1542

Symon Lawer, first traceable progenitor of the House of Simon, comes to Kirn as a refugee, fleeing from servitude and subsequently finding prosperity in Kirn.

1542-1857

The family over the generations brings forth tanners, blacksmiths and bookbinders.

1792-1870

Carl Friedrich Simon operates the “Carl Simon senior” tannery in Kirn.

1857

Building on his father’s business, Theodor Simon, the oldest son of Carl Friedrich Simon, together with his brother Heinrich, establishes the Carl Simon Söhne leather goods factory, transforming goat- and sheephides into shoe uppers, leather linings and leather for purses. The company employs up to 6 people.

1858

The factory already has 12 employees.

Heinrich Simon learns the latest finishing and colouring methods at Consigny in Paris.
 

1859

Rhein-Nahe station is opened, reversing the brothers’ decision to move their factory to the Rhine.

1862

Theodor Simon sets up a health care scheme – at a time when the term “health care” did not yet exist. A specialist hide shaver from Paris is employed for 6 months in Kirn to perform this difficult task within the factory.

Brother Wilhelm is brought into the company as a partner.

The company builds its first new factory.

1866

The machine house and factory chimney are constructed and the first steam engine, capable of developing up to 8 horsepower, is installed.

1869

A conflict arises between Theodor Simon and his younger brother Wilhelm.

Wilhelm leaves to start up his own factory, which from then onwards would offer strong competition to the Carl Simon Söhne works.

1872

After the death of his brother, Theodor Simon becomes sole owner.

1874

A new steam engine is installed that develops up to 25hp. 

1879

Theodor Simon receives the title of Kommerzienrat.Installation of a second 25hp-rated steam engine.The company house is built. A first branch factory is opened at Rokitzan, in Bohemia.

1884

The company is converted into a family limited partnership.

1886

A new plant is founded in Nancy.

Steam engine output is increased to 250hp.

Theodor Simon buys the ruins of Schloss Dhaun castle, in order to ensure that the site remains accessible to the public. A short while later, restoration work commences.

1887

Founding of a branch factory in Madras, India. 

1891

The factory in Nancy is closed again.

1893

Carl Simon Söhne establishes a new milestone in scientific research into tanning methods: industrial chrome tanning is developed in the company’s own laboratories.

1894

The use of hydroelectric power in the new city mills allows an additional 50hp to be obtained, which is used in part for lighting the factory. 

1895

Encouraged by Kommerzienrat Theodor Simon, Kirn industrialists establish a school for infants. Good performance is rewarded at the end of the school year.

1899

Theodor Simon dies at the age of 67. His sons take over management of the company.

A works canteen is set up in the community centre for employees who do not live in Kirn.

In addition, employees are offered the opportunity to buy food and coal bought in bulk at cost price.

1904

Installation of a 350hp-rated steam engine. Increasing sections of production are equipped with electrical group drive. At the Rokitzan plant, a support fund is established for employees who are unable to work and are in need of support.

1907

In its 50th anniversary year, the company employs 800 people in Kirn, 160 in Rokitzan and 260 in Madras. Kommerzienrat Theodor Wilhelm Simon, a son of the founder, stands at the head of a company that has acquired worldwide importance in its industry.

1913

The Kirn fine-leather industry is producing almost 40% of Germany’s entire production of fine leather goods. 

1918

The branch factories in Rokitzan and Madras are expropriated as spoils of war.

Employee numbers fall to around 300. 

1930

Both the other major fine-leather factories in Kirn (Wilhelm Simon and Böcking & Penseroth) and 18 of the 20 traditional tanneries fall victim to the recession. 

1937

The family limited partnership is converted into a limited liability company.

Hellmut Simon and Carl Theodor Simon are the company’s third generation of directors.

1940

Theodor Wilhelm Simon dies at the age of 78.

Introduction of the support fund for staff of the Carl Simon Söhne GmbH factory, in particular because of the anticipated numbers of war wounded, and setting up of a funeral fund. 

