Würth / Profile / Company History
Milestones in the Company's History
1945
With 20 years' experience in this line of business, Adolf Würth establishes a wholesale firm in Künzelsau, in the Hohenlohe region of southern Germany, supplying screws, nuts and bolts.
1954
Death of Adolf Würth, founder of the firm, at the age of 45. His 19-year-old son Reinhold takes over the running of the business. Annual sales at the time are around EUR 80,000.
1962
Reinhold Würth ventures outside Germany and sets up the company's first foreign subsidiary, Würth Nederland B.V.
1965
Adolf Würth OHG is converted into a limited commercial partnership ("KG"). The general partner is Würth-Verwaltungs-GmbH. The limited liability partnership capital is contributed solely by the family.
1969
The firm's premises at the railway station in Künzelsau reach the limit of their capacity. The offices are moved to new building in the Gaisbach district of Künzelsau. The Wurth Screw and Fastener Corporation is set up in the USA - Würth's first company on the American continent.
1970
Würth celebrates 25 years in the business. Sales rise 50 percent to EUR 32.9 million, and the first Würth company is established in South Africa.
1973
Würth establishes a company in the UK. Würth Screw and Fastener Ltd. is formed as a one man operation based in Maidstone in Kent.
1974
Würth Screw and Fastener Ltd. moves premises to an office and warehouse in Woolwich, London.
1978
A new distribution center goes into operation in Künzelsau-Gaisbach.
Würth Screw and Fastener Ltd. now employ 21 staff and move to larger premises in Woolwich.
1980
Würth Screw and Fastener Ltd. changes its name to Würth UK Ltd. in order to depart from the image of "nuts and bolts people".
1981
Würth establishes its company in Australia.
1985
Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG celebrates 40 years in business, and Reinhold Würth celebrates his 50th birthday.
Winzer Industrial (UK)Ltd. is established with one employee selling assembly and industrial consumables to the trade.
1986
Würth UK Ltd. moves to new purpose built premises in Erith, Kent. The official opening is attended by staff, suppliers, customers and local dignitaries.
Reinhold Würth acquires Winzer Industrial (UK) Ltd., now employing 8 staff, and the company joins the worldwide Würth Group becoming Winzer Würth Industrial Ltd.
1987
Würth enters the Asian market by acquiring a company in Japan and establishing its own subsidiary in Malaysia. Würth now has a presence on all five continents.
1989
Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG is awarded the German Marketing Prize.
1990
The company opens its first branch office in former East Germany, in Dresden.
1992
On May 15, 1992, the new headquarters building in Künzelsau-Gaisbach is officially opened. The modern office complex includes a museum of art that is open to the public.
1994
On January 1, 1994, Reinhold Würth retires from operational management and takes the chair of the Advisory board of the Würth Group. Dr. Walter Jaeger is appointed Chairman of the Board of Management. Rolf Bauer becomes Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management.
1995
On April 20, 1995, Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG celebrates its 50th anniversary. In the 1995 jubilee year, the Würth Group achieves record sales of EUR 2.2 billion.
Winzer Würth Industrial ltd. move to a new purpose built warehouse and office in Godalming, Surrey. Würth House was officially opened in time to celebrate the company's 10th anniversary.
1998
Two Würth Group companies steeped in tradition, toolmakers Hahn & Kolb Werkzeuge GmbH & Co. KG in Stuttgart and the Arnold Umformtechnik GmbH & Co. KG screw factory in Ernsbach, celebrate their 100th year in business.
1999
Reinhold Würth is appointed Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Karlsruhe in recognition of his outstanding entrepreneurial achievement.
2000
The Würth Group rounds off an outstanding fiscal year by setting new records, with the company's sales exceeding EUR 5 billion. This represents the fulfillment of the target set by Professor Reinhold Würth for the year 2000. His "Vision 2000," first formulated back in 1987 when Group sales were just EUR 700 million, becomes reality.
2001
Despite the general economic slowdown in the trades, the Würth Group boosts sales to a new record of EUR 5.28 billion.
On January 1, 2001, the Würth Group is given a new management structure. The members of the new Board of Directors are Dr. Walter Jaeger (Chairman), Rolf Bauer (Deputy Chairman), and Bettina Würth. Two years later, the Board is expanded to four persons with the appointment of Dr. Harald Unkelbach.
2002
The Würth Group hires an additional 2,729 sales representatives worldwide and posts new record sales of EUR 5.36 million despite the weak economy. The operating result increases by 4.1 percent to EUR 281 million.
2003
Despite a challenging economic environment and a focus on consolidation, the company continues to invest heavily in expanding its worldwide sales force. This policy is rewarded by record sales of EUR 5.45 billion, with the operating result outstripping sales growth to reach a new record of EUR 330 million.
2005
The Würth group celebrates its 60th anniversary. The focus of the celebrations is the official anniversary ceremony on 22 April 2005, when the company welcomes guests from politics, economics, art and culture.
2006
On the 1 March 2006 Bettina Würth takes over the council presidency of the Würth group from her father. Prof. Dr. hc mult. Reinhold Würth now serves as Honorary Chairman of the Advisory Board and will remain chairman of the foundation's supervisory board.
On 4 May 2006 Alma Würth, co-founder of Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG. dies. With her husband Adolf Würth she was the driving force behind the founding of the screw wholesale business in Künzelsau in 1945. She remained a council member during the growth of the Würth Group until 1993 and thereafter remained an honorary member of the Advisory Board.
2007
The German parent company of Würth Group, Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, became the first single company of the group to achieve a turnover of one billion euros within a business year, including intercompany sales.
On 10 May 2007 Prof. Dr. hc mult Reinhold Würth receives an honorary doctorate in art history and museography from the University of Palermo in Palermo.
2008
The Würth Group generated a record turnover of 8.82 billion euros.
In April Würth Austria welcomes the three millionth customer of the Würth Group.
At the beginning of the school year 2008/2009 the Freie Schule Anne-Sophie, a project financed by the Würth Foundation charity, celebrates the opening of its new building.
2009
Winzer Würth Industrial Ltd. and Würth UK Ltd. merge into one single company called Würth UK Ltd. The new company has one of the largest sales forces in the UK market.
