Passion for Innovation - Since the Very Beginning
Our history from 1869 until today
1869
Hermann Hölscher and Gottfried Windmöller found W&H.
1877
Hermann Hölscher patents the first cone bag machine with printing device for in-house bag production.
1888
W&H develops the first stand-alone printing press for paper bags.
1892
One-third of company turnover is generated from machine sales, two-thirds from in-house paper bag production.
1900
The worldwide sales network starts with the first W&H agency in Sweden.
1913
W&H focuses exclusively on manufacturing machinery for sale. In-house bag production is discontinued.
1914
W&H launches the MATADOR bag machine.
1928
W&H designs the first machines to produce industrial paper sacks.
1930
The first stepped-end sack tuber is launched by W&H, establishing the basis for today’s paper bag technology.
1948 - W&H invents the world’s first bridge flexo printing press – the OLYMPIA.
1953 - W&H expands its gravure printing press porfolio with the introduction of the MERKUR.
1954
The world’s first central cylinder flexographic printing press from W&H creates the basis for today’s flexographic printing.
1966
W&H invents the first valve sack machine (AD PLASTIC) for pasted plastic sacks.
1967
W&H begins developing blown film lines: the Extrusion business unit is born.
1971
W&H establishes its first sales subsidiary in the Benelux countries.
1973
The subsidiary GARANT is founded.
1979
W&H expands its converting portfolio with Form-Fill-Seal lines and Cast film lines are added to W&H’s extrusion portfolio.
1989
The first gauge profile control system for blown film extrusion is developed by W&H.
1994
W&H founds the Information and Diagnostic Center (IDC) as a new 24/7 service. The first offers of the IDC include a telephone hotline and remote service.
1996
With TURBOCLEAN, W&H offers the first automatic inking and wash-up system for printing presses.
2005
W&H is the first machine manufacturer to automate impression setting in flexo printing – the first EASY module.
2005
BSW Machinery is founded as a specialist for machinery to produce wovens.
In Prostějov, Czech Republic, W&H establishes a state-of-the-art production site.
2008
W&H invents digital pasting application technology for paper bag production.
2009
W&H bundles all sustainability activities under the name GREENOVATION.
2010
W&H begins the largest modernization of its headquarters in the company’s history.
2015
Adelheid Windmöller establishes a charitable foundation that promotes education and training.
2015
All digitization activities fall under the motto PACKAGING 4.0: intelligent machines, integrated processes, intuitive operation.
2017
BSW, specializing in machinery for producing wovens, is fully integrated into the group as W&H Machinery.
W&H consolidates all its training activities in the new W&H Academy .
2018
W&H and HAVER & BOECKER establish AVENTUS, a joint venture specializing in machinery for packaging free-flowing bulk materials.
2019
W&H celebrates its 150th anniversary with the inauguration of the largest technology centre for machinery in the flexible packaging market.
Impressions of 150 years of W&H
Watch the evolution of our machine technology during the past 150 years