1946

War damage, dismantling and, even worse, the total absence of deliveries of raw hide from overseas have damaged the company significantly.

Any hides the factory can obtain are tanned by a workforce that now stands at around 200.

The company is being run by an acting manager, appointed by the military government.

1952

The Korean crisis causes strong up/down movements on international raw materials markets. The company encounters liquidity difficulties which it is able to overcome - however, only after depleting hidden reserves.

1953

Upon the death of Carl Theodor Simon, Hellmut Simon becomes sole managing director.

1954

The company is still in crisis.Its 2 million Deutschmarks of capital is in part consumed by losses carried forward. Revenues are running at around 5 million Deutschmarks.Dr. Wolfgang Bürkle is delegated from the principal bank of Carl Simon Söhne GmbH as an advisor.

1955

Dr. Bürkle is made managing director, alongside Hellmut Simon .The firm is back in profit again for the first time in years.

1956

Dr. Bürkle conducts the first trials to manufacture plastic sheets on a company-made press.

1957

In its 100th anniversary year, the company is once more back on a solid footing. The company now employs around 300 people. Sales revenue has risen to over 8 million Deutschmarks, of which 33,000 Deutschmarks can be attributed to plastics produced on a leather press. Activities outside Germany account for around 25% of revenue. Employee social benefits include company housing, company pension, company health insurance fund and recognition of long-standing employees.

1960

Dr. Bürkle forces through a decision of the shareholders meeting that instructs management to drive expansion of the plastics division with all means at its disposal.

1961

The first press designed specifically for the production of plastic sheets and the first sheet extruders are installed. The world’s first pressed polyethylene sheet is produced by SIMONA.The first foreign sales office for plastic products is set up in Basel, Switzerland.

1962

At the end of the year, Hellmut Simon leaves the company, with Willfried Möller taking over his stake. Dr. Bürkle is made sole managing director. Total sales revenue now amounts to 9.4 million Deutschmarks, 1.6 million of which derive from sales of plastic products.

1965

SIMONA S.A.R.L. is established in Mulhouse-Brunstatt to support sales in France.

1966

Work is begun on the construction of a factory on the western edge of Kirn (the future Plant II) for extruding plastics.The company acquires an interest in the newly founded firm Plasmet AG in Basel, a successor company to its Swiss office.

1967

The new extrusion factory (Plant II) enters into operation. Annual sales revenue from plastics now stands at around 10 million Deutschmarks. 

1969

The company changes its name to “SIMONA GmbH, Kunststoff-Halbzeuge” (SIMONA GmbH, Semi-Finished Plastic Products). Sales under the SIMONA trade name exceed those from leather goods for the first time. SIMONA opens a branch office, with sales staff and a warehouse, at Epinay sur Seine in France. In the same year, the first German branch office opens, in Hilden.Establishment of SIMONA Sozialwerk GmbH on 12.12.1969. The company is the legal successor to the support fund established by Carl Simon Söhne GmbH in 1940. A social fund, it guarantees retirement and disability pensions. It was given then, and continues to enjoy today, shared ownership, being owned 50% by SIMONA AG and 50% by the VMSB (Verein für Miteigentum und Sozialbelange der SIMONA AG Belegschaft e.V.), which represents the workforce. All employees can participate in electing the members of the board of the “Verein” (“Association”), who are taken from their ranks. In this way, employees can influence business policies and the way in which the fund’s resources are employed.

1970

Nominal capital is increased to 5 million Deutschmarks.Revenue from plastics now totals 23 million Deutschmarks.The production programme is expanded to include plastic rods.The technical development centre is set up.First PVC powder mixes for sheets.

1971

For the first time, pressed sheets are sanded and planed to improve tolerances.SIMONA develops its own highly transparent PVC and successfully positions it in the marketplace. As early as the following year it is greatly exceeding sales forecasts.Beginning of PO rod production.Newly purchased Thyssen machinery enables PVC capacity to be raised to 7,100 tonnes per year.

