History – metal smelters since 1950

Our company looks back on a more than 60-year old tradition in metal smelting, metal recycling (copper-zinc alloys, brass ingots) and in metal trading. Please read on for the most important milestones in our company’s history:

  • Foundation of “Metallgesellschaft Mark” in 1950 by Franz Hillebrand in Mendener Landstrasse in Iserlohn together with Walter Jost. The company starts to remelt metals.
  • Official licence for “dealing in non-precious metal” granted on 28 June 1951.
  • In 1955 Franz Hillebrand buys out Walter Jost and becomes sole owner of the company.
  • Following objections by Metallgesellschaft Frankfurt that the company name was too similar, the business name is changed to “Franz Hillebrand” in 1957.
  • In April 1959 Hans-Joachim Hillebrand joins the company.
  • 16 December 1960 – licence for wholesale metal trading is issued.
  • Approval for a 1.8-ton furnace (coke fired) 24 July 1961.
  • In July 1963 the company moves to Kastanienallee 15, Iserlohn.
  • 1964 – Approval for an oil-fired crucible furnace with a capacity of approximately 1,200 tons/year.
  • 1974 – Production is changed over to an electrical induction furnace with a capacity of approximately 1,920 tons/year.
  • In November 1978 company founder Franz Hillebrand passes away.
  • 01 September 1979 – the Franz Hillebrand KG (limited partnership) is founded.
  • July 1984 – Acquisition of the Wilnsdorf plant as an additional production location. Production now totals approximately 3,850 tons/year
  • 1998 – Rebecca Hillebrand joins the company.
  • 1998 – Commissioning of an additional 6-ton crucible induction furnace in Wilnsdorf; capacity: 7,000-8,000 brass ingots/year. Smelting in Iserlohn is discontinued.
  • In February 2002 limited partner Anna Elisabeth Hillebrand passes away.
  • In April 2004 Marc-Oliver Busch becomes a limited partner.
  • In February 2006 Marc-Oliver Busch becomes a managing partner.
  • 2008 – Expansion of storage capacity by erecting a 1,500 m2 warehouse.
  • Rebecca Hillebrand-Busch becomes a partner in January 2009.
  • 2011 – The mains-frequency furnace control is replaced by state-of-the-art transistor-inverter technology.
  • August 2013 – the 6-ton crucible induction furnace is replaced by a state-of the-art 7-ton induction furnace.
  • 2016 Renovation of the main office in Iserlohn

Do you want to know more about our company? We look forward to hearing from you!

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