Rudolf Then

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Rudolf Then (* February 6, 1889 ; † 1982 ) was the founder of a dyeing machine factory in Gschlachtenbretzingen , a district of Michelbach an der Bilz . The factory achieved world fame and brought about 250 jobs and high business tax revenues for the community. Then was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit as well as honorary citizenship and the Medal of Merit of the Michelbach municipality. The multi-purpose hall and a street in Michelbach now bear his name.

Life

Rudolf Then founded a dyeing machine factory in Chemnitz in 1919 , which went through the technical development of dyeing machines from the initial material wood to the emerging material stainless steel. After the Second World War , Then came to Hessental , where he worked with Karl Kurz to rebuild his own company in 1949. Kurz was then also a 50% partner in the founding of Rudolf Then Färbereimaschinenfabrik GmbH , which acquired a 36,000 square meter property in Gschlachtenbretzingen in 1956 and set up administration and production rooms there. In the 1950s Then, in particular, started manufacturing control and regulation systems there, making it one of the few providers of dyeing machines who used in-house developments for process technology. The operational reliability of the manufactured machines helped the company to become world famous. The company achieved a workforce of up to 250 employees and thus gave an important impetus for the development of the Michelbach community, which benefited not only from the job offer, but also from the taxes and other benefits paid by the entrepreneur. Rudolf Then u. a. also promoted the construction of the local multi-purpose hall, which was named after him. On the occasion of his 70th birthday he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon, on the occasion of his 75th birthday with the honorary citizenship of the community of Michelbach an der Bilz and on the occasion of his 90th birthday with the medal of merit of the community. Then only withdrew from his company at the age of 90, which at that time had representatives in 75 countries and had an export share of 70%. After Then's departure, the company's capital went in full to the Kurz entrepreneurial family from Hesse. The Michelbach-based company now operates as Fongs Europe GmbH and is now part of Fong's Industries Co. Ltd., which is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

literature

  • Michelbach an der Bilz. Contributions to the past and present , Michelbach an der Bilz 1980, p. 279 u. 374/375.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ FONG'S EUROPE GMBH: FONG'S EUROPE GMBH - Home. In: www.fongs.eu. Retrieved May 20, 2016 .
personal data
SURNAME Then, Rudolf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German entrepreneur, holder of the Federal Cross of Merit
DATE OF BIRTH February 6, 1889
DATE OF DEATH 1982