1972

A sales office for the region around Stuttgart is set up at Möglingen, near Ludwigsburg. For the first time, the company can completely mix PVC, using its own mixing machine in Plant 2. The production of cutting boards is developing into an important line of business.

1973

After 116 years of leather goods manufacture, leather processing is discontinued.All employees are offered a corresponding post in the plastics factory, with full retention of all their social entitlements. No employee loses his/her job. The employee working week is shortened to 40 hours per week. SIMONA has problems in finding sufficient new employees for all its open posts. It embarks on a targeted recruitment drive in the region around Pirmasens.As a result of the growing importance of finished products, in particular cutting boards, the company name is changed to the more neutral-sounding “SIMONA GmbH Kunststoffwerke” (“SIMONA Plastics Factories”).A comprehensive redevelopment and conversion plan is commenced for the former leather goods production premises at Plant I in order to be able to use this space for the production and storage of plastic products.SIMONA acquires the “RHIAMER” factory of Freiburg-based Deutsche Rhodiaceta AG, in which pipes, sheets and rods are manufactured. The company subsequently concentrates on the production of pipes and is absorbed into the SIMONA Group under the name RHIAMER Kunststoffwerk GmbH.SIMONA exhibits at ACHEMA for the first time.Given the growing amount of export business, the company decides to introduce new credit insurance. The factory fire brigade is dissolved and their appliance given free of charge to the fire department of Kirn and its surroundings. The production space available in the newly constructed Plant II is already completely full. A further sales office is opened in Hanover to cover northern Germany. At the same time, potential locations around Munich are examined.

1974

The sales office and warehouse at Epinay sur Seine are closed and transferred to Domont, near Paris. In addition, the existing trading company, SIMONA S.A.R.L., builds its own production facility at Domont. Capital is increased to 2 million francs.A pensioners meeting for former employees (including factory tour and social get-together) is held for the first time and goes on to become a regular fixture.

1975

SIMONA S.A.R.L. is transformed into SIMONA S.A. and, at the same time, moves from Mulhouse to Domont. SIMONA S.R.L. is founded at Segrate, near Milan.

1977

SIMONA Basel takes over sales in Switzerland and the stake in Plasmet is sold. The capital of SIMONA S.A. Domont is increased to 3 million francs.

1978

The annual meeting of partners votes to raise nominal capital to 8 million Deutschmarks.First PVDF sheets.

1980

A new factory is completed for the RHIAMER subsidiary, in Ringsheim, 30km to the north of Freiburg, Germany, giving it state-of-the-art facilities within which to produce its pipes. For the first time, pipes of up to 630mm can be produced. The capital of RHIAMER GmbH is increased to 1.2 million Deutschmarks.The SIMONA Group now employs around 700 people. Group sales revenue has passed the 100 million Deutschmark threshold.Development of a PVC-glass sheet approved for contact with foodstuffs and PVC tinted glass.SIMONA supplies pressed PVDF sheets in thicknesses of up to 100 mm.

1981

The nominal capital of SIMONA GmbH is raised to 9.5 million Deutschmarks.Employees have a 1.3 million Deutschmark stake in that capital through the SIMONA Vermögensverwaltungsgesellschaft der Belegschaft mbH, an asset management company. All proceeds from that stake are channelled towards the SIMONA social fund to meet pension commitments and give support to those in need.

1982

SIMONA’s nominal capital is raised again, to over 10 million Deutschmarks.An eighth German sales office is opened, in Nuremberg.Launch of PVDF sheets with stretch material.

1986

Together with SIMOCEL, SIMONA develops a foamed sheet featuring anti-static properties and low flammability.

1987

A new PP-EL product with electrical conductivity goes into production.As part of the company’s quality improvement drive, a specially designed internal training system is introduced for senior production engineers.

1988

SIMONA GmbH becomes a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft – AG). Production of pipe components (fittings) begins in Ringsheim, marking the introduction of injection-moulding technology.

