The big DAX companies are omnipresent: Daimler, BMW, Siemens – these traditional German companies are known around the world. But in addition to the big ships in the economy, it is above all the medium-sized companies that are considered to be the foundation of the German economy. And here, even in the 21st century, there are still companies run by the descendants of the founders. And that over many centuries.
The Family Business Foundation has published a list of the oldest family businesses. As the “Handelsblatt” reports, this ranking is changing. Because companies would have to do their own research to find out how long they have existed at all.
The list shows that companies from the early modern era have survived to this day. However, only very few are known throughout Germany, including the porcelain manufacturer Villeroy & Boch, which was founded in 1748. Or the Warsteiner brewers from 1753. This means that the companies are already comparatively “young”, because many small companies have a much longer tradition. These companies play a major role as employers in the respective region. In order to make it onto the list, however, the companies have to be active nationwide.
In the overview we present the 20 oldest companies that were listed by the Family Business Foundation in the ranking. These include companies that have been processing glass or metal for centuries and that were pioneers in their field in the early modern period. From the late 16th century onwards, banking and credit transactions were added to this in Germany.
Source From: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
