On May 1st of this year, German stainless steel specialist Schmidt + Clemens (S+C) was able to look back on 140 years of corporate history. Founded in 1879 in Frankfurt am Main as a steel trading business, the family-owned enterprise specializes today in spun and molded castings made from high-alloy steels.
S+C has celebrated the occasion today with its employees, their families, and retirees. Around 1,500 guests took up their invitation to attend, despite the inclement weather. Those who are fit on their feet, set off on a tour right round the works premises – a walk of around ten kilometers. Along the way, information boards provided insight into the history of the enterprise as well as the significance to S+C of the River Leppe and the “Bergbad Würden” water-cooling basin.
“I am very proud to be able to look back on the 140-year history of the enterprise,” stated Jan Schmidt-Krayer, managing partner and CEO, in his welcoming address. “The business founded by my great-grandfather Ludwig and Wilhelm Clemens in 1879 is now a whole group of companies with worldwide operations. We are world market leaders with our pipeline systems.” Along with his father, Christoph Schmidt-Krayer, he also welcomed other shareholding partners, close business associates, and the mayor of Lindlar, Dr. Georg Ludwig.
The invited guest were offered the possibility to tour the production premises and see the state-of-the-art equipment used by S+C for themselves. This also gave employees the exceptional opportunity to show their families where they work.
Various kinds of entertainment were provided. Young visitors were especially attracted to the skydiving, with the more daring of them taking advantage of the chance to be tossed upward by the 180 km/h airflow generated in the mobile wind tunnel. The smaller kids had their fun in the join-in circus and bouncy castle. Musical entertainment for the guests was provided by Musikverein Thier and the Cologne rock band “The Höösch”.
To take care of their physical well-being, the guests were regaled with spit-roasted ox, German fried sausages and local Kölsch beer. “Given the temperatures, we nearly decided to offer glühwein as well”, remarked Jan Schmidt-Krayer wryly, referring to the less than perfect weather for the event.
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