1990

The new main warehouse in Kirn is completed, following an investment of 38 million Deutschmarks. The new central warehouse for semi-finished parts in Kirn makes available over 12,000 storage spaces. The subsidiary SIMONA UK, in Stafford, England, is established.SIMONA floats on the stock exchange. The share capital of SIMONA AG is increased to 30 million Deutschmarks. Shares equivalent to 7 million Deutschmarks are placed on the regulated market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

1991

An eleventh office is opened, at Rassnitz, near Leipzig – the first office in what was once East Germany.Production in France is shut down, with the areas previously used for production being converted into storage space and a training centre.SIMONA is now producing pipes with diameters of up to 1000mm.PETG is included in the product range for the first time. This completely transparent material is used in the area of food production, among other applications.

1992

The SIMONA double containment pipe system is launched.

1993

Introduction of DIN EN ISO 9001 certification.RHIAMER Rohrproduktion, previously operated as a subsidiary, is merged into the parent company.It's new name: SIMONA Plant III Ringsheim.An internal suggestion scheme is introduced. Employees can now make direct suggestions on which areas can be improved. Particularly valuable ideas win awards.The ATA technical applications department is set up.

1994

Heinz Schreyer and Hans-Wilhelm Voss leave the board at the end of their period of office, to be succeeded by Dirk Möller and Walter W. Janshen.A new “Information management and flow” system is presented to the field sales force. The system sees all external sales employees being equipped with notebook computers, thus improving networking and facilitating the faster exchange of information.

1995

Establishment of the SIMONA-PLASTICS CZ subsidiary in Prague.Pressed sheet production at Plant I is thoroughly modernised. The eleven offices in Germany are reorganised into six sales offices and five distribution warehouses, allowing SIMONA to serve its customers more quickly and efficiently. SIMOPOR foamed sheets are developed and launched.

1996

New employment models are introduced at all factories.A new central warehouse is constructed in Ringsheim for pipe fittings.At the same time, the construction work commences on a new mixing tower for PVC formulas, in Kirn.In this, the firm’s 140th anniversary year, the General Meeting of Shareholders takes place for the first time at the Gesellschaftshaus in Kirn, a venue closely linked with the history of the firm.The Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Wilfried Möller, dies.Establishment of the subsidiary SIMONA FAR EAST in Hong Kong.

1997

SIMONA is in a position to extrude large-format polyolefin sheets of up to 3 metres in width. The company’s range of foamed sheets is expanded with SIMOPOR LIGHT. The SIMONA company agreement continues to exclude the option of reducing employee pay should they become ill, as has been possible since 1996. Even without sanctions having been imposed, sick-leave rates continue to fall.

1998

Production of high-purity piping components commences at the Ettenheim plant - entry into the market supplying the semiconductor industry.At the same time, a line of SIMONA fittings is launched to round off the standard pipes and fittings portfolio.One of the four French offices (in Rouen) is closed as part of a new approach to logistics. Customers will in future be served from Domont. SIMONA AG significantly raises its company pension provisions in line with the latest mortality tables. The number of reportable accidents at work falls once more, by almost 20%. The new PVC mixer at Plant II enters into service. The machine represents the second-biggest investment in SIMONA’s history so far.The “2010” logistics concept comes into being. With it, the aim is to double sales revenue in 12 years.In the same year, continuous improvement processes are introduced with over 100 extra, trained coaches. The aim of these is to design processes so that they are more efficient, to respond faster to the needs of customers and to firmly establish the notion of quality in the minds of employees.

