Hassia Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH

Historical Process

The name HASSIA is inseparable interconnected with the name KARL KLEIN. The development of the business is an example for it what the belief in an idea can cause at entrepreneurial initiative.

1950

Inventive vision recognized the trend to the plastic packaging in many areas of the early economy. It ripened the idea to the development of new packaging machines and the foundation of an independent business.

1951

In untiring work, the first drawings were created.

1952

The idea of the new machines took concrete forms. On the paper, the first was ready. A friends entrepreneur built the prototype.

1953

At January 1, 1953 in Ranstadt the own business was established, a 2-men-operation. Thus, the second part of the composed decision was realized after 3 years. The further development of the young business was shaped by the consistent prosecution, the recognized direction and the goals. In logical consequence, new machines and procedures were developed and the business grew accordingly.

1955

The first machines proved themselves in the own contract packaging business. The manufacturing business was established with the endeavor to create the modern work-methods of the new packaging machines to open it to other enterpresises. With the construction of the first production hall, the canteen as well as the adjoining building "pharmaceuticals house" (today sales building) were started to be built.

1956

Already in this short time a fundamental customer base - among them many important enterprises - were developed. The first own big assembly hall was erected. HASSIA employed approximately 150 workers by end of this year. Hassia machines were installed in Germany and foreign countries in many industry branches.

1957

The HASSIA London sales company was established.

1957/58

The first big construction section - started in 1955 - was completed.

1959

The HASSIA CONTRAPAC (Reading, England) was established. Another production hall as well as the sheet metal and cutting shop were handed over.

The HASSIA research and development centre in Durmersheim was established.

1960

In the last years new partially revolutionising packaging methods were developed and accordingly the machine program was essentially extended. In England and Belgium own packaging businesses were built with affiliated machine distribution organisations.

Near Karlsruhe (Durmersheim) a development and research centre was in construction. In northern and southern Germany arose sales and consulting offices.

In the whole world a big sales force worked. So, the bases has been created for a business of international importance already after few years.

1961

One production hall was added to the other. Meanwhile, several branches of contract packaging had been erected in the nearer surroundings of Ranstadt.

In the contract packaging businesses approximately 100 packaging machines of the different types worked. The development and new designs of packaging machines benefited from the practical experiences.

1963

HASSIA was in an extraordinarily strong expansion in the last years. With reference to the coming big European market HASSIA France, a contract packaging business in Marseilles and a sales and consulting office in Paris were established.

Closest cooperation was arranged with famous organisation of the consumer goods industry and packaging material suppliers in application technical area. Consequently the guarantee was given that the HASSIA machines manage also future tasks.

1966

HASSIA employed approximately 1.200 employees. A 2-men-business turned into an enterprise, whose name was a symbol on the international market.

Former rented areas in Germany turned into building complexes with nearly 50.000 m³ converted space - a total factory premises of 140.000 m² was available.

In these first 14 years of its existence, HASSIA turned into a leading business in the areas of the contract packaging and the packaging machine production. The business relationships are world-wide.

All businesses were equipped according modern points of view. High quality production machines, skilled specialists and the education of qualified trainees guaranteed a high level of technology and high performance of the HASSIA machines as well as outstanding quality of produced packaging goods.

1966

The inauguration of the new contract packaging business in Ranstadt (today Budelpack - formerly Klöckner Pentapack) was celebrated. The construction was built on 25.000 m² big terrains at the edge of the community Ranstadt. The factory has with 35.000 m³ converted space an usable floor space of 7.400 m² with the cost of 3,5 million DM approximately.

1968

The production installations were supplemented through the welding and paint shop. The first big assembly hall (today hall1 ) was completed. Adjoining, the design department was accommodated in new areas.

1972

Through a conversion decision of June 16, 1972, the company was changed into a joint stock company and was established again under: "HASSIA packaging joint stock company, registered seat: Ranstadt." The stock was divided to the nominal value of 640 shares with each 10.000 DM.

1973/74

December 19 / 20, 1973 - the endangering of approximately 800 jobs was averted. As on December 20, 1973 became public, the company HASSIA should be taken over by another enterprise. This ultimately was in 1974 the IWKA group.

1990

A completely new design edifice with separate premises for the mechanical as well as the electrical design department was handed over.

1999

The new assembly hall with over 2.000 m² floor space was built according newest industrial points of view. A completely new boiler house was erected simultaneously. Originally at the same place situated buildings - laboratory, boiler house and garages - had to yield the reconstruction.

2003

May 17, 2003 - the 50-year jubilee of HASSIA company was celebrated  within an open house as well as an evening event for the employees and invated guests (customers, economy and politics).