The first steps
The company was founded in 1882 in Hamburg by pharmacist Paul Beiersdorf and was sold to Oscar Troplowitz in 1890. Beiersdorf's patent for the manufacture of coated plasters, dated 28 March 1882, is generally regarded as the company's founding date.
In 1909, the company introduced its first lip care product under the brand Labello. During this period, Troplowitz collaborated with dermatologist Paul Gerson Unna and chemist Isaak Lifschütz on the development of skin care products. Lifschütz's discovery of the emulsifier Eucerit enabled the formulation of a stable cream, leading to the market introduction of Nivea Crème in December 1911.
The company expanded during the early 20th century. Its workforce increased from 11 employees in 1890 to approximately 500 by 1918. In 1892, Troplowitz acquired a new headquarters in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel, allowing for the mechanisation of production and an expansion of the product range. By this time, Beiersdorf products were distributed in multiple international markets.
Following the deaths of Oscar Troplowitz and his business partner Otto Hanns Mankiewicz in 1918, the company underwent organisational restructuring. On 1 June 1922, it was incorporated as P. Beiersdorf & Co. AG. In the same year, the company introduced Hansaplast. In 1925, the design of the Nivea Crème tin was changed to the blue-and-white version that remains in use.
In 1928, Beiersdorf shares were listed on the Hamburg Stock Exchange. By the late 1920s, the company operated more than 20 production sites worldwide. During the 1930s, Beiersdorf expanded its portfolio to include products such as shaving cream and shampoo. In 1936, Tesa was established as an umbrella brand for self-adhesive technologies, with the introduction of a transparent adhesive film later marketed as Tesa Film.
During the Second World War
Due to the pressure of the Nazis, in 1933 Jewish board members, such as the chairman Willy Jacobsohn, had to resign. Jacobsohn emigrated to Amsterdam and managed the international subsidiaries up to the year 1938 when he left Amsterdam and went to the US. During the Nazi regime, Carl Claussen was chairman and led the company through the difficult time. Elly Heuss-Knapp, married to Theodor Heuss and after the war the new First Lady of the Federal Republic of Germany, was a freelancer at Beiersdorf and responsible for important parts of the Nivea advertising. She took care of keeping the advertising messages free from Nazi ideology. After the war, most of the production sites and the administration building in Hamburg lay ruined. Furthermore, most of the international subsidiaries had been expropriated and Beiersdorf lost the Nivea trademark rights. In 1949, Beiersdorf generated a turnover of 30 million Deutsche Mark.[8]
After the 1950s
In 1951, Beiersdorf introduced its first deodorant soap, marking the origin of the 8x4 brand.
By 1972, the company employed more than 10,000 people worldwide. In 1974, Beiersdorf adopted a divisional organizational structure, separating its operations into cosmetics, medical, pharmaceutical, and Tesa divisions. In the same period, the heirs of Max Herz, owners of Tchibo, acquired a 25 percent stake in the company.
In 1981, Beiersdorf reported a turnover of 2 billion Deutsche Mark. During the late 1980s, the company revised its strategic orientation, concentrating on three core areas: skin care, adhesive technologies, and wound management. Production processes were standardized, international brand management was consolidated, and the product portfolio was aligned with these areas. The Nivea and Tesa product ranges were subsequently expanded.[8]
During the 1990s, Beiersdorf reacquired outstanding trademark rights in several key markets, including Great Britain, Australia, and South Africa. In 1997, the company regained its final outstanding trademark rights through the acquisition of a majority stake in the Polish company Beiersdorf-Lechia S.A. in Poznań (now Nivea Polska sp. z o.o.).
Since 2000
In 2001, Tesa was established as a subsidiary of Beiersdorf AG, focusing on adhesive products and systems.[8]
On 1 April 2001, Beiersdorf founded BSN Medical as a joint venture with Smith & Nephew. The company operated in the fields of surgical dressings, orthopaedics, and phlebology. In 2004, BSN Medical employed approximately 3,750 people worldwide and reported annual revenues of €504 million. In 2006, BSN Medical was sold to Montagu Private Equity for €1.03 billion.
In 2002, Beiersdorf established Beiersdorf Shared Services GmbH, consolidating internal IT and accounting functions for the group.[9]
In 2003, a takeover attempt by Procter & Gamble concluded without completion. At the time, Allianz held 19.6% of Beiersdorf’s shares. Concerns were raised locally that the bid focused primarily on Beiersdorf's brands rather than the company as an integrated enterprise. In response, the City of Hamburg and its state-owned holding company HGV supported a restructuring of the shareholding. The Herz family, owners of
