120 Years of Scholz
120 years of scholz that is a whole century of customer orientation and innovation. Right from the beginning scholz has been concentrating on meeting the requirements of even most challenging customers thoroughly by innovative products.
Thus, the history of company scholz is also part of the European history of industry in which colour became more and more important. The development of markets is also decisive for the growth of scholz. Very early scholz recognised that proximity to customers is an important advantage in competition.
With locations all over the world scholz believed in a globalisation of world economy already decades ago.
An important milestone in the history of the company was the strategic alliance with Bayer AG soon after the First World War, at a time when the term 'strategic alliance' even didn't exist at all.


We always look ahead.
Also in future company scholz will consequently continue the strategy of ensured product quality together with direct and personal customer care.
Beside development and research as well as market orientation, everlasting satisfied customers will be the main focus of our business every day.
We will retain the flexible and market orientated leadership of our medium-sized family-run company. This especially was a benefit for our customers in respect to the cooperation with a big corporate group, which we wish to last in future.
In times of more and more anonymous and complex commercial relations, we are proud to run the company even in the 4th generation as a family business. During our more than 110-year history, we have not only experienced an impressive development from a small pigment trader to a global supplier of high-quality pigments and pigment preparations but also survived serious global economic crises. This success was only possible due to the high demands we have placed on the quality of our products, services and workforce.
Now, we operate in Germany from our headquarters in Recklinghausen and our second production site in Partenstein. Our subsidiaries, scholz Benelux BV and scholz Switzerland, guarantee proximity to our customers in Benelux and Switzerland.

Milestones
1902 | Karl Anton Rudolf Scholz and the Englishman Harold Wilson found the company Harold Wilson & Scholz. This young company is dealing in Europe with natural iron oxides and the white pigment: Lithopone. |
1923 | In Lohr am Main SCHOLZ takes over its first own production for the manufacture of baryte. |
1926 | SCHOLZ becomes marketing partner of IG Farbenindustrie AG, the predecessor of Bayer AG (now Lanxess Deutschland GmbH), who has succeeded in producing high-quality iron oxides by the aniline method. |
1929 | The second generation: after the death of the founder, Karl Anton Rudolf Scholz, his sons Dr. Rudolf Scholz and Harold Scholz take over the company. The US market is successfully developed. |
1955 | SCHOLZ imports natural iron oxides from Persia and India. They are ground in Lohr. |
1973 | Licence agreement for Supax®, a coloured joint filler from Australia. About 80,000 tons have been sold in 35 years. |
1975 | Harold and Rudolf Scholz are the third generation to take over the management and all company shares. |
1979 | Acquisition of Chemische Fabrik Mohr for the production of carbon black preparations, which is the present location in Southern Germany. |
1982 | Acquisition of Zimmer & Kuenkamp in Recklinghausen, the present headquarters of Harold Scholz & Co. GmbH. |
1982 | Introduction of „Lascolle®“ iron oxide slurry. |
1989 | Takeover of company F.H.C. Bramsche, manufacturer of pigment preparations. |
1991 | Foundation of Scholz Benelux B.V. as sales company for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. |
1996 | Foundation of Scholz Maroc S.A. and the establishment of a carbon black production in Casablanca. |
1999 | Foundation of Scholz Switzerland as sales company for the distribution of colour pigments in Switzerland. |
2000 | Exclusive distribution agreement for Bayferrox® with Bayer AG (now Lanxess Deutschland GmbH). |
2004 | Bayer AG spins off the pigment sector among others, now belonging to Lanxess Deutschland GmbH. |
2006 | A spray dryer for the production of granules is built in Partenstein. |
2007 | Relocation of the head office from Cologne to the production site in Recklinghausen after 104 years. |
2008 | Disposal of the segment „building materials“ (Supax, Exzellent, tile adhesives) to MC Bauchemie in Bottrop. |
2010 | The fourth generation, Gregor and Dennis Scholz, joins the company. |
2010 | Acquisition of the liquid black business of Breamhurst UK. |
2013 | Completion of the new production halls for manufacturing slurry, carbon black and powder pigments in Recklinghausen. |
2015 | The fourth generation, Gregor and Dennis Scholz, enters the management. |
2015 | Establishment of the Foundation „Rudolf-Scholz-Stiftung – Menschenhilfe farbenfroh“ |
2015 | Mr. Rudolf Scholz resigns on 30th June 2015 from the management board |
2015 | Acquisition of the business „Rethmeier-liquid-colours“ in Germany |
2019 | Acquisition and intergration of the Fertagra GmbH, Retailer of Titanium dioxide produced by Precheza |
2020 | Takeover of the pigment trading business of the company Henseler |