At that time, 185 years ago, at Heidenheim in Wuerttemberg which today still remains the headquarters of the HARTMANN GROUP, the foundation stone for a company was laid that still enjoys worldwide recognition in the fields of medicine and hygiene.
In 1843, the founder of the company Councilor of Commerce Ludwig von Hartmann handed over his factory, which was one of the largest cotton-spinners in the Kingdom of Württemberg, to his sons. Paul Hartmann purchased the Scheckenbleiche (bleaching plant)in Heidenheim and founded his own company.
Around 1875, Paul Hartmann senior's still relatively new dressings factory
"Paul Hartmann - Bleiche, Färbereigeschäft und Appreturanstalt" (Bleaching, dyeing and finishing company) was already working with modern methods. At the beginning, the new textile mill was very successful, but when after the German-French War 1870/71 large dyeing companies came from Alsace to Germany "the situation became ever more awkward".
Virtually at the same time, two men started being talked about in a completely different field: The Scottish Surgeon Joseph Lister developed a germ-killing dressing for the first time, which controlled the dreaded wound infections during operations.
Victor von Bruns, the Tuebingen Surgeon, succeeded in removing the troublesome layer of grease from cotton and achieved a very absorbent, hygienic dressing material: cotton wool.
With the first company logo Paul Hartmann adapted the Red Cross-symbol and had it entered as a trademark in 1883 and supplemented to include the staff of Aesculapius.
Paul Hartmann took his chance and concentrated on this new medical aid. From 1873 onwards absorbent cotton wool was produced on the site on the River Brenz. Apart from cotton wool, bandage gauzes of all types were also produced. The impregnation with anti-germ materials, antiseptics, grew increasingly in meaning.
Finally around the turn of the century, sterile dressings started to achieve more and more acceptance. Paul Hartmann and his sons succeeded in close cooperation with physicians and other scientists in achieving a definitive position in the development, manufacturing and marketing of revolutionary new dressings.
"Despite the demand for cheap dressing materials, which is seldom reconcilable with quality and reliability, I keep to my policy of only delivering the best." With that claim to quality by Paul Hartmann dated 1885, the basis for the development of a major brand was created. Today it still represents one of the critical success factors or our brand-management.
