Heraeus

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• January Rinnert, Chairman of the Board
• Rolf Najork, Member of the Board
• Jürgen Heraeus, Chairman of the Board

Medical quartz glass sensors Special light source Template: Infobox Company / Maintenance / products

The Heraeus Holding GmbH is a German technology company with a focus on precious and special metals, medical devices, quartz glass, sensors and specialty lighting sources. The company was founded in 1851 in Hanau and counts sales of the largest family in Germany.

According to the company Heraeus Holding generated with 12,200 employees in more than 100 companies in product revenue of € 4.2 billion and a precious metal trading revenues of € 16.0 billion.

In the 500 largest family of the journal Economic Journal ranking, the company occupies the fifth place.

• 2.1 Heraeus Precious Metals
• 2.2 Heraeus Materials Technology
• 2.3 Heraeus Electro -Nite
• 2.4 Heraeus Medical
• 2.5 Heraeus quartz glass
• 2.6 Heraeus

• 3.1 W. C. Heraeus
• 3.2 Heraeus Kulzer
• 3.3 Vakuumschmelze
• 3.4 Heraeus Instruments
• 3.5 Heraeus Med

• 4.1 quartz glass
• 4.2 Special lamps
• 4.3 sensors

History

From 1851 - From the pharmacy to melt platinum

In 1851 the pharmacist and chemist Wilhelm Carl Heraeus took over at the age of 24 years, the paternal Einhorn -Apotheke in Hanau, which was as Count Hofapotheke owned by the Heraeus family since 1660. Wilhelm Carl Heraeus laid the foundation for a global family business that for more than 160 years in Hanau east of Frankfurt am Main has its headquarters. Hanau was a goldsmith city in which platinum was used for the production of jewelry since the late 18th century. However, for the goldsmiths of that time was the precious metal extremely difficult to work with because it has a great toughness and melting point at 1770 degrees Celsius. Platinum could therefore, as long as there was no fusion, only be processed in elaborate white-hot forging processes.

Wilhelm Carl Heraeus had studied chemistry and pharmacy and was aware of the problem of the goldsmiths. After numerous experiments, he succeeded for the first time in 1856 with a self-developed oxyhydrogen blowpipe to melt platinum in large quantities and high purity of winning. It is already known that platinum in an oxyhydrogen flame - a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen - melts, but this was achieved in the laboratory only in small amounts. With its gas - blower apparatus Heraeus could produce enough oxyhydrogen gas and melt with a correspondingly large flame front several kilograms of platinum-containing materials.

Based on these pioneering efforts Heraeus founded the " First German platinum melting WC Heraeus ". Among the customers of his company were among goldsmiths and jewelry factories around the world as well as dental factories, chemical laboratories and other industries. In 1857, W. C. produced Heraeus about 30 kilograms of pure platinum, 1896 were already more than 1000 kg melted and processed platinum.

From 1896 - Research and development of new materials

Further experiments in the laboratory of platinum melt led to numerous inventions and fundamentally new production processes, such as the manufacture of pharmaceutical iron preparations, of chemically pure hydrofluoric acid, rubidium and cesium.

The focus of production continued to provide the platinum, which was used because of its chemical and physical properties for more and more applications. Because of its resistance to acids and heat, platinum was used, among other scientific equipment, crucibles and dishes in chemistry and physics. In addition to already used in the 19th century, the precious metal for holding pins for fixing of artificial teeth. Even light wires in bulbs and non-corrosive electrical contacts in telephones were made ​​of platinum. Due to the steady growth of the company, a move was necessary. In 1896 the platinum melting referring W. C. Heraeus with 40 employees, the new factory premises at the gates of Hanau.

Two years later, took the two sons of the founder, Wilhelm and Heinrich Heraeus, the management. They pushed forward research and development, bringing a former school friend, the physicist and chemist Richard Küch in the company. Küch, who served as CEO from 1909, was in close contact with scientists and continue to operate basic research which was crucial for the continued growth of the company. Among other things, he developed a method could be won in the by melting rock crystal at around 2000 ° C quartz glass. This virtually bubble-free quartz glass was of the highest purity and is still in medicine as well as in industry an estimated material since it is both translucent and temperature-and acid- stable.

