With 20 years' experience in the line of business, Adolf Würth establishes a wholesale firm in Franconian Künzelsau, supplying screws, nuts and bolts.

Im Death of Adolf Würth, founder of the firm, at the age of 45. His son Reinhold takes over the management of the business at the age of 19. Annual sales at that time is about EUR 80,000.

1962

Reinhold Würth ventures outside Germany and sets up the company's first foreign subsidiary, Würth Nederland B.V.

1965

Adolf Würth OHG is converted into a limited commercial partnership ("KG"). The general partner is Würth-Verwaltungs-GmbH. The limited liability partnership capital is contributed solely by the family.

The company premises at the railway station of Künzelsau reach the limit of their capacity. The offices are moved to new building in the Gaisbach district of Künzelsau. The Wurth Screw and Fastener Corporation is set up in the USA - Würth's first company on the American continent.

Würth celebrates 25 years in business. Sales rise by 50 percent to EUR 32.9 million. The first Würth company is established in South Africa.

A new distribution center goes into operation in Künzelsau-Gaisbach.

1981

Würth establishes its company in Australia.

1985

Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG celebrates 40 years in business. Reinhold Würth celebrates his 50th birthday.

1987

For the first time, Würth avails itself of the capital market and places the first foreign loan over CHF 75 million. Würth enters the Asian market by acquiring a company in Japan and establishing its own subsidiary in Malaysia. Now, Würth has a presence on all five continents.

1989

Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG is awarded the German Marketing Prize.

Only eight months after the fall of the Berlin Wall the first branch office is opened in former East Germany, in Dresden.

On May 15, 1992, the new administration building of the headquarters in Künzelsau-Gaisbach is officially opened. The modern office complex also houses an art museum that is open to the public.

1994

On January 1, 1994, Reinhold Würth retires from operational management and takes the chair of the Advisory board of the Würth Group. Dr. Walter Jaeger is appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Würth Group. Rolf Bauer becomes Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management.

On April 20, 1995, Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG celebrates its 50th anniversary. In the jubilee year, the Würth Group achieves record sales of EUR 2.2 billion

1998

Two Würth Group companies steeped in tradition, toolmakers Hahn & Kolb Werkzeuge GmbH & Co. KG in Stuttgart and the Arnold Umformtechnik screw factory in Ernsbach, celebrate their 100th year in business.

1999

Reinhold Würth is appointed Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Karlsruhe in recognition of his outstanding entrepreneurial achievement.

2000

The Würth Group rounds off an outstanding financial year by setting new records. The company's sales exceed EUR 5 billion. This represents the fulfillment of the vision formulated by Professor Reinhold Würth for the year 2000. His "Vision 2000" had been formulated at a point in time in which the annual Group sales amounted to just EUR 700 million.

Despite the recession in trade the Würth Group succeeds in reaching another sales record of EUR 5.28 billion. A new management structure is introduced in the Würth Group on January 1, 2001. The tasks of the Board of Directors are fulfilled by Dr. Walter Jaeger (Chairman), Rolf Bauer (Vice Chairman) and Bettina Würth.

2002

The Würth Group employs worldwide 2,729 additional sales reps and generates another sales record of EUR 5.36 billion despite weak economic situation. The operating result rises by 4.1 percent to EUR 281 billion.

2003

Despite a challenging economic environment and a focus on consolidation, the company continues to invest heavily in expanding its worldwide sales force. This policy is rewarded by record sales of EUR 5.45 billion, with the operating result outstripping sales growth to reach a new record of EUR 330 million.