to support charitable projects sustainably and reliably, the generation of a steady dividend by the company is essential, including in times of economic downturn.

An entrepreneurial group combining international networking with regional anchoring, acting as a long-term 'Best Owner' for mid-sized companies.

1. 1Wir. Unternehmen. Zukunft.possehl.de
2. 2Unsere Geschichtepossehl.de
3. 3Über unspossehl.de
4. 4Possehl Stiftungpossehl.de
5. 5Possehlwikidata.org