HELM U.S. CORPORATION
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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.

1900

Karl O. Helm establishes an import-export company in Hamburg for merchandise of every description.