Herlitz
Line
- Hooi Keat Loo, Executive board
- Frauke Wandrey, Chief Executive
- Tan Sri Abi Musa Asa'ari bin Mohamed Nor, Chairman of the Board
Herlitz AG is a holding company among other things, the significant Herlitz PBS AG. This was with its subsidiaries, one of the largest paper, office and stationery manufacturers in the world. On March 1st 2014, Herlitz concentrated benefits exclusively to services in the areas of logistics, merchandising, information technology and international distribution services with the brands eCom Logistik, Poss merchandising and Mercoline IT solutions; the stationery business was submitted to Pelikan. 93 percent of all German households knew in 2005, according to the company 's name Herlitz.
History
The company Herlitz Group celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004. It goes back to the founding of a paper and stationery wholesaler by the learned bookseller Carl Herlitz in Berlin- Schöneberg. The individual companies Carl Herlitz was first listed in 1905 in Berlin address under " representatives of foreign houses of the paper and office utensils industry ."
Establishment, 1904-1945
Carl Herlitz led the small company for 31 years before he retired in 1935 for health reasons and died on February 12, 1939. After the takeover of the company by the son Günter Herlitz Herlitz extended the distribution of the Mark Brandenburg. There were six employees, the company moved to the vicinity of the Spittelmarkt in Berlin -Mitte.
After Günter Herlitz and his brother Walter Herlitz were canceled on September 1, 1939 in the military service, temporarily took over the mother Berta Herlitz the management and maintained the customer relationships. In November 1943 the premises were twice completely destroyed by the effects of war, the business came to a standstill.
1945-1995
In the summer of 1945, the business was - initially in basements in Berlin- Moabit - added by Günter Herlitz again, first " opportunity offers all kinds" were sold. Nor was it possible to supply customers in the Mark Brandenburg.
During the Berlin Blockade (1948 /49) succeeded by Carl Herlitz as only about 20 Berlin trade wholesalers to procure a minimum of goods by air from West Germany. After the end of the blockade, the range could be extended. The company employed the early 1950s already 50 employees and soon became one of the most important wholesalers in Germany.
Due to the events of June 17, 1953 - traditional suppliers from Central Germany threatened to fail - started to build its own production, among other things, exercise books, drawing pads, letter blocks, index cards and colored paper notebooks. As early as 1955 were processed monthly 60 tons of paper. The wholesale division - for political reasons - supply only customers in West Berlin. With a turnover of 2.2 million DM 55 employees were employed in 1955 still continues.
First attempts to sell 1957/1958 self-produced in other regions, failed. 1960 made a breakthrough on the " West German market " with diaries ( notebooks ) and sign blocks with illustrated covers, then a novelty. They showed animal themes and sports images that were brought out in collaboration with Professor Bernhard Grzimek and Harry Valérien. A separate sales organization for the Federal Territory was established. In 1973 a range added to the popular children characters Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street, which auslastete the manufacturer after Christmas to beyond its capacity limit.
Since the currency reform of 1949, the turnover every four years was - until 1994 - doubled. The development and thus the economic expansion of the company show the following sales figures:
This expansion was reflected both in the change of form of operation as well as abroad commitment of the company. The company Carl Herlitz was converted into a corporation in 1972, 1974, the first high- bay warehouse with 6,000 pallet spaces for finished goods was put into operation; the company employed an annual average of 504 employees.
In 1974, the Herlitz Consult GmbH was founded in 1975 the contract was awarded to build a turnkey factory for school books in Baghdad. Including a bridge and a small mosque, also built the largest single order was in the history of the company Herlitz (order volume: DM 38 million). On May 6, 1976 the from the Carl Herlitz AG, Herlitz AG.