At that time the former melt platinum grew to become one of the most important companies of its kind With the advent of ceramic colors platinum products were increasingly needed for the production and Heraeus supplied the electrochemical and the plastics industry. At the beginning of the 20th century continued the real boom in the platinum processing, since the chemical industry needed large quantities of platinum thermocouples and platinum -rhodium catalysts for the production of nitric acid.

From 1927 - On the way to multi-product company

With Wilhelm Heinrich Heraeus Heraeus Reinhard and his cousin took over from 1927, the third generation to lead the company for nearly 40 years. In this period, new physical insights from Heraeus been implemented - for example in the production of the first dental alloys. The company thus continuously evolved into a multi - product company.

An important technical innovation of the 1920s came from the company Heraeus: The melting of metallic materials under vacuum. For a short time Heraeus had an independent company in this field, the Heraeus vacuum melt, which filed for 84 patents German within ten years. But there were also setbacks. Due to the First World War, inflation and the collapse of the precious metal market in Russia the price of platinum extreme fluctuated. At Heraeus therefore be taught the research activities primarily on recycling techniques, trying at the same time to find suitable materials and materials as a substitute for the precious metals.

Despite these external problems, the company grew steadily and employed approximately 1,000 employees, achieved an annual turnover of 20 million marks in 1939. With the outbreak of World War II, numerous employees were drafted into the army. Production shifted to products such as electrical contacts in precious metal saving design, catalysts and Rhodiumspiegel for FLAK headlights. In the air raids in 1944 and 1945, the city of Hanau, and therefore the operating assets of the company was almost completely destroyed.

From 1945 - Heraeus multinational corporations

In the years of reconstruction was mainly the production of proven products and the expansion of new production areas is key. The foundation for the internationalization and the foray into foreign markets had been created by the company founder before the turn of the century. In these contacts, the Group was able to draw in the postwar period, and thus, for example, win the American market for the sale of optical quartz glass.

In 1958, the Group established its first foreign distribution companies in France and Italy, as of 1972 was followed by subsidiaries and international investments. New quartz glass works were in Japan and the United States established, followed by manufacturing facilities in Korea and the Philippines for bonding wires of high purity gold for semiconductor devices, so-called bonding wires. 1970 took over Helmut Gruber, a respected physicist in the metallurgy, the leadership of the management as well as Group-wide responsibility for the Technology division. He promoted the activities in the areas of quartz glass, precious metal chemicals and specialty metals as well as the establishment of subsidiaries abroad. For the first time in 1979, sales were abroad on the domestic sales.

From 1983 - Worldwide activities of Heraeus Holding

Jürgen Heraeus, Heraeus son of Reinhard and since 1970 a member of the Board, took over from 1983 to 2000 in its fourth generation, the company's management. Under his leadership, the internationalization has continued increased. The requirements for this were created by a profound reorganization of the company as well as the implementation of modern management structures.

After the founding of Heraeus Holding in 1985, followed in 1990 a comprehensive decentralization. To this end, under the umbrella of a management holding company with core labor precious metals, dental materials, quartz glass, sensors and medical technology have been structured in five decentralized, ie an independent management companies. The Group expanded, especially in the Asian region. In addition, strategic competitive positions were filled, eg through the acquisition of Electro-Nite. Sales and operating income of the Group reached the size of a worldwide group of companies and 2001, 74 percent of the product sales were generated outside Germany for the first time.

To take advantage of potential synergies of the various companies, a concentration on the core business. To this end, Heraeus was set up in 2001 as an independent operational management of the Company. Heraeus Med was sold in 2002, as well as the shares of Kendro Laboratory Products. In contrast, increased the Heraeus Group to develop in industrial precious metals area: WC Heraeus enlarged the area of ​​thin- film technology / Thin Film Materials. The bonding wire activities in China were extended and in South Africa, a joint venture was established in the area of ​​precious metal chemicals, which could be converted shortly into a subsidiary. With the acquisition of Swiss Metalor Medical Division, the company expanded its activities in medical technology further.

