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Information The Company

The Company

In 1934, Johanna Breuer founded the J. Breuer company as a wholesaler for packaging paper, cardboard and decoration board. Prior to World War II, the company was located in the southern part of Cologne on Karthäuserwall. As there were already several other paper merchants using the name Breuer, the owner named the company Karthäuser-Breuer in order to avoid confusion.

In 1945, Helmut Peffekoven, nephew of Johanna Breuer, joined the firm and made a significant contribution toward rebuilding and later expanding the company.

In 1954, following the construction of the Cologne Trade Schools on Karthäuserwall, the company relocated to Rubensstrasse in the city center. Here, a portion of the warehousing space was in the cellar.

In 1968, Helmut Peffekoven purchased a ground-level warehouse on Liebigstrasse in the Ehrenfeld section of Cologne. The expansion of the warehousing space and improved location on what was then the outskirts of the city contributed positively to the development of the business. In the 1960s, working together with leading restorers, the company developed the first acid-free, age-resistant board grades.

In 1973, following Johanna Breuer's death, Helmut Peffekoven assumed leadership of the company and transformed it into a limited company (GmbH). Later in the 1970s, in partnership with established paper mills, neutral sizing was introduced into the paper production process as an important step toward making it age-resistant. When KAPA board was invented by the Kämmerer company in Osnabrück, Karthäuser-Breuer was among the first KAPA merchants in Germany. In time, its range of acid-free, age-resistant products expanded continuously. The selection of KAPA products also expanded gradually.

In 1994, Helmut Peffekoven retired. Nevertheless, he has retained his ties to the company as a partner and advisor. Since 1994, the company has been headed by managing director Hans-Jürgen Posthumus and deputy managing director Guido Minkus, who also became partners. Thanks to new manufacturing technologies, the company was the first in Europe to make the 152 x 302 cm board format available in acid-free, age-resistant quality. For the first time, unbuffered photo archival board was developed and produced in Germany.

The range of decoration products has also developed steadily. Today, Karthäuser-Breuer stocks the complete range of KAPA products. The sale of packaging paper has become less important over the course of time.

In 1993, in order to expand capacity, an external warehouse was added on the outskirts of Cologne.

In 1996, the company relocated to Lichtstrasse in Ehrenfeld. This resulted in a significant increase in ground-level warehousing space, which now measures roughly 1500 sq. m. at a ceiling height of six meters. Sales and distribution is now carried out throughout Europe, both directly and through a network of resellers and agents.

Currently, in addition to the further expansion of sales activities, the company is extending its range of services. In addition to format cutting of paperboard and KAPA board to size, the company also offers passepartout cutting for framing purposes as well as customized designs and lettering in KAPA board and paperboard for the decorating sector. These individualized design products are created using a computer-operated cutting plotter and board cutter.