Wilhelm Stauf From craft to factory

Wilhelm Stauf (1831-1906) expanded the STAUF glue factory. He was also known for his social welfare activities for the poor.

Following the death of the founder, Eberhard Stauf, his son Wilhelm Stauf took over management of the company in 1862. He modernised the glue factory. The traditional craft process for manufacturing hide glue remained unchanged until the late 19th century. But technical innovations made it possible to produce glue all year round and much more efficiently. Wilhelm Stauf also acquired interests in other companies: together with Eduard Giesler from Siegen and the industrialists Vollpracht and Weiss from Hilchenbach, he founded the felt factory "Stift Keppeler Filzfabrik", which was subsequently the largest in Germany for a time. In this felt factory animal hairs arising in the tanning shops were processed. As an entrepreneur, Wilhelm Stauf saw the signs of the times: he abandoned the now unprofitable tanning business. Instead he worked on opening up new iron ore mines and he joined his son-in-law, Emil Pipers, in founding what is today still an important rolling foundry.

Drying structure In 1865 the STAUF glue factory was given a large drying structure for the natural drying of the hide glue gelatine slabs.   Emil Peipers AG Gontermann-Peipers GmbH still produce on the Weiss in Siegen.