History - 翁开尔

The Origin of Unkel

German town

"Unkel am Rhein" is a beautiful small city near Cologne founded in the year 1100 and famous for its red wine, the poet Freiligrath and the Rheinhotel Schulz which lies along the Rhein promenade with a fantastic view of the fabled river Rhein.

Franz Unkel was born in the year 1520. He left for south Germany and worked as a goldsmith in Stuttgart. He represents the first generation of Unkels.

Heinrich Unkel, the founder of HJU, was very interested in far-away places. He contacted German companies outside Europe who offered positions to young Germans. The first company to reply positively was the GERMAN PHARMACY in Shanghai. He immediately accepted their offer and arrived in Shanghai in the year 1911, aged 20.

World War I

Mr.Heinrich J.Unkel

With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 Heinrich Unkel joined the German Military Garrison in Tsingtao, a famous beer city in the coastal area of Northeast China. In the fight against Japan, he was seriously injured, and was taken back to the Japanese military hospital, where he was fully recovered after a year, and then transferred to the prison camp in Shizuoka. Whilst in the POW camp he considered escape - which he successfully achieved: disguised as a Canadian Military Officer named "Captain Underwood", and travelled 200km to Tokyo where he took passage on a ship to Shanghai. There he encountered too many Japanese soldiers and fearing exposure, boarded a train and travelled through China and all the way to Siberia, Russia and Poland to Germany where he arrived in 1918 with a revolution going on. With the end of the war he returned to Shanghai in 1920, got his old job in the GERMAN PHARMACY again - and started thinking about setting up his own company.

"H. J. Unkel”

Order received on 22,Mar, 1928

The company "H.J. Unkel” was established on 1st March 1925 and was registered in Szechuan Road No. 33/308, Shanghai. He cooperated with many famous European suppliers like SANDOZ (Switzerland), RIEDEL-de HAEN (Germanγ) and F.W.BERK (England), whose products he sold to the local pharmaceutical factories whom he knew well from his time in the GERMAN PHARMACY. The years from 1925 to 1938 were very good for him, he was able to marry and build his own house in the Hongqiao district of Shanghai.

World War II

The earliest business license

The Second World War was terrible. After receiving a re-entry visa from the new regime, Heinrich ongkai was forced to leave China and return to Germany. Unfortunately, due to his overstaying in the visa period, he was not allowed to return to China. However, due to his love for China, he spent more time in developing new suppliers in Europe, such as the famous old paint factory "Siegle", which is now affiliated to BASF. After the influence of the world war ended, in 1956, he went to Hong Kong and contacted many old friends who had been in Shanghai before. He saw that old friends had rebuilt their factories in Hong Kong, mainly in the textile industry, but also in some other industries, such as enamel ware exported to Africa. He decided to rebuild the company in Hong Kong with the support of his friends.

Hong Kong

Business Registration Certificate in 1958

Heinrich Unkel re-established his "H. J. Unkel” company in Hong Kong on 15th February 1957 at 24 Connaught Road Central and later moved to 37 Queen's Road under Business Registration No. 64904. By that time he was 66 years old and, having no children of his own, contacted his younger brother Wilhelm in Stuttgart to enquire what plans his son Helmut, at that time 19 years old, had for his future and if he would be interested to come to Hong Kong and join his company. Helmut Unkel happily agreed and after spending about a year visiting H. J. Unkel's principals and receiving technical and commercial training, arrived in Hong Kong on 5th July 1959, aged 21.

Developing New Markets

During the Korean War, US banned the entrepot-trade with China. It is necessary to develop new business since the local pharmaceutical industry is not enough to support the company. Fortunately the enamel industry was prosperous. SIEGLE was extremely happy when HJU got an order for 10 tons of cadmium red pigment, as they had never sold such a large amount at one time. Meanwhile, Helmut Unkel found the local coating industry is very noteworthy. Three years later, during his first home leave he spent most of his time in Europe looking for new suppliers for the coatings industry. He returned with the coating machine agency contract with SUSSMEYER of Belgium, the test instrument agency contract with ERICHSEN of Germany, and many chemical product agency contracts to bring more competitiveness to the company. At that time the plastic industry also developed very well, which was very beneficial for SIEGLE pigment. Helmut Unkel has managed the company better, accumulated a lot of local resources and industry experience and has a good development prospect.

Branching Out

Heinrich Unkel passed away in Stuttgart in the year 1971, aged 80. Helmut Unkel decided to change the status of the company to a Limited Company and considered if the firm should look towards other industries, such as textiles. Ultimately it was decided to grow geographically but to remain in the same general trading pattern, especially since there were strong signs that China would become an interesting market again fairly soon. Thus began the development of H. J. Unkel companies in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and of course, China, starting with an office in Shanghai and soon after one in Guangzhou.

In 21 century, H.J.UNKEL grow up with principles and customers, developed 9 offices in China. We participate various trade shows and seminars, such as CHINACOAT, CHINAPLAS, AUTOTEST, PCHI etc.

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