Carl Lipmann & Co. KG (GmbH & Co.) since 1895

In 1895, merchant Carl Lipmann founded the company in Hamburg. In 1895, the year of founding, the overall number of employees was six. The good international contacts permitted continuous growth of the import business. In 1905, Carl Lipmann was the first European casings importer who came to the USA for a purchasing travel. Considerably increased turnover very quickly led to essential development of the selection office in Hamburg and made Carl Lipmann & Co. the largest casings importing facility in Germany very quickly.

In 1908, the operating premises in Hamburg, Wendenstraße, were designed and built as a casing processing factory. Natural casings were selected on seven levels by 250 employees.

1920: During this time, branches were founded in Berlin and Cologne. Branches in New York and Buenos Aires followed briefly after World War I. In the high time of the natural casing industry until the end of 1930, the number of employees had increased to more than 700.

From 1931 onwards, the industry in general developed in a downwards trend. There was a global economic recession, connected to currency trade restrictions and restrictions of natural casing imports. Many foreign markets were lost for these reasons.

In 1938, the political events enforced shut-down of Carl Lipmann & Co. During the war, 90% of the casings factory in Wendenstraße were destroyed by bombs.

In 1948, the founder's oldest son, Charles H. Lipton, started to activate the company and to rebuild it. By 1953, a great part of the destroyed building was rebuilt to where increased action was possible again. In the meantime, Mr Charles H. Lipton, together with his younger brother C. Peter Lipton, founded the subsidiary C. H. Lipton in London.

The continually increasing demand for LIPCO natural casings required increase of the capacities. The Cologne branch was opened in 1954. At that time, it was possible to employ 75 employees again.

In 1963, a special selection operation for sheep casings was established in the former zone border area.

In 1977, an operating site in the Karlsruhe area was added. Now the customers in the South-West-German area could be served even better.

The business volume increased continually. Many customers were supplied directly by the company's truck fleet.

The sudden death of Charles H. Lipton devastated the company in 1982.

In early 1987, the long-term authorised representative of the company and later managing director, Mr Bernd Zeuner, entered the company as a shareholder as well.

The positive development of the company until 1989, connected to continuous turnover, made it necessary to leave the old operating site in Hamburg and to move into a larger new operational building in Lüneburg, approx. 50 km away from Hamburg.

In the 1990s, the company set the tracks to international growth as well. The increasing globalisation, the international transport business and use of modern communication possibilities have created new sales and customer relationships. All business activities are now centrally managed and controlled from Lüneburg, so that the branches in Cologne, Karlsruhe and the former zone border area could be brought to Lüneburg.

By 2000, several global production sites have been created, where successful quality products are being produced to this day. New Zealand, Australia, Iran, Turkey, Europe and South America, as well as the Far East (China) are continuous production countries to cover the large product demand of Carl Lipmann & Co.

In 2009, Mr Bernd Zeuner died. Nicole and Rainer Zeuner assumed management of the company in the next generation.

To this day, Carl Lipmann & Co. is presenting itself economically solid and successful in a demanding national and international market environment.