Our motivation Since 1788, we have been an owner-managed company that, with its BP brand, has become one of the leading specialists for work clothing and personal protective equipment. Our aim is to make people look professional and modern in their tough everyday working lives and to make their work safer, more comfortable and easier. We develop impressive work clothing solutions with an extraordinary quality promise. Every day, 110 employees in Cologne and another 260 employees at our production site Vetra in Tunisia, as well as our partners in North Africa, East Europe and Asia work towards achieving this goal, producing the best possible solutions for our customers. What we stand for: our guiding principles 1. Customer orientation We offer our wearers and customers work clothing that meets the BP “feel the difference” claim. Quality, design and utility are at the centre of our customer promise. 2. Innovation We develop our products and company through innovation and ongoing improvement in the service of our wearers and customers. 3. Excellence With our willingness to take the initiative, readiness to accept responsibility, mutual support and constant learning from one another, we deliver an excellent company performance. 4. Transparency and trust We cultivate a relationship of trust with wearers, customers, suppliers, investors and also amongst ourselves; this is based on transparency and honesty. 5. Sustainability We create sustainable values for the people who work with us. Economic success equips us for the future. We stand for fair working conditions and make responsible use of environmental resources. 6. Diversity and personal development We respect and affirm diversity and create the space for personal development. #crazyaboutquality#since1788 A seventh generation family company The basic idea of acquiring new customers by continuing to offer new solutions was already established in the year of the company foundation, in 1788. And it is the cornerstone for a company history spanning 225 years. However, each product that left BP had to meet one requirement: it had to be of exceptionally high quality We develop our products and company through innovation and ongoing improvement in the service of our wearers and customers. (Point 2 from the BP company guidelines ) 1788 - 1831 1832 - 1873 1874 - 1901 1902 - 1929 1930 - 1952 1953 - 1970 1971 - 1999 2000 - 2015 2016 - today 1788 to 1831 Foundation and the challenges of the first decades The office building in Mühlengasse, Cologne In 1788, Johann Baptist Bierbaum opened a linen business in Mühlengasse in Cologne, and in so doing laid the foundation for the company that is today known as Bierbaum-Proenen. At the time, Cologne had a population of 30,000 and, due to the strict guild policies, allowed the young entrepreneur very little freedom. When he founded his business, Johann Baptist Bierbaum was 29 years old and a carpentry journeyman. He was not prepared to accept the confines imposed upon him by his guild. He successfully overcame all the obstacles that stood in the way of founding his business and, thanks to his perseverance, was made a Grand Burgher of the imperial city of Cologne on 27 August 1793. As a merchant, this was a tremendously important step as it entitled him to sell not only linen but also milled wool cloth and silk. Leading the young company through the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars, the economic embargo on the Rhineland and the Continental Blockade required a tremendous amount of skill and flexibility. In order to compensate for the shortfalls in the linen trade, Johann Baptist Bierbaum temporarily included wine in the product range. From 1815 onwards, the company developed in leaps and bounds. The superior quality of the goods was a crucial factor in the success of this young, up-and-coming company. Follow us Family Business BP responsibility BP Catalogues BP Career Copyright © 2021 BP Online. All rights reserved.