130 years of inventiveness, drive and success
The success story of today’s international Goldschmidt Group begins in 1895 with the invention of the Thermit® process by the chemist and pioneer of the railroad, Professor Hans Goldschmidt. He had succeeded in making the reduction of metal oxides with aluminum powder technically applicable.
Hans Goldschmidt (1861 – 1923) is the second son of Theodor Goldschmidt and Johanna Sophie Luise Goldschmidt (born Koner). He went to high school in Altenburg and studied chemistry from 1882, first in Berlin and then, like his older brother Karl Goldschmidt, at the University of Heidelberg, where he received his doctorate in 1886. After completing his doctorate, he took over the management of the father’s company “Chemische Fabrik Th. Goldschmidt”. The Thermit® process he developed in 1895, which made it possible to easily produce carbon-free metals such as iron, chromium and manganese, is still considered a standard procedure for welding railway and tram rails that is unsurpassed in quality worldwide.
Epochs in the history of Goldschmidt
Timeline
1847
Theodor Goldschmidt establishes the “Chemische Fabrik Th. Goldschmidt” in Berlin, Germany. Initially, the factory mainly supplied preliminary products for textile processing, including preparation salt, dextrin, chlorinated lime, tin salt and chlorine tin. The main customer was the Kattun printing company R. Goldschmidt & Sons, relatives of Theodor Goldschmidt.
1875
The company founder Theodor Goldschmidt passes away.
1882
After receiving his PhD in chemistry Karl Goldschmidt takes on sole management responsibility for the time being of the “Chemische Fabrik Th. Goldschmidt” company.
1888
For about 30 years the brothers Karl and Hans Goldschmidt share responsibility for the company – Karl Goldschmidt as entrepreneur and politician with a social conscience and Hans Goldschmidt as a chemist who promotes technical development.
1889
Relocation of the “Chemische Fabrik Th. Goldschmidt” to Essen, Germany.
1895
The imperial patent no. 96317 marks the start of a real success story. Prof. Hans Goldschmidt develops the aluminothermic process – the basis for the Thermit® process for the continuous welding of railway tracks.
1896
Implementation of a company health insurance fund.
1897
Implementation of a staff pension fund.
1899
Goldschmidt is awarded the first patent in the area of track welding with patent DRP 116400 for aluminothermic butt welding.
The first track welds with Thermit® are made for the Essen tramways.
From 1899 the Thermit® business became the second pillar of the Goldschmidt company after tinplate removal. It made a lasting contribution to the internationalization of the company because the welding business was always carried out globally “on site”.
1900
The “Allgemeine Thermit-Gesellschaft” company is founded to market the Thermit® process.
Registration of the THERMIT® trademark.