On 3 October 1977, the IPO of Herlitz followed at the Berlin Stock Exchange, in the late 1980s went Herlitz International Trading (HIT ) AG, which had emerged from the Herlitz Consult, even on the stock exchange. In 1978 the company Paul Zoecke GmbH / Berlin was taken, so the range was extended to include greeting.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, the company was cousin / Brensbach ( fiber artist), Böhler / Schwetzingen ( fountain pen ), Bentz-Papier/Düren ( stationery equipment ), Rema / Neukirchen vorm Wald ( albums and folders ), Spang / Esslingen bought ( wrapping paper ) and Susy Card / Bargteheide ( Humor cards). Herlitz was the first full-line of writing instruments sector ( "one- hand ").
In 1985, the dispatch center in Berlin- Spandau was purchased, with the largest at that time according to the Guinness Book of World Records high-bay warehouse in the world with over 70,000 pallet spaces. Mid-1980s were opened in franchise in Aachen, Augsburg and Ludwigsburg first McPaper stores. 1987 followed by the establishment of McPaper GmbH together with the retail group REWE Leibrandt and jewelry stores Christ.
Foreign sales corporations Herlitz originated in Austria (1977 ), the Netherlands (1977 ), Switzerland (1977 ), France (1980 ), Texas / USA ( 1981-1990 ), Poland ( 1992), Finland (1992 ), Hungary ( 1992) and the Czech Republic (1993). In Falkirk, a new distribution center was built from 1991 and put into operation in 1994.
After saying goodbye to the decades of CEOs and CEO Günter Herlitz, who took over the chairmanship of the Supervisory Board, it came from 1988 to the dispute between the two older brothers Peter and Heinz, which ended with the departure of Heinz Herlitz in 1992. The screw of the expansion, however, was also stripped. Factory and warehouse in Falkirk are oversized to this day. In 1992, the company achieved a turnover of 1.06 billion DM
While Klaus Herlitz Herlitz brand established by new ideas on the market and strong made of an environmentally conscious range, came the purchase of a paper factory in Nizhny Novgorod / Russia 1994/1995 by the CEO of HIT AG, Gerard Jaslowitzer, a disaster, the entry into the real estate business failed.
1995-2000
The Management Board comprised of 1995: Klaus Albigensian, Volker Bohlmann, Peter Franzke, Walter Gröling, Klaus Herlitz, Peter Herlitz ( CEO), Detlef Stronk, Stephen Vocke and Karel de Vries. In 1996, the family- embossed, entrepreneurially managed company was transformed under the new CEO Jaslowitzer gradually into a management -led holding company.
At the AGM 1996 Günter Herlitz was honored with a speech in honor of his life's work, he resigned from the Supervisory Board and was appointed honorary chairman. At the same time, the AGM approved the conversion of Herlitz AG, a holding company which belonged to the Herlitz PBS AG, Herlitz AG Falkenhöh, the HIT AG and McPaper AG.
Herlitz International Trading Ltd ( HIT) was in the early 1990s, the most successful subsidiary of Herlitz AG. The HIT AG was initially minority, from 1995, the majority shareholder of AG Volga in Nizhny Novgorod. The extraordinary success of the Volga AG remarked the CEO of HIT AG, Gérald Jaslowitzer, in the Manager Magazine as follows: " The wood is about 70 percent cheaper than here in Russia. The energy cost is only one-fifth of comparable costs in Scandinavia. Of the labor costs to mention: whether we have 6,000 or 1,000 employees, at the moment does not matter " And Jaslowitzer continues:". No German company could keep up. The industry could disappear in the medium term in Germany. "
This report was translated into Russian two days later and circulated in Nizhny Novgorod. The timber industry and the energy suppliers demanded immediate market prices, the workers began to rebel. " Jaslowitzer had caused the greatest disaster in its history. " " Total cost Russia the adventure of the consolidated around 100 million marks. "
As a subsidiary in the last two decades of the 20th century acted Mc Paper, which was sold to the German Post AG 1998. It created joint ventures with established brands such as Landré (1996 ), Diplomat (1997), Fiege eCom (2000) and Mercoline ( 2000).
