Chemische Fabrik GmbH

About Chemische Fabrik

Chemische Fabrik GmbH operates as a trading company for chemicals and fertilizers and continues the name of the historic Chemische Fabrik Kalk GmbH. The latter was founded in 1858 in Cologne by Julius Vorster and Hermann Julius Grüneberg as Chemische Fabrik Vorster & Grüneberg, Cöln and renamed Chemische Fabrik Kalk GmbH in 1892. The plant in Cologne-Kalk produced potassium nitrate, soda, potassium chloride, nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, ammonium sulfate, sal ammoniac, magnesium sulfate as well as sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Grüneberg developed the world's first industrial process for processing raw potassium salts (carnallite). In 1960, Salzdetfurth AG (later Kali und Salz, today K+S) took over the company, which was at times the second-largest soda producer in Germany and employed up to around 2,400 people. BASF decided to close the plant as of December 31, 1993; afterwards the production facilities were demolished and the site remediated. Production no longer takes place today.

Site

Cologne

Materials

Potassium nitrate, Sodium carbonate, Potassium chloride, Nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, Thomas phosphate, Ammonium sulfate, Sulfuric acid and nitric acid

Founded

1858

Industries

Chemicals, Fertilizers, Agriculture

Products and Processes (historical)

Locations

Cologne-Kalk (historical parent plant)

DE

Historical main plant (production shut down in 1993, facilities demolished)

Materials

Potassium nitrate, soda, potassium chloride, fertilizers, sulfuric acid, nitric acid

Staßfurt / Leopoldshall (historical)

DE

Salines and potassium chloride works

Materials

Potassium chloride (carnallite)

Raderberg (historical)

DE

Branch plant for ammonium sulfate

Materials

Ammonium sulfate

Inside the production

History

1. 1858

   Founded as Chemische Fabrik Vorster & Grüneberg, Cöln by Julius Vorster and Hermann Julius Grüneberg on November 1, 1858; production began with potassium nitrate, by-product soda; initially ten employees.

2. 1859

   Production start in Kalk (February 1859) on the site of the former Biber & Berger iron foundry; potassium nitrate from Russian potash and soda niter.

3. 1860

   Expansion; introduction of beet potash as a raw material; start of potassium chloride production; acquisition of a saline in Staßfurt; world's first industrial processing of raw potassium salts (carnallite).

4. 1864

   Product range expanded to include nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers; first large-scale factory in Germany to chemically produce all three main nutrients.

5. 1865

   Branch plant in Raderberg for ammonium sulfate; further ammonia plants including in Nippes, Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund, Hamburg, Leipzig, St. Petersburg; sal ammoniac factory in Moscow.

6. 1867

   Financial losses due to bad investments in England; Julius Vorster jr. joins the company management; magnesium sulfate added to the product range.

7. 1870

   Overcoming of the financial crisis.

8. 1875

   Fritz Vorster joins as technical director (October 1, 1875).

9. 1876

   Death of founder Julius Vorster (October 10, 1876); conversion into a limited partnership; gold medal at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.

10. 1878

    Carl Johann Heinrich Scheibler becomes head of the fertilizer department; development of Thomas phosphate.

11. 1881

    New production facilities for sulfuric acid and nitric acid in Kalk.

12. 1892

    Renaming to Chemische Fabrik Kalk GmbH (May 24, 1892).

13. 1960

    Acquisition by Salzdetfurth AG (later Kali und Salz / K+S, a subsidiary of BASF).

14. 1960s-1993

    At times the second-largest soda producer in Germany; up to approx. 2,400 employees.

15. 1993

    BASF decides to close the plant as of December 31, 1993 due to unprofitability; afterwards demolition of the production facilities and remediation of the site.

16. nach 1993

    Exists only as the name of a trading house for chemicals and fertilizers of K+S AG; the Cologne Police Headquarters and the Köln Arcaden were built on the site.