Biederlack

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Biederlack is a leading manufacturer of jacquard woven high-pile acrylic blankets and throws.

Biederlack was founded in 1887 by Ignaz Hermann Biederlack in Greven, Germany, grandfather of Robert and Hans-Felix Biederlack. But the history dates back to 1532, when Heinrich settled along the River Ems and opened a merchant trading business. He became known as Heinrich Biederlack, "Heinrich by the Lake." His dedication grew into a business that would bring Greven's talent for weaving to the world.

[edit] History

1532 A man named Hinrik settles on the shores of the ox bow lake formed by the river Ems and from this time on he became known as Hinrick by the lake – Biederlack. He formed a merchant trading business, the sound basis on which the Biederlack family builds its business.

1887 On the 22nd of August Ignatz Hermann Biederlack (1861 – 1930) founded the company HERMANN BIEDERLACK GmbH + Co. in Greven.

1930 The sons Felix (1893 – 1948) and Carl (1894 – 1952) built a factory in Cuba, which produced blankets until the war.

1958 Hans-Felix Biederlack (1935 – 2005, son of Felix Biederlack) joins the company as managing director.

1967 Robert Biederlack (Son of Carl Biederlack) joins Hans-Felix as managing director and runs the company together with Hans-Felix.

1979 HERMANN BIEDERLACK GmbH + Co. founds the subsidiary Biederlack of America Inc. in Cumberland/Maryland, USA, to produce blankets in the already developed market. Today the company is independent, a well known leader in the hometextile market of the USA and only imports semi-finished products from Greven.

1981 HERMANN BIEDERLACK GmbH + Co. builds one of the most modern warehouse systems to be able to guarantee an improved delivery service.

1987 To further improve the quality and to increase productivity a most modern weaving department is being built.

2000 Dr.Michael Ottenjann (Son in law of Hans-Felix Biederlack) joins the company as managing director.

2001 A new, fully automatic transfer sewing line is being installed.

2005 Hans-Felix Biederlack dies unexpectedly at the age of 73 years.

2005 Robert Biederlack retires as managing director.

2006 Production manager Rolf Gottmann joins the company as a new managing director. The company BORBO-BLANKETS (Geiger, Borgers GmbH & Co.KG), Bocholt, is being taken over. Finishing of the new dye house for further increase of productivity.

2007 Robert Biederlack dies at the age of 68 years.

[edit] Biederlack of America

The American subsidiary of Biederlack opened in 1979 with a distribution center in Cumberland, Maryland. In 1987, the Distribution Center was expanded. In 1981 a new mill was built in a vacant grocery store in Cumberland New high-speed. State-of-the-art Jacquard looms, finishing equipment, and cut-and-sew operations were installed.

In 1998, Biederlack of America purchased Cushion Craft of East Newark, NJ, the leading supplier of professional sports- and college-licensed pillows. Already a leading manufacturer of sports- and entertainment-licensed blanket/throws, this acquisition made Biederlack the largest distributor of sports-licensed blanket/throws and pillows in North America.

The Biederlack label is stitched to original copyrighted designs and to licensed products for the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, Collegiate Licensing Company, Harley Davidson, and other properties.