Merkel – a success story

Founded in Hanover, Germany, by Heinrich Martin Merkel as plant for chemical specialties

Relocation to Hamburg (production focuses: packing glands and flat gaskets).

Start of elastomer production with automatic gaskets and lip seals. Used mainly in heavy machinery.

Almost total destruction in World War II, reconstruction starting in 1945 with 75 employees.

Start of seal production from PTFE (Teflon) as first producer in Germany.

The 100-year storm surge in Hamburg destroys low-lying areas of administration and production. Rapid reconstruction thanks to spontaneous fundraising campaign by domestic and foreign customers.

Construction of new production operation on Industriestrasse, Hamburg (Wilhelmsburg).

Start of seal production using polyurethane.

First seal over 5 m diameter for large presses in the Boeing aircraft plant, Seattle, USA.

Production of the first seal with diameter over 10 m for tunnel-boring machines.

Merkel is integrated into Freudenberg Seals and Vibration Control Technology.

The depressurised Omegat seals from Merkel are patented and are unique in fluid technology.

Merkel sets an internationally recognised standard in the specification of metallic counterfaces.

Merkel assigned to globally develop all heavy industry sales activities.

Within the Freudenberg Group, Merkel gets approval to be the center for FKM compounds.