Global Links Global Home Careers Press Product Navigator Product Navigator Language english english (USA) deutsch 繁體中文 简体中文 日本語 français español português nederlands italiano pусский 한국어 türkçe Heraeus Group Heraeus Heraeus Global Links Global Home Careers Press Language english english (USA) deutsch 繁體中文 简体中文 日本語 français español português nederlands italiano pусский 한국어 türkçe Global Home About Heraeus About Heraeus at a Glance Facts and Figures Corporate Boards Global Business Units Corporate History Supplier and Partner Corporate Responsibility Heraeus worldwide Logistics technology report online The Magazine Careers Your Career Your Employer Your Employer at a glance Working Areas Manufacturing and Production Research and Development Marketing and Sales Service Functions Internationality Diversity Awards Your Advantage Your Advantage at a glance Benefits Perspectives Development Talent Management Health Your Profile Professionals Graduates Career Start Graduates Direct Entry Graduate Program Students Career Start Students Internship Thesis Pupils Pupils at a glance Vocational Training Dual Study Program Your Job Your Application Your Application at a glance FAQs Contact Products and Solutions Press Newsroom Corporate News Heraeus in the media Media Contact Order Publications E-Mail Service Contact Contact Overview Contact Supplier Contact Form Customer Contacts Corporate History ••••••• 1851 – 1900 1901 – 1920 1921 – 1945 1946 – 1980 1981 – 2000 2001 - 2011 Since 2012 The Unicorn Pharmacy in Hanau 1851 – 1900: “First German platinum melting house”: a pharmacist and platinum The father of today’s global company was Wilhelm Carl Heraeus, a pharmacist and chemist who took over his father’s pharmacy in Hanau, Germany, in 1851. At the time, platinum was in high demand for jewelry making. But platinum posed a major challenge for goldsmiths: it had to be forged in a white-hot state, because it is extremely hard and has a melting point of 1769 degrees Celsius. Wilhelm Carl Heraeus, who worked with local goldsmiths, was familiar with the problem—and he found a solution. After extensive attempts, he succeeded in melting two kilograms of platinum in an oxyhydrogen gas flame. The “first German platinum melting house” was born, and success was not far off. The young entrepreneur's customers soon included goldsmith shops and jewelry factories around the world, as well as dental factories, chemical laboratories, and companies in numerous other industrial sectors. Wilhelm Carl Heraeus continued to experiment with platinum, and found one new application after another for the precious metal. By the end of the 19th century, Dr. Wilhelm Heraeus and Heinrich Heraeus had inherited their father’s business, and W. C. Heraeus relocated to new facilities just outside the city gates of Hanau together with 40 employees. At that time, around 1,000 kilograms of platinum were melted and processed each year. to top Global Links Global Home Careers Press Product Navigator Product Navigator Language english english (USA) deutsch 繁體中文 简体中文 日本語 français español português nederlands italiano pусский 한국어 türkçe YouTube Twitter Heraeus Facts and Figures Global Business Units History Locations Products and Solutions Corporate responsibility Careers Careers Germany Careers USA Careers China Careers International News and Press Press Newsroom technology report online Media Contact Order publications © 2017 Heraeus Holding GTC Imprint Privacy Policy Disclaimer Returns Contact Please note that this website uses cookies to analyze access to our website and optimize user guidance. However, you can switch off the use of cookies and in this way object to the processing of your personal data. For detailed information see here: Privacy Policy Please consent to the use of cookies to be able to use all functions of the Heraeus website without restriction. AcceptX