the corporate history of Demmel AG

2019: Design and start of construction of a further production plant in Heimertingen (Memmingen) to expand production capacities.

2017: Acquisition of shares in CP Targhe s.r.l., Italy to expand further external production capacities.

2016: Foundation of Demmel INC. USA as part of the localization concept for the development of the NAFTA markets and as a direct service of the local American markets.

2015:  Foundation of Demmel GmbH as another subsidiary of Demmel AG. Small orders and merchandise transactions were transferred to and are processed by the Lindau-based company.

2014: Development of the expansion and investment program for increasing technological and environment-related capacities.

2012: Due to good growth, commencement of construction of a new production and office building in Lindenberg, on the Hauser Wiesen industrial estate. The building has a useful area of approx. 6,000 m².

2011: Dyna Systems GmbH merged with Demmel AG as part of process optimisation and harmonisation. Sale of 6.7% of the shares in Rawe Elektronik GmbH. Celebration to mark 125th anniversary of Demmel + 40 years of Rawe = 165 years of success for the Demmel Group.

2010: Dyna Systems GmbH acquired shares in Invertag AG

2009: Start of volume production of the first illuminated decorative part from Demmel AG
for the automotive industry. Sales exceeded EUR 50 million.
Dyna Systems GmbH acquired 100% of the shares in

Demmel Metal Components (formerly Matino PEC Nanjing, China) and
Demmel Identification Components (formerly Matino HTC Nanjing, China) 

Start of production of punched parts in China under the management of Tobias Holderried, Hubert Holderried’s son.

2006: Dyna Systems GmbH acquired shares in Central Midori in Singapore, taking over a 60% share in the keypad area to ensure continued competitiveness, especially in the low-price sector. The subsidiary RAWE took over TEFAG AG in Mels, Switzerland, which was mainly active in design/engineering and development.

2005: Occupation of the new production building at Grüntenweg 14 in Scheidegg. It provided an additional production area of approx. 4,000 m². Sales passed the EUR 25 million mark. Demmel AG took over Dyna Systems GmbH as a full subsidiary. Demmel AG became Demmel Group.

2001: Transformation of Demmel GmbH & Co. into Demmel AG.

2000: Sales reached EUR 20 million.

1990: Construction of and relocation to the new office building at Grüntenweg 14 in Scheidegg with approx. 2,000 m² of office space. Sales exceeded EUR 10 million.

1989: Entry into the field of industrial communication (keypads & control systems) with a focus on outdoor applications under difficult environmental conditions. Acquisition of a licence to produce piezo keypads under the “Dynapic” brand and foundation of Dyna Systems GmbH with the partner Algra of Switzerland and RAWE, Weiler. Thomas P. Holderried, Hansjörg Holderried’s son, became Managing Director.

1986: Production start of brand emblems for the automotive industry, laser technology together with photosensitive aluminium panels for the manufacture of barcode signs, sophisticated carrier panels with multi-colour printed overlay foils for keypad production.

1986: Foundation in Munich of LBT Laser Beschriftungstechnik for laser marking of supplied shaped parts, signs and front plates. Hubert Holderried became Managing Director of the company.

1983: Renaming as “DEMMEL SCHILDERFABRIK GMBH & CO”. A sales office was opened on Nymphenburger Strasse in Munich. Manfred Demmel and Hubert Holderried took on the management.

1982: Occupation of the new production shop at Grüntenweg 14 in Scheidegg with a production space of approx. 5,000 m². Concentration on the production of industrial signs and front covers.

1980: A number of factors came together that led to the decision to build the company’s own factory in Scheidegg, end operations in Munich and relocate to Scheidegg. Carl Demmel and Eugen Holderried left the management and passed it on to their sons, Manfred Demmel and Hubert Holderried.

1975: The Munich company lost key accounts and sales fell. Finding new customers was difficult because the market had shrunk significantly. Scheidegg was not affected by this development. The main products now were front panels and signs for the machine-producing industry, and the broad customer base paid off.

1971: Dr. Paul Holderried retired. His son, Hansjörg Holderried, took over the management of operations in Scheidegg.

1968: 14 years after the takeover, Scheidegg paid back the last loans and from then on was able to invest in new machinery and plants.

1956: Dr. Paul Holderried became Managing Director of the company. Developments in Scheidegg and Munich could not have been more different. Munich invested and produced high-value products for leading companies – Siemens, Miele, Rowenta, Grundig, Saba etc. Scheidegg was still paying back loans. The customers were mainly small and medium-sized enterprises.

1954: Dr. Fritz Leicher faced bankruptcy with his company. Takeover of the company by Bayerische Metallschilderfabrik owned by the families Demmel und Holderried (Fritz Leicher’s brother-in-law). The new company name was “Metallätzwerk Scheidegg E.Leicher GmbH & Co.”

1950: Production in Birkenleiten was already almost at full capacity. Dr. Fritz Leicher, whose family had been evacuated to Harbatshofen during the war, produced pans, milk cans, aluminium plates and other practical products in Schüttentobel, using materials left over from arms production. However, this was not enough, so he took over Triwerk in Scheidegg. This company produced sewing boxes, garden furniture, small furniture etc. Soon, a ski factory was added. However, business was not as good as expected, and two years of decline followed.

1948: Currency reform: The stable DM made it possible to slowly start investing again.

1945: Reconstruction of the factory in Birkenleiten.

1942: The factory in Birkenleiten was bombed and almost completely destroyed. Production was relocated to Pförring on the Danube.

1939: The start of arms production led to an explosion in demand for industrial signs. Both companies worked at full capacity and developed into the leading suppliers in the German signage industry.

1934: The plant was put up for sale. Eugen Holderried sen. was interested in buying, however his son-in-law, Dr. Fritz Leicher, beat him to it and bought the plant in Sendling.

1934: Competition within the family.

1933: The Jewish family Schleissheimer recognised the coming developments in time and emigrated to the USA.

1931: S.Demmel OHG purchased production premises in Birkenleiten, Munich.

1928: Foundation of S. Demmel OHG. Demand changed, and with it production. Instead of door signs, the company manufactured signs for industry. Business was good. The Schleissheimer family’s company, at the time called “Metallätzerei München, Fabrik chemischer Gravüren”, owned an imposing production building in München Sendling, and their business was also booming. Meanwhile, both companies used the same production techniques and there was also no difference in their customers in industry. This led to bitter competition between them.

1924: Inflation brought drastic changes. Luppe and Heilbronner sold the company. It was bought by the Schleissheimer family. Sebastian Demmel also needed new capital, and found an investor: Eugen Holderried sen.

1920: After the First World War, Sebastian Demmel slowly built up his business again and rented production premises in Munich. Luppe and Heilbronner also switched to the production of etched metal signs for industry after the war, because all exports had suddenly stopped during the war. This meant there were two sign manufacturers in Munich, and this was the start of competition between them.

1907: Sebastian Demmel started producing door signs.

1895: The name was expanded by the addition “Metall-Intarsia-Werke”. Business boomed, especially in Eastern Europe. Around the turn of the century, the company had sales offices in Prague and St. Petersburg, and in the following years also in Brussels, Paris and London.

1886: Foundation of Luppe + Heilbronner OHG by Otto Luppe and Milton Douglas Heilbronner. The main products then were chemically etched brass smoking accessories such as decorated ash trays, smoking tables, cigar boxes, but also etched brass inlays for furniture decoration.