Kemitura’s more than 70 years history from fish skin trough gold into modern chem./tech products in the new global world….
For more info, plaese click…
1940′s
The roots of Kemitura dates back to 1941, when “Magistraten” in Copenhagen (the Corporation of Copenhagen) “by the Mayor’s Hand and Seal” granted trade licence to “Dansk Kemisk Import” represented by Mr Hans Hoelgaard Nielsen and Mr. Jarl Thuesen, both chemical people from Schous Fabrikker and Handelshuset Wilh.Hansen, respectively.
The objective of the company was Import and trade with fine and heavy chemicals to the industry and to chemists and paint dealers. Already within the first year two young businessmen were engaged, Per Hagemeister and Anders Møller, from Brøste. Both later became prominent figures in Extrusion and Kemitura, respectively. In the period from 1941 to 1949 the firm was involved in many activities. Among other things could be mentioned the taking-over of the old, illustrious company of Einar Egense was renamed Nordisk Alkali, which from new premises in Island Brygge mainly sold plant protecting products. A number of years later, the appointed manager C. J. Christensen, took over and ran the company himself, until it was bought by Monsanto. During the war a production was started of synthetic spices, among other things. Later the company of Vilsbro in Kødbyen (the Meat Market) was taken over, and after a short while – without big success – in the meat trade, this company started as a supplier to shoe factories, e.g. they sold skin of plaices, which was tanned and sold for shoe production. A production of rivets for shoes also took place in this company which later moved to Sweden and started a production of glue, which were many years later taken over by Bona. Together with these somewhat diversified activities there was a very strong staking on the chemical trade, which took place both in Denmark, in Sweden and via importation and re-exportation through London to overseas markets. The import licences obtained were utilized to a maximum, and the creativeness in those days was big. Also the company reached the headlines of the newspapers when, lacking import licences for gold, very cleverly they discovered how to extract gold for use by dentists on the basis of gold sulphide. The idea was fertile, but the happiness short, as Rigsdagens Vareforsyningsudvalg (The committee of Supply of the Parliament) immediately transferred gold sulphide to the list “subject to licence”.
1950′s
At the end of the forties the foreign factories had begun to supply direct to Danish companies, and the subsidiary company of Kemitura was formed with the objective of being an agency company for foreign producers of chemicals, and plastic raw materials. Among the first agencies of Kemitura were Wacker Chemie, Reifenhäuser, Battenfeld, Aku, Coroplast, Bärlocher, Akzo, Omni/Spencer, DSM. The co-operation with Omni resulted in a joint company, Omnidan and the starting of Dansk Polystyrol Fabrik with Mr. Plastics, Preben Nyborg as manager. Later this company was changed into Polyfa, a company later well-known within machines for plastic. Parallel with the many activities within chemistry, plastics, and machines they also found the time ? through a new company called Copenhagen Design ? to start a production and the sale of articles made of teak designed by the legendary designer Jacob Jensen. This company was later wound up, however. In the middle of the fifties the demand for a structuralization of the various activities was growing and a devision took place, so that Hans Hoelgaard Nielsen kept Dansk Kemisk Import and Kemitura, and Jarl Thuesen together with Per Hagemeister took over Nordisk Alkali, Extrusion and other activities.
1960′s
In 1959 Hoelgaard Nielsen converted his companies, so that Kemitura became the parent company. Anders Møller was admitted as a share-holder and manager in Kemitura, something that had a positive influence on the excellent sales development of the company in the following years. At the same time, Ole Korsager started as financial director. Until then, he had been manager in Hotaco, and he also brought with him the export agency for oyster shells from Nordisk Skalleindustri. Trough the fifties and the sixties the company was extended by new agencies, among others from France: Ugine Kuhlman, Francolor, and Ugilor, and from other countries: Marglass, ØSW Linz, Blagden. Simultaneously, the sale of machines developed with plastic machines from Esaco, Jensen Electric, Åkesson, and Sunds. An experiment within packing machines through an established company, Kembadan abandoned rather quickly.
