Discover our history
2020
With effect from 01 April 2020 Stephan Schnabel takes over as Chairman of the HELM AG Executive Board.
With this, the family-owned company will also once again be family-managed.
2018
With the participation in the Swiss company Phargentis, HELM develops the advanced therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
2018
HELM establishes Methanol Joint Venture
HELM Proman Methanol AG is established on 01 July, in which HELM participates as a majority shareholder along with two long-term business partners. The newly established company is structured as a sales and distribution platform and has a head office in Europe, Asia and America respectively. This creates the optimal conditions for access to key international markets and secures the supply of Methanol to North America.
2018
North America’s largest methanol plant comes onstream
The Texan production plant Natgasoline LLC, in which HELM has a participation, commences operation in June. With an annual production capacity of 1.75 mt it is one of the largest plants of this type in the world.
2017
The modernisation of the company headquarters will be completed successfully in 2017, thus creating a new and attractive working environment for the Hamburg employees.
2015
HELM opens regional Head Office in Singapore
By opening a regional Head Office in Singapore, HELM generates a dynamic growth in Asia’s emerging markets.
2014
HELM acquires Spanish distribution company GEBLASA, S.A.
As a result, HELM AG strengthens its position in the Spanish market by selling inorganic chemicals
2014
Share increase at Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) Ltd.
HELM increased its indirect shareholding to 25% of the shares in the production site for core products like methanol, UAN (urea ammonium nitrate solution) and melamine.
2012
Dieter Schnabel takes over as Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
2012
Hans-Christian Sievers becomes Chairman of the Executive Board of HELM AG on 1 January.
2010
HELM takes a stake in Amarin Technologies.
HELM takes a stake in Amarin Technologies, S.A., Buenos Aires and therefore, in the development of special trans-dermal healing plasters with active ingredients.
2009
In Saudi Arabia, production begins with 330,000 metric tons of vinyl acetate monomer and 460,000 metric tons of acetic acid per annum.
Of these production volumes, HELM markets 300,000 metric tons and 180,000 metric tons, respectively.
2007
The Oman Methanol Company, in which HELM holds a stake, starts to operate the production plant in Sohar.
1.05 million metric tons of methanol are produced there each year. HELM is the exclusive marketing partner.
2007
HELM de México opens its 8th sales office in Córdoba
2007
Richter-Helm BioLogics GmbH & Co. KG
HELM and the company Gedeon Richter from Hungary establish a subsidiary for the development and production of biotechnological pharmaceuticals.
2006
Sales revenues of the HELM Group exceed the 5 billion Euro mark for the first time, at Euro 5,811,355.
2005
With Saudi partners HELM founds a joint venture in order to produce acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer.
2004
HELM invests in the Arab world.
HELM takes a stake in the Oman Methanol Company (OMC) in Sohar.
2002
Foundation of a legally independent distribution company in Guangzhou, China, and establishment of a distribution business for chemicals
2000
The HELM group celebrates its 100th anniversary.
1999
The Crop Protection division presents its first own formulation development.
The combination product Fungomil controls downy mildew, leaf blights and rots in vines, fruits and vegetables.
1998
HELM takes a stake in establishing a tank terminal in the port of Cochin, India.
1998
Start to successful cooperation
Via the marketing joint venture MIDER-HELM METHANOL Vertriebs-GmbH, customers are supplied with methanol from the TOTAL refinery in Leuna, Germany.
1995
HELM develops an individual ERP-System.
To handle the growing complexity and transactions an efficient and functional IT-system is implemented.
1993
Science advances at HELM.
The first in-house developed pharmaceutical generic medication Calcitonin, used to combat osteoporosis, is rolled out on the market.
1992
HELM participates in establishing a tank terminal in the port of Ningbo, People’s Republic of China.
1984
HELM begins with marketing methanol from Trinidad & Tobago.
Today 4.1 million mt of methanol per annum are produced in five plants at that location.
1984
Dieter Schnabel becomes Chairman of the Executive Board.
Hermann Schnabel hands the management of HELM AG over to his son with the words: "Take care Dieter." The development from trading to international marketing begins.
1979
The fertilizer business is further extended.
HELM establishes the subsidiary HELM Düngemittel GmbH. 2014 the fertilizer activities were integrated into HELM AG as Business Unit Fertilizer.
1978
HELM becomes a family-owned stock corporation.
1973
Kraeft Logistik GmbH is founded.
Own storage areas in Hamburg’s Free Port support transhipment for pharmaceuticals.
1972
HELM moves into the building at Nordkanalstrasse 28 in Hamburg, the Group’s corporate headquarters to this day.
1969
HELM U.S. CORPORATION is founded in year 1969.
1967
Now the focus also lies on Asia: HELM Japan Ltd. is founded in Tokyo. In the following decades, the international expansion was intensively pursued.
1966
HELM dares to take the leap across the pond: HELM de México, S.A. is established in Mexico City.
1962
The first foreign subsidiary is established: HELM Skandinavien A/S, Copenhagen.
1950
Hermann Schnabel takes over the company from Karl O. Helm.
With primary focus on chemicals he constitutes the company that today operates worldwide.