Degussa-Hüls AG History



Address:
Weissfrauenstrasse 9
D-60311 Frankfurt am Main
Germany

Telephone: (49) 69-218-3165
Fax: (49) 69-218-3218

Website:
Public Subsidiary of Veba A.G.
Incorporated: 1873 as Deutsche Gold-und Silber-Scheideanstalt vormals Roessler and 1953 as Chemische Werke Hüls AG
Employees: 44,892
Sales: $4.99 billion (1998)
Stock Exchanges: Frankfurt Düsseldorf
NAIC: 325211 Plastics Material and Resin Manufactur-ing; 32551 Paint and Coating Manufacturing; 325412 Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing; 325212 Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing

Company Perspectives:

Degussa-Hüls is a globally active chemicals company with value-oriented management. Our core business is specialist chemicals, which we will consistently expand upon. Besides that, we are today also active in select areas having synergies to chemicals. We are focusing on growing business with a low cyclicity, above average potential for appreciating value and leading competitive positions. Key Dates:

Key Dates:

1873:
Founding of Deutsche Gold-und Silber-Scheideanstalt vormals Roessler (Degussa) in Frankfurt am Main.
1898:
Degussa establishes a chemicals production plant in Rheinfelden.
1919:
Degussa acquires Scheideanstalt Dr. Richter & Co. and enters the dental business.
1932:
Purchase of carbon blacks plant makes Degussa the second largest producer of carbon blacks in the world.
1938:
IG Farbenindustrie, along with partner Bergwerksgesellschaft Hibernia AG, form Chemische Werke Hüls GmbH to produce Buna.
1952:
Degussa expands its chemicals operations in Wesseling, and IG Farbenindustrie is forced to disband by the Allies.
1953:
Hüls is released from Allied control and allowed to incorporate as Chemische Werke Hüls AG; shareholders include Bayer AG, Kohleverwerungsgesellschaft, and Hibernia.
1970:
Degussa builds a chemical plant in Belgium.
1973:
Degussa founds a plant in the United States.
1979:
Hüls becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Veba AG.
1980:
Degussa becomes known as Degussa AG.
1985:
Hüls changes its name to Hüls Aktiengesellschaft, and Hüls America begins operations.
1998:
Degussa AG and Hüls AG merge to form Degussa-Hüls AG.

Company History:

Further Reading:

  • Alperowicz, Natasha, 'Degussa's Turning Point: New CEO, Veba Stake Spell Change,' Chemical Week, September 17, 1997, p. 26.
  • ------, 'Huls Takes on a New Shape; Seeking Integration with Degussa,' Chemical Week, December 24, 1997, p. 12.
  • 'Degussa and Hills Finalize Merger Forming a Specialties Powerhouse,' Chemical Market Reporter, November 2, 1998, p. 8.
  • 'Degussa-Huls Continues Integration; Focuses on Global Product Portfolio,' Chemical Market Reporter, April 19, 1999, p. 16.
    Deutsche Gold- und Silber Scheideanstalt vormals Roessler 1873-1923, Frankfurt am Main: Degussa, 1923.
  • Dittrich, Gunther, H. Offermanns, and H. Schlosser, 'Von der Münzscheiderei zum L-Methionin,' Chet, June 1977.
  • Hume, Claudia, 'Veba-Viag Merger Creates a Specialties Giant,' Chemical Week, October 6, 1999, p. 7.
  • Mayer-Wegelin, Heinz, Aller Anfang ist schwer: Bilder zur hundertjährigen Geschichte der Degussa, Frankfurt am Main: Degussa, 1973.
  • Pinnov, Hermann, Degussa 1873-1948, Frankfurt am Main: Degussa, 1948.
  • Wolf, Mechthild, It All Began in Frankfurt: Landmarks in the History of Degussa AG, Frankfurt am Main: Degussa, 1989.
  • ------, 'Porträt Heinrich Roessler 1845-1925,' Chemie in unserer Zeit, June 3, 1986.
  • ------, Von Frankfurt in die Welt, Frankfurt am Main: Degussa, 1988.

Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 32. St. James Press, 2000.