1997 Karel de Vries has been elected as the new Speaker of the Management Board. He slipped his impetuous expansion policy through numerous acquisitions at home and abroad, and openings of various offices in Eastern and Southern Europe, control of the holding company. Driven by the desire of a global player partially dilapidated production companies in France ( Manopa ), Holland, Poland, Czech Republic and Germany ( Becker Hawks, diplomat ) were bought and sometimes closed after a short time because of unprofitability under his direction. The loss-making involvement of de Vries in France cost the group alone 50 million mark. Despite all further branches were established throughout Europe and to some extent even after a year or two closed ( Yugoslavia, Portugal). Branches opened in Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece, Great Britain, Slovakia, Russia, Romania and Bulgaria.
Already in 1997, the company posted a loss of 51 million euros. More external managers who were employed under the new chairman Hans -Peter Friedrichsen, it was not possible to achieve a U-turn.
Sales figures:
2001-2007
At Paperworld 2001 in Frankfurt also the project School Visions 2020 was only the topic of Office 21 is presented. With School Visons 2020, the future of the product world of Herlitz should be determined and emerge in the draft, a theme that would be in times of consolidation of special importance.
The development forced Herlitz at the beginning of the 21st century to drastic cuts. Since summer 2001, Herlitz was mostly a banking consortium in which, among others, the German bank, HypoVereinsbank and Bank Gesellschaft Berlin were represented.
Presented in April 2002 Herlitz AG, Herlitz PBS AG, diplomat writing instruments GmbH and Susy Card GmbH & Co. KG bankruptcy. The lawyer and insolvency Peter Leonhardt succeeded, that the insolvency procedure did not lead to the final destruction of the operation. It was an attempt to carry out a strategic realignment. Herlitz had succeeded as the first listed companies in Germany to successfully carry out an insolvency procedure during operation under the new bankruptcy law in record time ( in four months ).
Under the Chief Executive Officer Christian R. Supthut unprofitable subsidiaries in France and Portugal were closed, as half of the thirteen production sites. The number of employees was reduced from 5,000 ( 1993) to 2,900 ( 2004). Revenue was consolidated, in the jubilee year 2004, he was again 335 million euros, the prize is over 1 million euros.
With effect from 4 October 2005, the Stationery Products S.à.rl took over ( Stationery Products ) based in Luxembourg approximately 64.7 % of the share capital of Herlitz AG from the creditor banks. The Stationery Products belongs indirectly to Advent International Corp.. ( Advent ), and based in Boston, USA, an international private equity firm. Advent heard loud stern.de of 28 April 2005 on the so-called locusts. The EU Commission approved the purchase. Another approximately 15% of the shares are held by the family Herlitz, the rest is free float.
2005 has seen operating result - despite a further decline in sales ( 318 million euros ) in an intensifying price competition in the market - increased over the previous year and net liabilities are reduced.
The decline in revenue could not be slowed down in 2006, the revenue decreased by 2.9% to 309 million euros, but the earnings before interest and taxes ( EBIT ) rose by 5.2 million to 3.9 million euros. The year before, the company had yet to cope with a loss of 1.3 million euros.
Herlitz planned 2007 entry into the market in Russia. This Herlitz plans to expand its particularly strong position in Eastern Europe. The Group, now a total of 2350 employees could improve sales in Eastern Europe by 15 percent. With 65 million euros revenue for the local market Herlitz had first left Western Europe behind. Especially Eastern Europe, it was thanks to them that Herlitz 2007 its turnover for the first time in twelve years back slightly increased.
2008 to today
Stationery Products did not manage Turnaround.Der put downward trend continues unabated, so that in October 2008, had to be sold to the Group Mayer- envelope Heilbronn in the envelope manufacturing of Herlitz PBS AG. In January 2009, the sale of the Herlitz daughter per -office sro followed headquartered in Most - Čepirohy (Czech Republic) to the Vienna Ring Holding. The pbs -report saw this as the beginning of the end of the formerly successful Herlitz philosophy "Everything from one source".
