History
1885
Founding
In 1885 the brothers Kindermann (born in Oberwiesenthal in the Ore Mountains) founded in Lodz the company Julius Kindermann AG with the acquisition of the “Widzewer Manufactur AG”.
The company Kindermann employed before the 2. world war around 6.000 employees and was one of the biggest employer in Lodz.
Lodz at this time was the “Manchester of the East”. The splendiferous art nouveau mansions and mills still show the wealth of the textile companies today.
The Kindermann family were Russian citizens till 1919.
1945
New start in Ibbenbueren
With the defeat of the 3rd Reich, the family Kindermann escaped to Western Germany in 1945 and found a new home in Ibbenbueren/Westphalia.
There they took over the company “Gebr. Toebben” (Weaving, Raising for the production of corduroy and moleskins.
Helpful for the setup after the war were yarn credits from the befriended companies Jackson and Kuempers in Rheine.
A dyeing company was added soon, and the old buildings of Toebben at the railway station in Ibbenbueren became to small.
1945
1968
Relocation in Ibbenbueren
With the help of the city of Ibbenbueren and the Land North Rhine-Westphalia the company was relocated in 1968 at the border of the city. Unfortunately, as the company is today to close to the recreation area “Aasee”.
1979
The corduroy wave
Between 1973 and 1979 the demand for corduroy in Europe was very high. When this “corduroy wave” stopped, the enlarged company became problems. The huge stock could no longer be financed.
1979
1982
Default and restart
In 1982, the company declared default, and the complete closing was planned for the end of the year.
With the help of the city of Ibbenbueren, Dr. Friedrich Criegee, Thomas van Delden and Christoffer van Delden bought the buildings and machines and found the new company Kindermann GmbH as a complement of the companies Kroener & Schlikker mbH (Weaving) and N-Interlock Fritz Noennig GmbH & Co. KG (Knitting). 68 employees found a new job.
1992
Modernization and another move
The company modernized the machinery in the following years, regardless of the crisis of the European textile industry. Due to the lack of space the weaving department was closed in 1992 and transferred to the sister company Cord & Velveton GmbH in Leutersdorf (Saxony).
1992
2006
Fire and reconstruction
In 2006 the old weaving department burnt down, and a modern transfer hall was installed.
2007
Expansion
In 2007 the company acquired the buildings of the Lautex in Leutersdorf, only a few hundred meters away from the weaving mill.
In the following years, a finishing plant for knits was installed and the pre-treatment of corduroy (brushing-singing-bleaching) was transferred from Ibbenbueren to Leutersdorf.
Additionally, a coating and hotmelt-lamination was installed, completed by a mercerizing machine and a transfer calander.
2007
2019
Move of the production
Dyeing and finishing of corduroy is done completly in Leutersdorf.
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