Klaus Freund, who had acted as marketing manager for many years joined the new Rotta/ Heim organisation at this time when the premises were still in Eppstein but two years later, in 2001, production was moved to East Germany.
Heim was then transferred to DyStar, with Freund as head of leather. After a period under DyStar ownership the company regained independence and the latest version of Heim was born on September 1, 2007. Their new offices, pilot plant and developmental lab are in Eppstein im Taunus, just twenty minutes from Frankfurt Airport and back in their original area.
Once they had become independent again it was not long before the first order came – on September 2 – with a phone call from Costa Rica enquiring if they were back in business. Exports are also going to Madagascar and Mauritius.
In addition to the production carried out in Zwickau, they have production agreements in China and Indonesia and production was due to commence in China in May of this year. In addition, they have been associated with their agent in South Africa for twenty years and have a small production plant there.
They supply concentrates to offshore sites for mixing and selling locally. Mexican production is another possibility and they have agents and an applications lab in Portugal.
The first six months were good for Heim and they managed to increase business by 25%. A number of the staff transferred over from DyStar which made for a particularly smooth transition.
Hans Jörg Seliger was appointed product manager, leather finishing, with global responsibility for the Heim range of products. Key people have been named as the first point of contact for customers in the different regions: Timo Esch for eastern Europe; Susanne Soukup for China, Korea, Japan, Germany and Austria; Andrea Reischmann for Africa, Australia, India, Pakistan, Thailand and Indonesia; Sophie Maurel for north Africa, UK, Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, The Netherlands and the Americas.
