The history of a brush-making factory.
Johann and his wife Maria Schellenberger founded Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik in 1907. During the thirties, the market demanded industrially manufactured brushes in addition to the handmade variety. The company founders faced up to this challenge and developed machinery that was more than capable of meeting the demands.
Keeping pace with the times …
When the company patriarch died in 1942, his wife took over the business. Not much was left of the once flourishing firm at the end of the war. The sons Richard and Erwin Schellenberger took over in 1945 and enlarged the company (more than 200 employees). They worked together on rebuilding the business and were able to pass the brush factory on to the third generation.
… our mission statement.
Today, Wolfgang Schellenberger (sole Managing Director), Gisela Schellenberger (Marketing/Controlling) and Michael Schellenberger (Operations/COO) are leading Europe’s biggest manufacturer of twisted brushes into a promising future. They have invested over €2 million in the modernisation, digitisation and automation of our company in recent years.
Our Timeline: We build on tradition and progress …
1907 │ Establishment of Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik GmbH
Aged 21, Johann Schellenberger started an apprenticeship as a brush maker with the firm Schloß/Steindecker in Bechhofen. Here he got to know the art of brush making, as well as his future wife Maria. As an ambitious soul, he then entered his company into the trade register of the Bechhofen Market Town on 15 July 1907, just a few months before his marriage. Afterwards, the “medical-pharmaceutical brush factory” started to produce custom brushes of all kinds on behalf of Steindecker.
1913 │ Master’s examination in the brush-makers’ profession
Johann Schellenberger passed his master’s examination on 8 November 1913, laying the foundation for his future company.
1922 │ The first employees
Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik had 36 employees around 100 years ago.
1932 │ Brushes for the shoe industry
The brush factory’s portfolio (still known as Joann Schellenberger KG at the time) included brushes for the shoe industry, pharmaceutical brushes and glue brushes.
1939 – 1940 │ Expansion
The company supplied the German Army, which brought economic expansion. 90 employees manufactured products for the armaments industry at the start of the Second World War. A new warehouse and another storey on the administrative building were required and constructed.
1942 │ Death of the company patriarch
Johann Schellenberger passed away unexpectedly on 16 August 1942. Maria Schellenberger stepped in to run the company with its 200 employees until it was destroyed in 1945.
1945 │ Reconstruction from scratch
Erwin Schellenberger returned from imprisonment after the war, where he and Richard discovered that the brush factory had been reduced to ruins. All raw materials had been used up, and all the machines destroyed. The brothers resolved to rebuild the company by launching a line of handmade and twisted brushes.
1952 │ Special-purpose engineering
A qualified mechanical engineer, Erwin Schellenberger designed machines that earned the brush factory a reputation as an innovative company over the following years. Greater efficiency enabled the acceptance of numerous orders.
1963 │ Part of the story
The media report repeatedly on the ambitious brush factory in Bechhofen.
1966 │ Construction of a new production facility
More than 60 wooden piles were driven into the ground during construction of the new facility on Feuchtwanger Straße, as the river Wieseth flowed straight past the company complex, creating a marshy environment. They continue to support our production building to this very day.
1973 │ The clean 70s
Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik delivers carriages full of feather dusters to customers in Germany and abroad.
1974 │ Construction of a new administrative building
Schellenberger purchased a plot of land close by and used it to construct a four-storey administrative building.
1982 │ Anniversary & third generation
Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik GmbH celebrated its 75th anniversary. Managing Director Hans-Jürgen Schellenberger joined in the festivities.
1988 │ Third generation, the second
Wolfgang Schellenberger was appointed Managing Director.
2001 │ Relocation of the production facility
Insufficient space: We moved our production from Feuchtwanger Straße to Rudolf-Diesel-Straße.
2006 │ The administrative departments follow
Until then it was not uncommon to catch site of employees pedalling between the two locations on a company bicycle.
2007 │ 100 years of Schellenberger
Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik GmbH celebrated its centennial anniversary. Continuing to produce technical and medical brushes.
2008 │ Sole Managing Director
Wolfgang Schellenberger became the sole Managing Director of the brush factory, while Gisela Schellenberger took charge of marketing and controlling.
2009 │ Europe’s largest manufacturer of twisted brushes
Gisela Schellenberger saw over the company’s redesign: A modern logo, a fresh Internet presence and revamped flyers and catalogues etc. gave a fresh face to the richly traditional company. Wolfgang and Gisela Schellenberger implemented these revolutionary measures to lead the company into the 21st century.
2010 │ Honouring of Erwin Schellenberger
Erwin Schellenberger and others founded the German Brush Museum in Bechhofen in 1985. He worked hard for years to make the museum a success.
2010 │ Young professionals
The company supported several apprentices to be trained for various trades for the first time.
2011 │ Certified quality: DIN ISO 9001
We received DIN ISO 9001 certification. And have kept it to this day.
2013 │ Construction of a new administrative building
Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik GmbH built a modern administrative building with spacious meeting and conference rooms that enabled a considerable increase in the training provided to current and new employees.
2014 │ Michael Schellenberger
Michael Schellenberger (4th Generation) joins the company as technical sales manager.
2018 │ 111 years of Schellenberger
Schellenberger Bürstenfabrik GmbH celebrated this special anniversary with an open day. Numerous business partners visited the company complex and spent some fascinating, informative and informal hours in our company.
2018 | Death of the former managing director
Erwin Schellenberger died on October 21, 2018. It is thanks to his work that the company is now in the 4th generation. After his release from captivity in 1945, he stood in front of the ruins of the company and had not only the vision but also the courage to rebuild the company together with his brother Richard. We mourn the loss of a great entrepreneur, father and friend.
2019 │ New managing director
Together with his father, Wolfgang Schellenberger, his son Michael is now also the managing director. The next step towards the handover of the traditional company to the 4th generation has been created.
