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09/24/2020

Congratulations! Schmersal turns 75

On 15 September 1945, 75 years ago, textile salesman Kurt Andreas Schmersal (K.A.), master electrician Heinrich Scholl, master mechanic Ernst Schmersal and master electrician Aurel Schmersal signed a partnership agreement that paved the way for the birth of K.A. Schmersal! On 5 October 1945, Kurt Andreas Schmersal presented his production programme to the authorities:
1)    Control systems for lifts, crossing switches, floor indicators, starters, shaft switches, emergency signal devices and pushbutton boxes
2)    Household appliances such as heating stoves, immersion heaters and waffle irons

The application for a permit for the new company was submitted to IHK Wuppertal. The clerk at IHK who was responsible for processing and approving applications was Ilse Zschucke, who a few months later married K.A. Schmersal and was from then on known as Ilse Schmersal. 

All those 75 years ago, forward-looking decisions were already being made. And even though the first years were tough and rocky (the first production batches were exchanged for food and heating material in 1945), the young ‘start-up’ evolved to become an unparalleled entrepreneurial success story. 
 

Context Column

Ilse und Kurt Andreas Schmersal.