1970′s
The sales of machines for the plastic industry culminated in the beginning of the seventies, and throughout the decade this division was slowly wound up, so that the activities were concentrated on the agency sale, including Wacker Chemie which in 1978 started own company in collaboration with Kemitura. Chemie Linz which started its own office at the end of the seventies, and finally Produits Chimiques Ugine Kuhlmann which after the nationalizations within French chemical industry at the beginning of the eighties was split up in bits and placed under other French concerns. The strong staking on agencies that disappeared for various reasons resulted in a difficult period towards the end of the 70′s.
1980′s
Simultaneously, H. Hoelgaard Nielsen, now deceased, whished to withdraw and in 1981 Anders Møller, Ole Korsager, and Bo Bakkegaard who in 1976 had been employed as product manager and later was appointed sales manager, jointly took over the activities of Kemitura. Left with a badly cut agency company, the new owners decided to utilize obtained compensations to maintain an active, though reduced organization that could secure stability and development in the years to come. A core of old agencies stayed in the company and helped through a difficult time. The new ownership constellation remained unchanged until 1983, when Ole Korsager wished to retire. A severe heart attack, forced in 1985 Anders Møller to stop after his many, many active years in Kemitura. From 1985 Bo Bakkegaard has been the sole shareholder of Kemitura. Already before the mid-eighties there was general agreement that the future would bring changes to the agency companies as we knew them. In future there would be new demand on the agency companies, not only concerning the sale, but also concerning stock and distribution. Particularly from the end of the eighties Kemitura has followed the new policy that no supplier/employer must ever again become of such vital importance that a loss of an agency would be disastrous. The policy has likewise been to aim at agency sales on a commission basis and sales from stock in own account. This resulted in 1988 in a good-bye to the domicile in the city(Copenhagen), where Kemitura had been housed for more than 25 years. The change of address to new and up-to-date office and stock facilities in Stenløse also had positive effect on the company as a whole. In 1989 Kemitura took over Kemetal I/S(Agency for FOOD and Textiles industry) and its owner, Pilip Lange remained with Kemitura for 10 years.
1990′s
In 1991 Kemitura took over Hapas ApS(wholesaler within chemistry and tools) and the founder Poul Petersen was still an active part of Kemitura until he retired in 2005. In 1993 Nicolai Bakkegaard (son of Bo Bakkegaard) joined Kemitura and within a short period of time got the responsibility for developing the silicones department which was very limited at this time. Together with leading partners Kemitura quickly achieved a market leading position in Denmark. Kemitura had already expanded to cover both distribution, commission based business and production of own products and in order to get a better economic view of each segment we decided, in 1994, to split up the company into three separate companies, named: Kemitura Handel ApS(Distribution), Kemitura Agentur(commission based business) both owned by Mr. Bo Bakkegaard and Kemitura Teknik(production and development) owned by Mr. Nicolai Bakkegaard. Since then we have been called this: Kemitura Group. With the assistance of very active and enthusiastic employees and professional advisers the group during the 90′s developed into versatile modern unit involved with a combination of all types of business. This has lead to a position of market leader in Denmark in areas like Silicones, Glass fibre fabric, Lubricants, Fumed Silica and a turnover of more than 8 mill Euro/year (2 mill ? is export) From 1999 we made all of the Nordic Countries our home market by employing two local salespeople in Sweden and making a wholesaler agreement with companies in Norway and Finland. Kemitura group exports materials such as silicones, fiberglass fabrics and lubricants. Kemitura joined, as one of the first, the Responsible Care system.
Entering the 21st.Century
With some old and many new strong partners and products of own development in positive progress Kemitura Group was well prepared for the global possibilities. We made a strategy of growth through specialization and expert knowledge into our core businesses areas and took on the challenge of new export markets in Europe such as Great Britain, Germany etc… Still the fundamental principals of the company were knowledge, reliability, service and precision.
2005
When the financial crisis hit by late 2008, Kemitura was prepared and fit to face the challenges. Most of the production was already in the process of being relocated to the production facilities in Poland and this helped the competitiveness a lot. Because of strong long term customers and partners Kemitura emerged stronger and better than ever. Strong efforts were put into establishing a distribution network for the own brand KEM-LUB® Lubricants, KEM-SAW® Hole Saws KemituraSil® in USA and all around EU countries. Some countries might still open for distributor application for interested companies with strong position in the relevant market.
The Kemitura history is long and extensive. If any reader has comments or supplementary information please feel free to contact us.
