Friedrich Karl Henkel founds Henkel in Aachen (1876)

Friedrich Karl Henkel founded Henkel & Cie in Aachen on 26 September 1876. He partnered with owners of a sodium silicate factory to establish a detergent business. This event marks the origin of the Henkel Group, distinct from later product developments or corporate expansions.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Friedrich Karl Henkel, born in 1848, moved at age seventeen to Elberfeld, where he began an apprenticeship at the Gessert brothers paint and varnish factory. In 1874, at the age of 26, he became a partner in the chemicals and paints wholesaler "Henkel und Strebel". These earlier positions in the chemical and paint trades preceded his later venture in Aachen.

Founding Partnership. The founding of Henkel & Cie involved collaboration with existing industrial assets. Henkel joined forces with the owners of the Rheinische Wasserglasfabrik, specifically Scheffen and Dicker. These partners were owners of a factory producing sodium silicate, which served as the basis for the new enterprise.

People involved

Sources

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