History Brüggemann­Alcohol

Our Story

From Spirits Factory to Global Chem­ical Pioneer

There’s no future without a found­a­tion. How a 19th-century spirits factory on the Neckar river developed into a highly special­ized, inter­na­tional chem­ical company and alcohol manu­fac­turer. And how a family busi­ness is posi­tioning itself for the future: Read about all of this in our history.

1868 Louis Brügge­­mann estab­l­ishes a factory to ferment molasses and distill alcohol on Holz­strasse (“Wood Street”) in the city of Heil­bronn. Hence­­forth the Brügge­­mann company produces “spirits”.
1900 The produc­­tion facil­ities are expanded and the company moves to Salz­strasse (“Salt Street”) in Heil­bronn.
1926 Produc­­tion of redu­­cing agents commences, such as BRÜG­GOLIT for the textile industry.
1970 Start of produc­­tion for poly­­­amide addit­ives.
1978

After the death of his uncle Hermann Brügge­­mann, Ludwig Brügge­­mann takes over personal respon­s­ib­ility for L. Brügge­­mann KG, and invests in needed renov­­a­­tion for the company. A new era begins.

1990 Opening of a sales office in the US (Phil­adelphia, Pennsylvania).
1994 Certi­fic­a­­tion of the company in accord­ance with ISO 9001 – one of the first medium-sized busi­­ness to obtain this certi­fic­a­­tion.
1997 Patenting of a newly developed, form­al­de­hyde-free redu­­cing agent.
2006 Founding of the subsi­­diary Brügge­­man­n­Chem­ical Asia, Ltd. in Hong Kong.
2012

Founding of Bügge­­man­n­Al­­cohol Witten­berg GmbH, and acquis­i­­tion of ethanol-produc­­tion facil­ities in Luth­er­­stadt Witten­berg.

2015 GMP Certi­fic­a­tion of Brüggemann­Alcohol Heil­bronn GmbH.
2017 Settle­­ment of corporate succes­­sion by Ludwig Brügge­­mann: The Ayles family takes over his shares and becomes majority share­holder.
2018

Brügge­mann celeb­rates its 150th anniversary.