From 2001 - Over 160 years Heraeus

In 2001, the Heraeus Group celebrated its 150th anniversary. To take advantage of potential synergies of the various companies, a concentration on the core business. To this end, Heraeus was set up in 2001 as an independent operational management of the Company. Heraeus Med was sold in 2002, as well as the shares of Kendro Laboratory Products. In contrast, increased the Heraeus Group to develop in industrial precious metals area: WC Heraeus enlarged the area of ​​thin- film technology / Thin Film Materials. The bonding wire activities in China were extended and in South Africa, a joint venture was established in the area of ​​precious metal chemicals, which could be converted shortly into a subsidiary. With the acquisition of Swiss Metalor Medical Division, the company expanded its activities in medical technology further.

The division W. C. Heraeus was divided in 2009 into the new business areas Heraeus Precious Metals and Heraeus Materials Technology. In the summer of 2013 sold the Heraeus dental products division to the Japanese group Mitsui Chemicals. Under the umbrella of Heraeus Holding six business units are now assembled.

Group structure

Heraeus Precious Metals

The division specializes in the processing of gold, silver, and platinum group metals to industrial products for the automotive, semiconductor, electronics and medical industries. The industrial precious metal trading this division operates under the name " Argor -Heraeus " and is one of the leading international addresses. In December 2010, Heraeus acquired the business " Conducting Polymers " by HC Starck. With Clevios ™ Heraeus product range to functional coatings for the electronics, display, glass and solar industry has been added.

Heraeus Materials Technology

The division manufactures industrial high-tech products with precious metals like gold, silver and platinum group metals, and high-melting refractory metals and base. These are reflected in the areas of health, environment, energy, mobility, and communication.

Heraeus Electro -Nite

Sensors, which are for measurements in liquid iron, steel and aluminum for use in the steel industry are produced by the market leader Heraeus Electro- Nite and sold over 24 companies worldwide.

Heraeus Medical

The division produces bone cements and biomaterials for orthopedics and trauma surgery. The core product PALACOS ® as a standard bone cements for orthopedic.

Heraeus quartz glass

The division has extensive know - how in dealing with quartz glass. In 13 production facilities in Europe, Asia and North America, the company produces and processes high-purity quartz glass for optical, chemical and semiconductor industry. In addition, synthetic quartz glass is produced for products for the production of microchips and optical fibers for the telecommunications industry.

Heraeus

The company is one of the world's market and technology leaders in the production of specialist light sources. It develops, manufactures and markets infrared, ultraviolet emitters and LEDs for applications in industrial manufacture, environmental protection, medicine and cosmetics, research and analytical laboratories.

Discontinued, sold or restructured business units

W. C. Heraeus

The precious metals from the beginning was the top-selling division of Heraeus. As the prices for gold, silver and platinum in the 1930s rose sharply, Heraeus also dedicated the platinum group metals such as palladium, rhodium and ruthenium. Through the development of precious metal rotary selector and quick contact since 1950 could also contact rivets and springs are sold in large quantities. This formed the basis for entry into markets such as telecommunications, microelectronics and computer technology.

2010 WC Heraeus division was divided into the business segments Heraeus Heraeus Precious Metals and Material Technologies.

Heraeus Kulzer

Due to the particular hardness of the tooth material Alba - an alloy of gold, silver and palladium - Heraeus could take a leading position on the market of dental technology already in the 1930s. In the following years, Heraeus has also developed high-profile gold and Keramikaufbrennlegierungen.

Heraeus Kulzer was divided into the business segments Heraeus Heraeus Medical and Dental 2009. The Heraeus Dental business systems put forth for the conservation and restoration of natural teeth and for dental prosthetics. He had a wide range of products for dental laboratories and dental practices. This area was sold on August 1, 2013, the Mitsui Group.

