"Schmidt + Clemens - Stainless steel since 1879"

Gummersbach, 17.02.2022. In 1975, 32 representatives of Oberberg entrepreneurs founded the association "Werksarztzentrum Oberberg". Among them was Christoph Schmidt-Krayer, who at the time was steering the fortunes of the Lindlar-based stainless steel specialist Schmidt + Clemens. Today, Christoph Schmidt-Krayer returned to the Werksarztzentrum together with his son Jan. "I am quite excited about what has become of the association that was founded almost 50 years ago," reports Christoph Schmidt-Krayer, looking with pride at his son, who is now the chairman of the board of Werksarztzentrum Oberberg e.V.

The Werksarztzentrum moved to its new and modern premises in Gummersbach Windhagen in 2020. "Today we look after more than 175 companies with about 24,000 employees, so the old rooms in Gummersbach city centre were no longer suitable," reports Jan Schmidt-Krayer". Actually, the plan was to inaugurate the new company medical centre with an open day for the member companies. "Unfortunately, the corona pandemic threw a spanner in the works," says Schmidt-Krayer Junior.

Thus, the idea was born to present the member companies, but also local artists, with changing exhibitions in the Werksarztzentrum. S+C is now the first company to present its eventful corporate history in over 40 pictures. Founded in 1879 in Frankfurt am Main as a steel trading company, the family business developed rapidly. Today, the group of companies produces in Malaysia, Spain and the Czech Republic in addition to its headquarters in Lindlar. "We are the world market leader with pipe systems for the petrochemical industry," Jan Schmidt-Krayer tells us. "We deliver our products all over the world. Many of our employees travel to the most diverse countries in the world, so I am very glad that we are well positioned in terms of occupational medicine thanks to the medical centre."

The S+C exhibition will be on display at the Werksarztzentrum until the end of March. Afterwards, a Gummersbach artist will present works. The next member company to present its history and products will be the Jokey Group.