History
1864 - 1935
Wilhelm Gustav Dyckerhoff founded the «Portland-Cement-Fabrik Dyckerhoff & Söhne» together with his sons Rudolf and Gustav in Amöneburg on June 4, 1864. The articles of partnership derive from the year 1866. Twenty years later the company could proudly call in the biggest order from the USA for that time: Dyckerhoff delivered 8,000 wooden barrels of cement for the foundation of the Statue of Liberty.
In the year 1909 the production with the first kiln began, after 1911 the company was called «Dyckerhoff & Söhne GmbH».
In the year 1931 the next change came: Dyckerhoff merged with Wicking AG and then carried the name «Portland-Zementwerke Dyckerhoff-Wicking AG». In the same year an important product innovation launched the market: the white Portland cement «Dyckerhoff Weiss».
1936 - 1984
The next name change came in 1936. The enterprise now had the name «Dyckerhoff Portland-Zementwerke AG». As the first building material supplier Dyckerhoff transported cement in special silo trucks to the construction sites in 1949 and it could then be stored at site in silos. In 1959 again, now named «Dyckerhoff Zementwerke AG» (since 1956), the company implemented an innovative process: the usage of kilns with preheaters. At the same time Dyckerhoff started producing ready-mixed concrete.
After 1963 Dyckerhoff aimed at going abroad, first of all to Spain. In 1973 Dyckerhoff entered the Luxembourgian market. Aim of the company was as well to extend the concrete business. Therefore the «Dyckerhoff Transportbeton GmbH» was founded in 1977.
1985-2007
In 1985 the company received its present name: Dyckerhoff AG. To increase business with finishing products the Dytec Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft was founded and later re-named to Dyckerhoff Ausbauprodukte GmbH.
In the late 80s Dyckerhoff continuously put efforts on international business. Since 1988 the company is present on the North-American market, and after the diminishing of the Iron Curtain has entered the Eastern European markets. In 1991 Dyckerhoff bought the Deuna Zementfabrik in Thuringia followed by expansions to Russia (1994), Poland (1996), Czech Republic (1997) and the Ukraine (2000). In 1999 Dyckerhoff made a significant acquisition in the United States: Lone Star Industries. With the acquisition of ZAPA beton, Dyckerhoff gained foothold in the Czech ready-mixed concrete market in 2001.
In 1995 Dyckerhoff implemented the management-holding organization and founded the Dyckerhoff Zement GmbH. Activities are divided into three structures: cement, ready-mixed concrete and finishing products. In 2001 Dyckerhoff left the finishing products market. The Italian enterprise Buzzi Unicem S.p.A. joined Dyckerhoff with gaining 30 % of the common shares and 4 % of the preferred shares.
In 2002 Dyckerhoff implemented the parent company organization. To be even more efficient and sustainable Dyckerhoff initiated the program “Dyckerhoff 21”. The concrete division was integrated in the Germany / Western Europe and Central Europe East / America divisions. Buzzi Unicem bought further 10 % and Sanpaolo IMI 24 % of the Dyckerhoff common shares.
The activities in Spain are brought to an end by Dyckerhoff in 2003, as well as the 49 % participation in Anneliese Zementwerke AG. At the same time the Company showed effort in increasing the engagement in Ciments Luxembourgeois S.A., the today CIMALUX to 93 %. In the same year Dyckerhoff entered the Ukrainian ready-mixed concrete market. Buzzi Unicem gained further 5.5 % and held more than 49 % of the Dyckerhoff common shares. Besides, Buzzi increased the share of preferred shares to 62 % within an exchange offer.
In 2004 Buzzi Unicem firstly increased the stake of Dyckerhoff common shares up to 67 % and one year later to 91 %. In autumn of 2006 Buzzi Unicem made a voluntary public offer to the other shareholders.
In 2004 Dyckerhoff merged the US business with Buzzi Unicem’s RC Cement to RC Lonestar. In the new company Dyckerhoff holds a share of 48.5 %, Buzzi Unicem holds 51.5 %. In the following year the Central Europe East / America division was split up into the Eastern Europe and USA divisions. The gray clinker production in Amöneburg was shut down. In 2006 Dyckerhoff left the German and Luxembourgian market of concrete products. The German Neubeckum plant was closed.
2007: A new company is founded in the Netherlands –Dyckerhoff Basal Nederland B.V. (concrete and aggregates). Buzzi Unicem holds after the public offer more than 96 % of the Dyckerhoff common shares and 80 % of the Dyckerhoff preferred shares. This amounts to 88 % of total capital stock.
From 2008
At its meeting on March 14, 2008, the Supervisory Board resolved to change the logo of Dyckerhoff AG and all Group companies. To highlight the affiliation to the Buzzi Unicem Group from a visual standpoint as well, the Buzzi Unicem logo will be placed before the name of Dyckerhoff and all its Group companies in the future.
In 2009, the new five-stage preheater / precalciner kiln starts operation at the River cement plant (USA); with a production capacity of 2.3 million tons it is the largest of the Group. At the Esch cement plant in Luxembourg the construction of the new cement mill is completed in 2009 with an increase in capacity up to 1.5 million tons.