In a speech commemorating Ludwig Schunk’s life’s work, Gunthard Sommer, chairman of the Ludwig Schunk Foundation, called attention to the incredibly positive development of his legacy: The company that was founded in 1913 has grown into today’s Schunk Group, with its more than 8,000 employees and turnover of more than 1.1 billion euros.
“Ludwig Schunk's bequest and guidelines were a clever decision on his part. He built a successful company from the ground up and passed on an extraordinary and extremely successful business model to us” Sommer said. “For this, we thank him. I am certain that Ludwig Schunk would be proud of what has become of his legacy.”
Frankfurt native Ludwig Schunk founded the company Schunk & Ebe with Karl Ebe in Fulda; its business was in manufacturing and selling carbon brushes for generators and motors. Five years later, the company moved to Heuchelheim near Giessen – which remains the technology corporation’s present-day headquarters. The group offers a wide spectrum of products and services from the fields of carbon technology and ceramics, environmental simulation and climate technology, sintered metal and ultrasonic welding.
Safeguarding independence
In his will, Ludwig Schunk declared the shareholders and partners as heirs to the company's assets and tasked the executor with “maintaining the company's operations in such a manner so as to make paramount the company's healthy continued development and the safeguarding of its independence." With these words, Schunk obligated his heirs to protect and grow his company's assets after his death. His wishes continue to mold the company's corporate culture to this day—a culture focused on financial stability and independence, profitable growth, and global presence.
