History

1873

  • Established as razor blade ­manufacturer  C. Friedrich Ern  in Solingen by Carl Friedrich Ern
  • One of the first companies in ­Germany offering health insurance to all employees from 1883
  • Invention and patent registration of the steam engine groundwood mill („Hexe“) for the purpose of razor blade mass production in 1893
Einträge > 1873 | Ern-Gruppe

1900

  • Ern-Gruppe takes over world market leadership from British competitors with more than 1,000 employees
  • Establishment of the first real estate development company for the construction ofheadquarter and production facilities in 1897
  • Construction of open air swimming bath („Freibad Ittertal“) for all employees in 1913
Einträge > 1900 | Ern-Gruppe

1925

  • Otto Ern takes over the company in the 2nd family generation
  • Extension of cutlery product line to clipping machines, knives and scissors
  • Further growth of the company in number of employees and sales
Einträge > 1925 | Ern-Gruppe

1964

  • Günther Herbert Ern joins the company in the 3rd family generation
  • Re-construction of Ern-Gruppe headquarter in 1946 after the destruction in World War II
  • Establishment of mail order business as additional business unit in 1964
  • Development of multiple apartment buildings for Ern-Gruppe employees in Solingen in 1960s and 1970s

1985

  • Wulf Rüdiger Ern joins the company in the 4th family generation
  • Growth to over 1,000 employees and expansion of mail order business to various product lines
  • Multiple residential real estate developments after the fall of the Berlin Wall, especially in Eastern Germany
Einträge > 1985 | Ern-Gruppe

2012

  • Johannes Carl Friedrich Ern joins the company in the 5th family generation
  • Sale of the last remaining mail order company  
  • 1a Ern Versand
  • Addition of international focus and transaction business to the real estate development business
Einträge > 2012 | Ern-Gruppe

2017

  • Alexander Ern joins the company as part of the 5th family generation
  • Launching new company services
  • Use of wooden construction

2022

  • Residential development projects in NRW and greater Berlin
  • Social Housing projects
  • Transactions in NRW, Berlin and Saxony