Unique Company History of Messer

06/03/2019

Bad Soden, Germany. - Industrial gases specialist Messer published a new issue of the corporate thriller about the return to family ownership.

Messer has published a new issue of the exciting business thriller “100 per cent Messer – the return of the family-owned company” with the Piper publishing house. In the book historian Jörg Lesczenski describes the unusual history of the Messer family company that seemed lost but was able to be reclaimed. Over almost 270 pages, it tells the story of Messer from its beginnings in 1898 to the present day with numerous colour and black and white images.

For 120 years, the Messer name has stood for expertise in the field of industrial gases, as well as welding and cutting technology. Founded as a family business in 1898 by Adolf Messer, in 1965 his son Hans merged the Adolf Messer & Co. GmbH with parts of the Knapsack-Griesheim AG to become the Messer Griesheim GmbH. Although the Hoechst AG held two thirds of the shares, the family’s influence on company policy was retained. The retirement of Hans Messer from the executive management, a change in group policy of the majority shareholder and a failed globalisation strategy took the company to the brink of ruin in the 90s.

Stefan Messer’s intention to maintain the position of the family - now in its third generation - in the operational area, as well as the successful restructuring policy supported by financial investors, resulted in the “renaissance of the family”. For 15 years, the former Messer Griesheim GmbH – now Messer Group GmbH – is once again a family-run company. In 2004 Messer had 3,700 employees and a turnover of €521 million.
Today, Messer is a group of companies with around 11,000 employees and the largest family-run specialist in industrial, medical and specialty gases worldwide.

MESSER CUTTING SYSTEMS: THE APEX OF TECHNOLOGY FOR MORE THAN 125 YEARS

Messer Cutting Systems is a global supplier of cutting edge technology. The company offers products and services for the metalworking industry which set standards world-wide. As market leader in its branch, the machine manufacturer supplies complete solutions and concentrates strategically on advising its customers and customer oriented innovation. Here, the company focusses on the digitalisation of processes and products. Messer Cutting Systems is represented with more than 800 employees in 5 main locations with production facilities and in more than 50 countries.

The product range includes oxyfuel, plasma and laser cutting systems from hand guided machines right up to special machines for shipbuilding as well as machines and equipment for oxyfuel welding, cutting, brazing, soldering and heating. Spare parts, repairs, modernisation, maintenance and service as well as environmental technology round out the product portfolio. In-house software solutions optimise production and business processes. The product range is extended by solutions from technology partners, for example in the field of automation.

An intensive dialogue with our customers has prime position – the modern training centre makes this claim clear. World-wide, Messer Cutting Systems is the partner of choice for cutting systems, oxyfuel technology and customer consultancy.