Integrity. Tradition.
Family business.
1902
Founding year of
Jakob Benn & Söhne GmbH
Jakob Benn (entrepreneur and photographer) began manufacturing bellows for cameras in 1902
Jakob Benn
**Jakob Benn & Söhne GmbH**
In 1902, Jakob Benn founded the Benn company in Hanau-Steinheim. At that time, production included camera bellows and lens caps as well as other photographic accessories. The bellows were made from a composite of leather or synthetic leather with linen and cardboard. Laminating and cutting systems were required for this processing – equipment that was also very well suited for paper and film processing.
From 1950, the company expanded its range of services to include this area and cut its first films. In 1952, the company was converted into a GmbH (limited liability company). In the second generation, sons Albert and Willi Benn managed the company. In the third generation, Horst Benn, son of Willi Benn, took over the management. The business moved from downtown Hanau-Steinheim to the industrial area and henceforth concentrated on cutting films into rolls and sheets, and later also into cross-wound spools. Die-cutting was added as a supplementary service. The product range was continuously adapted and expanded to reflect the current state of technology.