1999

Establishment of the subsidiary SIMONA POLSKA in Breslau, Poland, a joint venture with the Polish company ANICO.Pressed sheet production at Plant I is once again comprehensively modernised. Among other things, a new press allows production in dimensions up to 6 x 2 metres. At the same time, an additional extrusion line enters service at Plant II, capable of producing sheets up to 4 metres in width. SIMONA is the only manufacturer able to produce to such dimensions. Using new materials, SIMONA is also able to supply semi-finished products to the orthopaedics industry.SIMONA develops SPC protective-jacket pipes for sewer repair and launches them onto the market.Just three years after the construction of the fittings warehouse at Ringsheim, an extension is called for. For the first time, SIMONA has an independent research company conduct an analysis of customer satisfaction and loyalty.As a member of the Management Board, Wolfgang Moyses takes over responsibility for finance, purchasing and controlling.For the first time in its more than 140-year history, SIMONA passes the 300 million Deutschmark revenue threshold.

2000

Hans-Werner Marx steps down as Chairman of the Management Board. With an increase in sales revenue of 20% and an increase in earnings of 40%, fiscal 2000 represents a record year for SIMONA.Higher-specification PE 100 replaces PE 80 within the company’s pipe business. SIMONA becomes the first supplier worldwide to produce ovoid plastic pipes (PE 80 ovoid pipes) that can be used in sewer repair.A new injection-moulding plant in Ringsheim makes SIMONA the only manufacturer in Europe to be able to produce fittings in diameters of up to 630mm. SIMOLA brings SIMOLUX PETG sheets – transparent sheets for the advertising and display industries - onto the market. SIMONA Italia celebrates its 25th anniversary.The SIMOPLAN PVC integral skin foam sheet is incorporated into the product range.“Logisitikplan 2010” is unveiled. Comprehensive streamlining of all processes will enable SIMONA to double its volumes by 2010.

2001

Establishment of the subsidiary SIMONA IBERICA in Spain and launch of a sales office in Shanghai.In cooperation with Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences, SIMONA offers a course in business administration that integrates with the students’ day-to-day work.Solid rods can now be produced with a diameter of up to 800mm. Operations at Plant II are expanded to take in the co-extrusion of multilayer sheets.New customer relationship management software replaces all old sales information systems.SIMONA’s environmental management system gains ISO 14001 certification.The number of employees rises above the 1,000 mark for the first time since 1918.The website www.simona.de is online from March.

2002

Establishment of a production joint-venture with Georg Fischer for the manufacture of high-purity piping components at Ettenheim. SIMONA invests in a production line for the manufacture of integral skin foamed sheets (Celuka process) and acquires another 4x2m-format press.SIMONA successfully positions the raw materials PVC-C Corzan (semi-finished) and PP AlphaPlus (pipes) on the market.

2003

Wolfgang Moyses becomes CEO/Chairman of the Management Board.

The company raises its pension provision by 10%, thus offering workers one of the highest company pension provisions in Germany. The main warehouse in Kirn is further expanded. SIMONA succeeds in entering the automotive supply market with a multilayer sheet for car petrol tanks.

2004

With the establishment of SIMONA AMERICA Inc., SIMONA enters the US market with its own production and the sale of extruded sheets. HQ in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania.Walter W. Janshen steps down from the Management Board. Annual revenue rises above 200 million euros for the first time in the company’s history.Introduction of SAP as enterprise-wide software commences.In Ringsheim, administration moves to a new building. The testing laboratory in Kirn is successful in gaining DIN ISO 17025 certification.

2005

Long-standing Chairman of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board, Dr. Wolfgang Bürkle, dies on 18th August.Jochen Feldmann is appointed to the Management Board, with responsibility for finance, purchasing and controlling. 25th anniversary of pipe production in Ringsheim. Sales revenue generated with pipes and fittings rises above 40 million euros for the first time.Sick-leave rates reach their lowest to date.

2006

Effective 1 October 2006, SIMONA acquires the plastics business of Deutsche Holzveredelung Alfons und Ewald Schmeing oHG, based in Kirchhundem-Würdinghausen (North Rhine-Westphalia/Germany).

SIMONA AMERICA Inc. moves production within Pennsylvania, from Mountaintop to Hazleton.

2007

SIMONA AG's 150th Anniversary
New Internet-Relaunch started