Haltermann Carless History

Acquired by Haltermann Holding GmbH on 15 April, both companies operated as independent brands under the umbrella of the newly founded HCS Group.

Investment was made in advanced process engineering equipment for the modernisation of existing facilities; The capacity of production for hydrocarbon-based solvents was increased.

Haltermann was acquired on 16th July by HIG Europe, an affiliate of HIG Capital and operated from November as an independent company, Haltermann Holding GmbH.

Dow Chemical divests Haltermann NA; Monument Chemical acquires Haltermann, USA (Custom Processing and Test & Reference Fuels) and later Haltermann, Belgium.

Haltermann was acquired by the global US chemical company Dow Chemical Company on 1st June from Ascot plc.

Ascot plc acquires “Specified Fuels & Chemicals” in the US, a fuel manufacturer and custom processing company which then became part of the Haltermann Group.

The Haltermann family exited from ownership and sold to the British investment company Ascot plc.

The portfolio of products which was produced from renewable raw materials was expanded (eg ester oils)

Research activities in the technical centre at Wilhelmsburg focused on new separation processes using membrane technology, special extraction and adsorption processes, as well reactive methods such as esterification, hydrolysis, hydrogenation, isomerisation or alkylation

On 1st January Haltermann became the holding company for all German and foreign subsidiaries.

A new method of production using the esterification reaction is used for the first time in Houston, and later in Antwerp, for the processes of separation, distillation, extraction and crystallisation.

The product range was enhanced by the addition of high-viscosity naphthenic oils for use in the manufacture of printing inks and synthetic resins.

The plant for tar distillation in Wilhelmsburg was decommissed; White spirit production was installed at Speyer.

A process for liquid / liquid extraction was developed for the production aromatic-free solvents and printing ink oils and a large-scale production plant was constructed

Haltermann manufactured non-toxic and odourless paraffinic solvents; Haltermann became a manufacturer of reference fuels (ERFs) in Europe

Haltermann separated from the asphalt business areas, shipping companies as well as the service stations in northern Germany, in order to concentrate on its core business; A third production site in Antwerp was opened which continued to grow despite oil crisis.

Haltermann was certified by ASTM as the sole producer of high purity n-heptane and iso-octanes (reference fuels for determining the octane number); The pilot plant in Wilhelmsburg was commissioned, with modern computer simulated distillation processes.

Cooperation with resin manufacturers brought about breakthroughs in the area of printing ink oils.

Production capacity and handling facilities in Speyer were expanded due to new emerging markets, such as Switzerland and France

Production facilities in Speyer were officially commissioned on 25 July; Modern technologies such as valve trays and air-cooled condensation were used as well as a biological treatment plant.

A plant for crystallisation was constructed; Haltermann started the production of special solvents for printing inks, which were previously imported.

A plant for the production of road gravel using tar based binders in Wilhelmsburg was constructed.

Industrial growth in southern Germany required the construction of tank and drum stores along the Rhine.

Environmental costs emerged as a cost for the first time in the company’s balance sheet; A mechanical / biological treatment plant in Wilhelmsburg was constructed.

Production capacity was increased and production costs were reduced by a switch in production from special boiling points to continuous distillation; Aliphatic propellant gas was developed for foaming of plastics

The tanker fleet was expanded as a result of rising exports of American petrochemical industry to Europe.

Distillation units for benzene and tar acids were expanded, Equipment for the continuous refining of petroleum distillates were constructed.

Company management focused on expanding the special products because the fuel market was dominated by large multinational companies.

Production of naphthalene resumed and there were investments in equipment for the extraction of phenol, cresol and xylenol from tar acids.

Under British occupation, the plants were gradually reconstructed and production resumed. Additionally, the plant was able to process tar residues from the carbonisation of coal to produce fuels, solvents or fuel oils.

Production was hardly interrupted during the war despite repeated air strikes, however towards the end of the war the production plant was largely destroyed by bombing at the port of Hamburg.

Haltermann took over the company’s shares belonging to Rütgerswerke and became Hanseatischen Teer- und Erdölindustrie Haltermann & Co. GmbH; Additional local tanks and barrels were constructed for effective storage of specialised high-boiling solvents and white spirit.

Haltermann intensified exports of naphthalene, tar acids, anthracene and asphalt, as well as increasing sales of aliphatic and aromatic solvents.

Haltermann signed a contract with EBANO (later sold to ESSO) to process crude benzene derived from bituminous crude oil, which was the entry into the provision of customised product formulations.

The plant for the production of aliphatic solvents and white spirit was constructed; Production of aromatic solvents was increased, which had begun before the First World War.

The Johann Haltermann tank shipping company was founded which was used for the transportation of raw materials and finished products and the first tankers were purchased; The Haltermann Logo was formed: an H in a hexagon, which symbolised the abstract symbol for benzene.

Haltermann plants survived the First World War unscathed, although output was reduced

Hanseatischen Teerproduktenfabrik Haltermann & Co. GmbH and Rütgerswerke AG were founded.

Johann Haltermann founded in Hamburg Wilhelmsburg a “Tar Distillery”, refining crude tar from the gas works in Hamburg.