- Joined
- Jan 20, 2014
- Messages
- 398
- Reaction score
- 891
- Points
- 93
- Location
- Kamp-Lintfort/Germany
- Website
- www.tomvandutch.de
In 1864 Ferdinand Heye decided to purchase 17 acres of land in Gerresheim and there the "Ferd. Heye, Glas-Fabrik, Gerresheim near Düsseldorf”. After just one year, 88 workers were employed and 800,000 mouth-blown bottles were produced. In 1888 the company was converted into a stock corporation and then, 1 year later, after the death of Ferdinand Heye, it was taken over by his eldest son Herrmann Heye. In 1902 around 5,300 people were employed, who produced more than 150 million bottles with the glassmaker's pipe and meanwhile it was the largest bottle glassworks in the world.
In order to further optimize production, the electrical center was built in 1906 and the boiler house in 1923. Both are now listed monuments.
The company experienced a major boom with the introduction of the world-famous preserving jars in 1932. The jars became world-famous by 1939 at the latest with the launch of the logo, the "G" with the crown and the brand name Gerrix.
Herrmann Heye managed the glassworks until his death in 1941. Many social institutions for the employees also went back to his initiative.
There was a factory settlement (which still stands today), a men's dormitory for pensioners, etc. After his death, his son-in-law Niels von Bülow took over the management.
In 1955, the most striking landmark of the glassworks was built: the Gerrix Tower. It is now a listed building, just like the electrical center and the boiler house.
In 1959 the family business was taken over by the American company Owens-Illinois from Toledo (Ohio). The new owner of the glassworks renamed the company "Gerresheimer Glas AG".
In the 1960s, among other things, the world-famous Coca-Cola bottle was produced.
In 1985 the company became independent again before Gerresheimer Glas AG, 1999 Gerresheimer Glashütte and 5 other production sites were sold to a subsidiary of Danone. In December 2004, BSN glasspack was acquired by Owens-Illinois and the glassworks was back in American hands.
8 months after the takeover, in August 2005, after 141 years, production was stopped and the glassworks was closed.
In the spring of 2009, the first demolition work began, which ended with the final site work in 2014. In the meantime it is a wasteland on which only the 3 listed buildings are still standing.
The property was already sold in 2009 and new apartments were to be built here under the name "Glasmacherviertel". The site has since been resold and the plan envisages 1,600 apartments. However, the start of construction is repeatedly delayed and the site is still fallow.
Gerresheimer AG still exists and is a listed company based in Düsseldorf. In the meantime, packaging is made from special glass and plastic for the food, healthcare, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
The company has 58 locations in Europe, America and Asia and employs around 10,000 people.
In order to further optimize production, the electrical center was built in 1906 and the boiler house in 1923. Both are now listed monuments.
The company experienced a major boom with the introduction of the world-famous preserving jars in 1932. The jars became world-famous by 1939 at the latest with the launch of the logo, the "G" with the crown and the brand name Gerrix.
Herrmann Heye managed the glassworks until his death in 1941. Many social institutions for the employees also went back to his initiative.
There was a factory settlement (which still stands today), a men's dormitory for pensioners, etc. After his death, his son-in-law Niels von Bülow took over the management.
In 1955, the most striking landmark of the glassworks was built: the Gerrix Tower. It is now a listed building, just like the electrical center and the boiler house.
In 1959 the family business was taken over by the American company Owens-Illinois from Toledo (Ohio). The new owner of the glassworks renamed the company "Gerresheimer Glas AG".
In the 1960s, among other things, the world-famous Coca-Cola bottle was produced.
In 1985 the company became independent again before Gerresheimer Glas AG, 1999 Gerresheimer Glashütte and 5 other production sites were sold to a subsidiary of Danone. In December 2004, BSN glasspack was acquired by Owens-Illinois and the glassworks was back in American hands.
8 months after the takeover, in August 2005, after 141 years, production was stopped and the glassworks was closed.
In the spring of 2009, the first demolition work began, which ended with the final site work in 2014. In the meantime it is a wasteland on which only the 3 listed buildings are still standing.
The property was already sold in 2009 and new apartments were to be built here under the name "Glasmacherviertel". The site has since been resold and the plan envisages 1,600 apartments. However, the start of construction is repeatedly delayed and the site is still fallow.
Gerresheimer AG still exists and is a listed company based in Düsseldorf. In the meantime, packaging is made from special glass and plastic for the food, healthcare, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
The company has 58 locations in Europe, America and Asia and employs around 10,000 people.
