History

1920 Klöckner & Co establishes its own Chemicals Division, which initially serves only as a centralized purchasing department for chemical products required for mining. Later, this develops into a division that sells chemicals manufactured by Klöckner’s own plants and associated companies.

1921 The shipping and coal trading Company Reederei und Kohlenhandlung GmbH (KRK) is established.
At the same time, the cornerstone is laid for today's Klöckner & Co The seven subsidiaries operate in the solid fuels, transportation and building materials business segments.
After World War I, the Company moves its headquarters to Mülheimer Strasse 54. This address will remain Klöckner & Co’s corporate headquarters for over 50 years.

1922 Klöckner Reederei und Kohlehandel GmbH (KRK) begins to create its own inland shipping fleet.
For over 50 years, the green-and-white Company flag will fly initially on all German and, later on, increasingly on European overseas routes as well.

1923 The Company Klöckner-Dünge-Handel GmbH (Klöckner Fertilizer Trading Co) is established in Berlin.
The companies Eisen- und Stahlwerk Haspe, Mannstaedt Werke, Düsseldorfer Eisen- und Drahtindustrie, Georgsmarien-Bergwerks -und Hüttenverein and Eisen- und Stahlwerk Osnabrück merge to form a new mining-industry Company operating under the name Klöckner-Werke AG.

1926 Profiting from the English miners' strike, the Company Klöckner Reederei und Kohlenhandlung GmbH (KRK) reports record coal exports of 1.3 million tons.

1927 With the establishment of Stickstoff Gewerkschaft Victor (Victor Nitrogen Trade Union) in Castrop-Rauxel, Klöckner & Co entered the synthetic nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing business.