Milestones

1844 Christian Eckardt founds Porzellanfabrik Kahla. The first porcelain is fired on October 23rd.

1856 August Koch assumes ownership and Kahla soon emerges as the largest porcelain manufacturer in Thuringia.

1888 Kahla is established as a joint stock corporation by Bankhaus Strupp.

1914 Porzellanfabrik Kahla is one of Germany’s largest porcelain producers and includes, among others, the porcelain factories in Arzberg, Hutschenreuther and Schönwald.

1946 Kahla becomes a Soviet stock corporation.

1952 Kahla becomes a “VEB” or state-owned operation.

1961 The factory and office buildings on the present site are re-built, and modern tunnel kiln technology is installed. 50 percent of production is exported to east and west European countries.

1979 17 porcelain factories with a payroll of 18,000
together make up “VEB Feinkeramik“. The head office is located in Kahla.

1991 The Treuhand Privatization Agency sells the nationalized company, which two years later was forced to file for bankruptcy.

1994 KAHLA/Thüringen Porzellan GmbH is re-founded with Günther Raithel as majority partner. Following substantial investments KAHLA is able to rely on ultra-modern production technology.

1995 Introduction of the KAHLA hotel porcelain line.

1996 KAHLA operations are certified as conforming to ISO 9001, the first porcelain company in what was formerly East Germany to do so.

1997 Introduction of the section for customized corporate products: "ARTVERTISING by KAHLA".

1998 The ”Update“ concept achieves the decisive breakthrough. First “KAHLA kreativ“ international porcelain workshop in Kahla.

1999 New trade fair stand measuring 225 sq. m. presented in Frankfurt/Main. Trade sales double. “Survival Kit” – an international design competition that supports young designers.

2000 The Raithel family becomes sole owner of KAHLA/ Thüringen Porzellan GmbH.

2002 Exports now account for 45 percent of sales and KAHLA products are available in 55 countries.

2004 International KAHLA design competition: "Tomorrow"s Parties“. A new, latest-generation robot press goes turnkey. Awarded the 40th design prize in only a decade.

2006 Landmark in the "land of ideas". Design competition "20 Dreams of a Hotel".

2007 With "OPUS" and "KAHLA individual" KAHLA enters the high-class segment. Awarded the 60th design prize.