A lot has changed in our family business over four generations. What drives us has not: passion for successful joining.
History
Böllhoff: in step with the times for over 140 years.
A lot has changed in our family business over four generations. What drives us has not: passion for successful joining.
Wilhelm Böllhoff from Herdecke (Germany), travelling ironmongery salesman and youngest son of master tailor Friedrich Böllhoff, sets himself up in business on Epiphany. He establishes an ironmongery wholesale business focusing on metalwork, forging and mining. Right from the start, he concentrates on nationwide direct sales, extending his business beyond the borders of Westphalia.
Following the French occupation of the Ruhr area, the second generation – Josef Böllhoff and family – establishes a branch in Bielefeld. Josef Böllhoff begins to specialise in screws, nuts and threaded parts for machine construction and shipbuilding.
Josef Böllhoff acquires a US licence for the production of threaded inserts used for reinforcing screw threads, under the brand name of HELICOIL®.
With this, Böllhoff expands its existing business to include the production of fasteners – an important decision for the future.
The company’s first production facility is inaugurated in Bielefeld, where HELICOIL® threaded inserts are manufactured.
Dr. Wolfgang W. Böllhoff enters the family business. Böllhoff begins to expand internationally by opening their first foreign branch office in Austria.
Böllhoff follows the example of Volkswagen, supplying products to Mexico and Brazil and establishing production and sales facilities in those countries.
Dr. Wolfgang W. Böllhoff assumes leadership of the company.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first men to walk on the moon. HELICOIL® threaded inserts were used on their lunar module.
At the company site in Bielefeld, the processing of plastic for technical precision parts begins.
Böllhoff establishes a production and sales facility in France, where the manufacture of RIVKLE® blind rivet nuts and screws begins.
This product enables the company to expand into the key market areas of Italy and Spain; branch offices are subsequently established in those countries.
The reunification of Germany and consequent opening of eastern Europe leads to the establishment of a second German production facility in Sonnewalde (southern Brandenburg). Additional branches are soon opened in southeastern Europe.
Wilhelm A. Böllhoff becomes the fourth generation to enter the family business.
Michael W. Böllhoff enters the familiy business.
Böllhoff purchases a production facility for blind rivet technologies in Kendallville, Indiana, USA (near Fort Wayne). Michael W. Böllhoff is appointed manager of this facility.
Böllhoff has maintained a strong trade relationship with China since the 1980s, and now takes its first sustainable step into the Asian market with the establishment of a sales office in Shanghai.
Böllhoff opens a production facility in Wuxi, China. This is the company’s first production facility in Asia.
Böllhoff acquires Armstrong Precision Components (APC) in Hull (United Kingdom), cementing its position in the European Union sales area.
Böllhoff expands its Asian presence with the opening of sales offices in Japan and South Korea.
International logistics centres in Oelsnitz/Vogtland (Saxony, Germany) and Sainte-Hélène-du-Lac (France) commence operations.