Vakuumschmelze

The technical melting of metals under vacuum based on the early development of Heraeus. Even before the First World War, the first vacuum furnaces were used, in which alloys were produced under exclusion of air. 1917, the first vacuum induction furnace was developed in 1923 took the Heraeus vacuum melt as a separate company to operate on. Were produced various non-precious metal alloys for electrical engineering. The operation had a total of 84 German patents, which corresponded to 101 foreign rights between 1923 and 1933. Due to the increasing investment needs and the diversity of products to other business Heraeus sold from 1933 Vakuumschmelze to Siemens and sold as a result of other companies (see Vacuum melt). Also the Ruhr steel Heraeus method for vacuum degassing of steel was initiated by Heraeus.

Heraeus Instruments

From the aluminum division and the production of heat conductors in the 1920s, the laboratory equipment range had emerged from Heraeus. This branch of industry has been continuously expanded both in Germany and abroad through acquisition of several equipment manufacturers in the 1960s and 1970s. 1998 merged with Sorvall Heraeus Instruments, a device manufacturer from USA, Kendro Laboratory Products. This company was acquired in January 2005 by Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Heraeus Med

In 1950, Heraeus, the first surgical lights ago. After the complete takeover of the quartz lamp Society 1973, Heraeus Med, a system supplier, among other things developed from it of ceiling-mounted surgical lights systems for operating theaters and intensive care units. As part of the focus on selected market segments Heraeus Med was sold in early 2002 at the Rastatt company MAQUET, a part of the Swedish medical technology group Getinge.

Specific products

Quartz glass

At the beginning of the 20th century extended its product range Heraeus resistant, inter alia, the manufacture of optical instruments, infrared heaters and laboratory equipment. For the optical industry panels, prisms and lenses were made ​​( Homosil and Ultrasil.RTM ) and the opaque quartz glass Rotosil. In the late 1960s produced Heraeus highly pure, isotrophomogene quartz glasses for space research. The special optical quartz glass was part of retroreflectors were placed in the context of the Apollo missions to the moon. These retroreflectors are used to measure the exact distance between the Earth and Moon and are operational to this day.

At Heraeus, a new method was developed, could be produced with the high quality of silicon tetrachloride synthetic quartz glass. In the late 1960s it opened up an additional market: The quartz fiber optics technology for optical data transmission in the telecommunications industry. In 1972 the development of products for fiber optic, 1986 first synthetic waveguide tubes have been developed and taken in 1992 a plant for synthetic quartz glass in Bitterfeld in operation. In the manufacture of equipment and optics for the semiconductor industry, Heraeus quartz has established itself as a world leader.

Special lamps

Richard Küch early as 1904, had discovered that mercury vapor is excited in a quartz glass tube for electric discharges, intense emits light. Then Heraeus founded together with the AEG a quartz lamp company, to develop the "artificial sun lamp - Original Hanau " led and already dominated the German market in the 1930s. In the 1950s, the height of the sun was a widespread electrical consumer products.

After Heraeus had the AEG shares are fully adopted in 1973, newly developed products have been added to the program. Today, Heraeus Noble Light with infrared, UV lamps and LEDs, a supplier for numerous industries with application areas in the automotive, photovoltaic, printing, plastics and semiconductor industries, analytical instruments, laser and environmental technologies in tanning beds and in the water - and air treatment.

Sensors

Heraeus presented under the direction of Richard Küch first starts producing thermocouples and thermometers with wires of platinum and platinum alloys. This is still the basis for modern temperature measurement technology from Heraeus. Mid-1960s, the product range was supplemented by the analysis technique. By adopting the Belgian Electro-Nite Group 1987 immersion thermocouples and gas wells for measurement in the steel and aluminum industries were used.

1997 Heraeus Sensor Technology was founded. The company specializes in temperature sensors in platinum thin-film technology for applications in the automotive, electronics and household appliances.

Customers

Among the customers of Heraeus include, inter alia, Companies in the automotive and aerospace industry, telecommunications and chemical industry, medical technology and the steel industry.

Ownership

The Heraeus Holding is part of 188 shareholders.

Awards

• 2008 Special price for company childcare in the national competition "Success Factor Family "
• 2010 August 30, the 150th birthday of Richard Küch one of the " 365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas"
• 2013 award as ingots Manufacturer of the Year 2013 ( gold bars ) together with Argor -Heraeus