In November 2009 it was announced that Herlitz is taken over by Pelican International. The Federal Cartel Office approved in March 2010, the acquisition of office products manufacturer Herlitz including the logistics center by the Pens Pelikan International Corporation Berhad producers ( PICB ) based in Puchong, Selangor in Malaysia.
The sell-off continued, as in the spring of 2012, the Swiss supplier of office equipment Biella - Neher Holding subsidiary of Herlitz the Falken Office Products in Peitz, the DELMET Prod srl in Buftea ( Romania) and Herlitz UK Ltd.. took over in Hyde, Greater Manchester ( UK).
The end of 2012, the Executive Board Hooi Keat Loo announced in Malaysia that Herlitz will close its headquarters in Berlin until the end of 2013 and relocates to Falkirk.
After alarming figures for 2012 took place in early November, 2013, under the chairman Tan Sri Abi Musa Asa'ari bin Mohamed Nor, the sale of the remaining production facilities for paper, office and stationery to Pelikan, after an originally angedachtes joint venture of the pelican owners was rejected due to major economic and fiscal risks. The profitable logistics and services division is the only remain with Herlitz.
The Malaysian major shareholders of Herlitz parted the end of 2013 by the Board Thomas Radke, since it had found no contacts to the major customers of the Group. Since, according to Herlitz Statute, the Executive Board must consist of at least two people, moved the bureaucrat Frauke Wandrey, Managing Director of Pelican production company, according to.
Merger with Herlitz Herlitz PBS AG
In order to simplify the corporate structure further, the intention is to merge the Herlitz PBS AG paper, office and stationery as the transferor company on the Herlitz Aktiengesellschaft as the acquiring company. This transmits Herlitz PBS AG entire assets, including all rights and obligations by dissolution without liquidation with effect from 31 December 2013 ( date of merger ) to the Herlitz AG by way of merger.
Products
Herlitz stocks a range of around 12,000 items of paper, office and stationery range. Along with traditional school supplies including, notebooks, drawing pads, crayons and rulers including school bag, pencil cases and compass. In the field of office supplies are to be emphasized folders, binders, hole punch and filing systems. For Complete range of products continue to greeting cards, gift wrap, party and picnic items as well as include writing instruments ( pens, pens, pencils ). 60 % of the articles were produced until 2008 in -house production (among Herlitz once produced over 80 million file folder and was the world leader in the production folder ), the rest were classic OEM products. The share of exports in 2006 was 37%.
Production sites
The current production facilities are located in Falkirk, near Berlin. The factories in Berlin- Tegel, Most ( Czech Republic), Poznan ( Poland ) and Romania were closed. The Herlitz logistics supplies continue around 8,500 sales outlets in Germany directly. More than 3,000 customers across Europe are served by Herlitz.
Figures
(Sources: Annual reports of respective years)
CEO
Chairman
Socially - social involvement
On the initiative of the Herlitz -profit organization was founded in 2003 BildungsCent eV, he sits down in a nationwide for the sustainable promotion of teaching and learning culture in Germany.
Awards
Herlitz was 1990, the German Logistics Prize awarded in the framework of the German Logistics Congress and thus the long-term merits of the Executive Board Klaus Albigensian were appreciated. The holistic environmental initiatives and improvements in the company were awarded in the early 1990s with several national environmental awards. 1999 was awarded by the Gartner Group and the Computer Week awarded " IT user award" for innovative IT solutions to the Executive Board Andreas Resch. Already in 1992 and 1994, the marketing has been honored with the brand award " German Standards". Due to the activities of the board Dietrich Groth Herlitz, in 2007, the brand label " Brand of the Century ".
Under the Marketing Director Oliver Windbrake Herlitz was awarded the Golden Ramses in 2010 for the best radio spot in the Best Audio Idea category and for the "Monster Talent " campaign the entry in the Yearbook of Advertising 2010 with the award place 1 / sector leader in the field social media activities / Digital Media B2C.
In February 2011, handed over German Family Minister Kristina Schröder for the Herlitz commitment to " Partners in Leadership " the European Employee Volunteering Award Germany in the Innovation category at Windbrake.