SCHLENK Timeline

Initial Phase & Departure

Starting the company and taking over market leadership:
from wrought iron production to market leader in the area of bronze and aluminium pigments. Carl von Schlenk-Barnsdorf invested in the Weiss & Feyertag wrought iron manufacturing facility in Barnsdorf, Germany and in 1879 he used it to establish his own company. Milestones in the early decades of the SCHLENK company include starting aluminium powder production in Barnsdorf in 1892, becoming a publicly traded company in 1897 and opening the first production factory in the USA in 1904.

1879
Foundation of the Company by Carl Schlenk

 

1886
Generation of social facilities and foundation of the company fire brigade in Barnsdorf

 

1892
Start of Aluminium Powder Production in Barnsdorf

 

1895
First Schlenk Advertisement

 

1897
Schlenk goes public

 

1900
Workers of Schlenk Company

 

1901
Employees of Schlenk Company

 

1904
First manufacturingplant in the USA

 

Development & Expansion of the portfolio

Wartime and loss of top market position:
After World War I, Carl Schlenk`s sons Arthur and Wilhelm took over the largest company in this industry. In 1928 SCHLENK acquired the rolling mill in Bernlohe and established the metal foil division. In the following years, the worldwide economic crisis and more war resulted in severe difficulties for the company. Years after the war was over, however, a spirit of optimism returned and Germany transformed itself into a leading industrial nation. In 1954, SCHLENK produced aluminium pastes for the first time in Barnsdorf. Just two years later, the company also began to produce aluminium powder for the aerated concrete industry.

1919
The sons Arthur & Wilhelm pull the strings of the enterprise throughout the second generation

 

1920
Appropriation Schlenk USA

 

1928
Start of copper strip and foil production

 

1941
Wartime destruction of the production facilities in Barnsdorf & Rothenbruck

 

1954
Initial manufacture of aluminium paste

 

1956
Beginning of aluminium powder production for the aerated light weight concrete industry

 

Internationalazation & Growth in all areas

Stabilization and internationalization:
In 1957 Günter von Schlenk-Barnsdorf became the chairman of the board in the third generation of family leadership at SCHLENK. In 1961 his brother-in-law, Dr. Eckart Scharowsky, joined him in this position. Modernization projects and the development of new production technology for aerated concrete aluminium powder were carried out in Barnsdorf and completed in 1966. In the 1970s, SCHLENK started producing foils with thicknesses of 7-8 microns. With the establishment of subsidiaries in the USA, France and Brazil, SCHLENK become a global player. In 1990, the year that East and West Germany were reunited, investments were made in a 20 roll wide strip rolling mill in Bernlohe for producing very thin copper foils. In 1992 and 1998, SCHLENK acquired two Eastern European locations: in the Czech Republic and Slovenia.

1957/1961
Günter von Schlenk-Barnsdorf/Dr. Eckart Scharowsky are appointed as the new managing directors

 

1973
Start of foil production in the 7-8 micron range

 

1977
Establishment of subsidiaries in the US, France and Brasil

 

1990
20 roll milling machine

 

1992
Acquisition of Albo- Schlenk a.s., Czech Republic, Foundation of Pigmenti Metallici S.R.L., Italy and Schlenk Asia Ltd.

 

Moving into the new millenium towards the future

Innovation and sustainability:
In 1995 Joachim von Schlenk-Barnsdorf became a managing director and in 1998 chairman of the board in the fourth generation of family leadership. The strategy of the corporate group is now determined by global megatrends including globalization, population development and the scarcity of natural environmental resources. The plant in Bitterfeld was opened in 1999. Here raw materials are produced for the new product lines of the parent plant in Barnsdorf. From 2004 to 2020, SCHLENK operated its own pigment plant in Jiangsu Province in addition to the already existing mixing center in Shanghai. In 2020 SCHLENK acquired a manufacturer of vacuum metallized foils in Kansas (USA). With this step, SCHLENK now guarantees its own supplies of an important pre-product under its own management. Technological innovations in all areas of the company are focused on efficiency in terms of energy and resources. The company continues to develop environmentally friendly and green technology products as well. The solar industry, manufacturers of building materials that contribute to energy efficiency and producers of solvent-free color systems are becoming important customer groups.

1996
Joachim von Schlenk-Barnsdorf CEO of Schlenk

 

1997
Embedded in nature – our renaturation program to be kicked off

 

1998
Inauguration of the Headoffice in Barnsdorf, Germany Take-over of Kamnik-Schlenk D.O.O., Slovenia Foundation of SAL, China

 

1999
In-house aluminium atomiser technique in Bitterfeld

 

2001
Opening of a new facility for high end non leafi ng aluminium pigments

 

2003
Inauguration of the Technology Centre by the Bavarian Minister President Dr. Edmund Stoiber

 

2004
125th Schlenk anniversary

 

2006
Inauguration of the aluminium surface treatment center Start of Production of Press Ready Inks in a new facility in Roth

 

2008
Start of production in Taixing, China

 

2009
Win of the Axia-Award inthe category “Internationalization”

 

2010
Putting a new regenerativeenergy source into operation –hydro power turbine

 

2012
Increased capacity, production of copper strips for the solar and automobile industry

2015
Introduction of new pigment technology, European Coatings Show

2016
Commissioning a new aluminium powder facility for the aerated concrete industry

2017
Expansion in rolling capacity with highly advanced technology

2020
Production of vacuum metallized foils Lawrence, KS, USA


Environment

We continuously optimize our production processes and consistently decrease our consumption of raw materials.

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