Schilgen

Schilgen, formally J. Schilgen GmbH & Co. KG, was a German mechanical weaving company based in Emsdetten, North Rhine-Westphalia. Founded in 1873 as a craft business, it evolved from a jute spinning and weaving operation into a specialist manufacturer of technical fabrics made from synthetic and, to a lesser extent, natural fibers. For much of its history it was a family-run enterprise, remaining under family control until the fifth generation. At the turn of the 21st century it was the last company in Europe still processing jute in large quantities. The company became a market leader in the production of broad woven fabrics and was the only producer of exceptionally large widths, capable of weaving fabrics up to 5.40 meters wide. In early 2013, 140 years after its founding, the Setex Group acquired Schilgen's business activities, and the brand continued as "Schilgen Technische Gewebe." Production was consolidated with the Setex-affiliated Anton Cramer GmbH & Co. KG under the name Setex-Textil-GmbH in Greven. Schilgen is perhaps best known publicly for supplying the special fabrics used by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude: the wrapping of the Reichstag in 1995, the "Wrapped Trees" project in Switzerland in 1998, and "The Gates" in New York's Central Park in 2005. For each of these projects, approximately 100,000 square meters of fabric were produced on a single specialized loom.

J. Schilgen GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1873 as a craft business in Emsdetten, a town that became a center of the German jute and linen weaving industry. Like many similar companies established in the 1870s along the then-new railway line to the North Sea ports, the jute spinning and natural fiber weaving mill Schilgen was founded in the newly developed hinterland of the North Sea port cities. These overseas ports ensured the import of raw jute and simultaneously offered additional sales markets such as sailmakers and sack manufacturers, as well as export opportunities. Emsdetten developed into a textile town and a center of German jute and linen weaving. The mechanization of textile production, which began with cotton around 1830, reached jute around 1880. The use of spinning machines and mechanical looms, along with their continuous development, allowed Schilgen to expand. As the countries of origin for jute industrialized, the main business shifted increasingly toward higher-quality textiles. Moreover, manufacturers and suppliers from Asia dominated and continue to dominate the world market. Of the roughly 50 textile manufacturers once in Emsdetten, only four remain today. When the fourth generation entered the family business, the company was no longer competitive in classic textiles, and the textile industry was in crisis. The company was saved by producing textile wallpapers, which were fashionable for a few years, while it also successfully experimented with technical textiles made from synthetic and natural materials for very different applications. Afterwards, the medium-sized company found and expanded a market niche in the production of special technical fabrics. Jute weaving was finally discontinued in 2006. J. Schilgen GmbH & Co. KG subsequently manufactured industrial textiles and broad woven fabrics for a wide variety of uses. Among other things, Schilgen was a leading manufacturer of fabrics in very large widths of up to 5.40 meters. With effect from January 1, 2013, and thus 140 years after the company's founding, the Setex Group took over the business activities of the Schilgen company as the brand "Schilgen Technische Gewebe." Production was consolidated with the Anton Cramer GmbH & Co. KG, also part of the Setex Group, under the name Setex-Textil-GmbH in Greven. Schilgen's best-known customer was the artist couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who used special fabrics from Schilgen to wrap the Reichstag in 1995, realized the "Wrapped Trees" project in Switzerland in 1998, and in February 2005 in New York's Central Park realized the installation "The Gates" after 26 years of planning. For these projects, approximately 100,000 square meters of fabric were produced by Schilgen on a single specialized loom.

• 2013

  Setex Group acquires Schilgen's business activities; brand continues as 'Schilgen Technische Gewebe'.

• 2006

  Jute weaving definitively discontinued.

• 2005

  Supplied fabric for 'The Gates' installation in New York's Central Park.

• 1998

  Supplied fabric for the 'Wrapped Trees' project in Switzerland.

• 1995

  Supplied fabric for Christo and Jeanne-Claude's wrapping of the Reichstag.

• 1880

  Mechanization of jute production begins, enabling expansion.

• 1873

  Founded as a craft business in Emsdetten.

Specialist and market leader in technical broad woven fabrics, including the largest widths available.

• Technical fabrics

• Broad woven fabrics up to 5.40 m wide

• Jute fabrics (until 2006)

• Textile wallpapers

1. 1Schilgen (Unternehmen) - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Schilgen - Wikidatawikidata.org