Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik, one of the leading producers of bismuth vanadate pigments, is celebrating its 125th anniversary in October 2021. From the beginning, inorganic pigments such as chrome yellows and molybdate orange and red through today’s line of bismuth vanadate and pigment mixtures have been produced in Bruchsal according to high quality and customer-specific requirements.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions in place, a small, internal celebration was held to mark the anniversary, during which company owner Ronald A. Levi reviewed the history of the company and all it has accomplished. The company was founded in 1896 as "Lack- und Farbengroßhandlung Gebrüder Katzauer". The focus was on products for craftsmen such as brushes, paints and other equipment. A few years later, the company began producing its own putty and various lime paints.
At the beginning of the 1920s, the Katzauer family acquired a 20-hectare site on the outskirts of Bruchsal, which still serves as the company's headquarters. Here, the foundation was laid for the chemical production of pigments, which today is still continues to be the most important focus of the company.
During the early 20th century new production halls were built, enabling the chemical production of chromate pigments, organic and iron cyanide pigments, and making Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik an important and modern international manufacturer of these colors. The continued growth and success story was abruptly interrupted in 1938 when the Katzauer and Levi families were forced to flee Germany and the company was incorporated into "Rheinchemie," a part of IG Farben. Fortunately, the Levi family was able to emigrate to the USA and later regained rightful ownership of the company in 1949. After the second World War, pigment production was renewed, and the facilities completely rebuilt into one of the most modern inorganic pigment production sites in the world.
In recent years the emphasis on the production of bismuth vanadate, and environmentally friendly pigments became the focus of the company. To meet the increasing demand, a new production plant was commissioned in 2006, and in 2015 a mixing plant capable of processing pigment blends up to 9 m³ as a homogeneous batch was commissioned.
These steps positioned Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik for future growth and continuing success as a fourth generation, family-owned company supplying color pigments to industry throughout the world.
