About us

THE COMPANY

The ETTLIN public limited company was founded in 1836 as spinning and weaving mill. The state of Baden started the ball rolling in 1836 when it joined the Deutsche Zollverein (German customs union), which opened up opportunities. The vision: a cotton spinning mill with 26,000 spindles as well as a cotton weaving mill with 750 looms driven by water power.

The first step: founding of the first public liability company in the German cotton wool industry. The founding shareholders included Grand Duchess Stefanie von Baden, Margrave Wilhelm von Baden, Margrave Maximilian von Baden and Karl Egon Prince of Fürstenberge from Donaueschingen. Only a suitable location was missing. Maybe it was due to the quick action of Ettlingen council or the persuasive nature of Mayor Schneider in front of the citizens’ committee: "To increase wealth and therefore the taxpaying ability", they unanimously voted "Yes" on 3rd June 1836. Never again should thousands of people emigrate because of famines - the foundation of the most modern production factories in the cotton wool processing industry created 1,700 jobs. Today, the non-listed public liability company acts as holding for the operative businesses and is family-owned.

THE MANUFACTURING COMPANY

This made ETTLIN the largest manufacturing company in Baden for a long time. Between 1836 and 1839, the foundation buildings were erected and the first machines started work in 1838. At the same time, an extension of the factory was considered. Standstill was not an option, progress was the word of the hour. The following years were characterised by continuous growth in sales - the idea had become successful reality. The new weaving mill was opened in 1852 and a bleaching and dying mill were opened in 1855 in the area of today's upper factory. But then both World Wars left their marks: An air raid destroyed the entire upper factory on 18th March 1945.

Giving up was not an option. Production started again as early as 1946. A new era began when principle shareholder Fritz Häcker joined the management board. Pre-war production rates were exceeded in 1953 and the machines had to be upgraded several times from 1956 onwards.

A fire in June 1994 destroyed the entire spinning and weaving mills. But with a lot of commitment, a new and modern spinning and weaving mill was built. In all those years, the factory was as solid as a rock despite deep hits and continued to produce like clockwork.

WEAVING

In our weaving mill, we offer almost all textile processes and solutions from a single source. The product development and manufacture takes place in our own business park in Ettlingen.

We are able to process very different raw materials in our weaving mills. Classical cotton or polyester fibres, blends, linen and viscose are spun to yarns as well as Meta-Aramid, PPS or mono- and multi-filaments.

OUR PRODUCTS

Our yarns and textiles are used in different areas. We collaborate with leading research institutes in different disciplines in national and international projects on key technologies and future applications. We continuously test new textile processes, modify them and analyse their potential for the application areas of our customers. Our technological know-how and our process competence are transferred to innovative products that speak for themselves with their unique features.

We are market leaders in carrier material for coated abrasives. Other ETTLIN customers are the automotive industry and its suppliers as well as companies dealing with textile sun protection - companies from very different sectors and very different challenges, which we have met for 180 years. Our newest developments in products and processes ensure our important position in the European textile industry and open up new markets in the lighting and architecture sectors.

THE BUSINESS PARKS

The ETTLIN public liability company was founded in 1836 and it was noticed already in the 90's that the locations of the factories in Ettlingen and Berlin were particularly suitable for a business park. Planned as complete complex, the combination of living and working was the main focus already then and was realised accordingly. Office, production and warehouse spaces as well as residential houses for the employees formed a building ensemble whose structure was carefully restored over the years and successively extended with modern buildings to meet the continuously increasing demand for attractive rental spaces close to the city centre. In this way it was possible to combine tradition and innovation so that the business parks in Ettlingen and Berlin have a special character today. The business park Albtal in Ettlingen and the business park Marienfelde in Berlin were established. Further buildings (office and residential spaces) were added in both locations in the Karlsruhe and Berlin areas.

Today, ETTLIN manage 355 flats and 124,000 m² of useful area with offices, factory halls and warehouses in the Karlsruhe area and 60,000 m² of useful area with offices factory halls and warehouses in the Berlin area.