Traditional Hamburg soap boiling house that has been producing solid and liquid soaps using the boiling process since 1821, mostly to customer order.
DIE SEIFENFABRIK Herstellung und Vertrieb von Reinigungsmitteln, Körperpflegemitteln und Seifen Inh. Thomas Döpke e. K.
Hamburg (Allermöhe/Billwerder)New on Amplifa
About the Soap Factory
Die Seifenfabrik in Hamburg is Germany's oldest still-producing soap factory and was founded in 1821 by the Scotsman John Sharp Douglas. The family business operates a traditional soap boiling house in which solid and liquid soaps are made using the boiling process, i.e. by cooking. The basis is vegetable oils and fats, which were first used in Germany in 1830, including for the well-known Green Soap made from hemp and rapeseed oil. The soaps are largely made by hand, so smaller quantities can also be produced. For over 65 years, contract manufacturing to customer order has been the focus; the own brands Delila® and Neptun® are produced on the basis of revised formulations with natural oils and fats predominantly from regional production. In addition, the company develops sustainable packaging such as a compostable palm leaf dish. Production takes place at the Hamburg-Allermöhe/Billwerder site.
- Site
- Hamburg
- Processes
- Production of solid and liquid soaps using the boiling process, Production of even small quantities, predominantly to customer order for over 65 years (contract, Own brands Delila® and Neptun®, Development of sustainable packaging (compostable palm leaf dish)
- Materials
- Boiling process (cooking of the soap), Vegetable oils and fats (hemp oil, turnip/rapeseed oil, natural oils and fats)
- Founded
- 1821
- Industries
- Personal care products, Cleaning agents, Soaps
- 01
Raw material selection (vegetable oils and fats)
- 02
Boiling (saponification by cooking)
- 03
Shaping of the soap masses
- 04
Cutting of the soaps (mostly by hand)
- 05
Packaging (including compostable palm leaf dish)
- 06
Distribution (contract manufacturing and own brands)
Raw Materials and Processes
Boiling process (cooking of the soap)
Traditional process for producing solid and liquid soaps, in contrast to the cold process.
Vegetable oils and fats (hemp oil, turnip/rapeseed oil, natural oils and fats)
Used as a raw material base since 1830, today predominantly from regional and partly certified organic cultivation.
Site
Hamburg (Allermöhe/Billwerder)
DEProduction and distribution (headquarters)
- Lot size
- Also small quantities, predominantly contract manufacturing to customer order
- Materials
- Vegetable oils and fats
- Manual soap cutting machine (built in 1940, still in use)
Industries
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual soap cutting machine | Soap cutting machine from 1940 | 1 | – | 1940 | Hamburg-Allermöhe |
Additional services
History
- 1821
Founded in Hamburg by the Scotsman John Sharp Douglas; Germany's oldest still-producing soap factory.
- 1830
First vegetable oils and fats in Germany; production of Green Soap from hemp and rapeseed oil.
- 1832
Gold medal of the Patriotic Society of Hamburg.
- 1847
Death of company founder John Sharp Douglas; thereafter led by the sons Alexander and Thomas Douglas.
- 1851
Award at the 1st World Exhibition in England.
- 1879
The Gehrken/Kolbe family takes over the company as a steam soap and perfumery factory.
- 1977
Herbert Döpke buys the company; production in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel until 1980.
- 1983
Production moves to Allermöhe/Billwerder (Hamburg).
- 2002
Registered as J.S. Douglas Söhne Inh. Herbert Döpke e. K. in the Hamburg commercial register (HRA 7079).
- 2007
Change of owner to Thomas Döpke; renamed DIE SEIFENFABRIK Herstellung und Vertrieb von Reinigungsmitteln, Körperpflegemitteln und Seifen Inh. Thomas Döpke e. K.
- 2021
200th anniversary; 3rd place in the VCI Responsible Care competition for the palm leaf packaging.