Throwback: 70 years of the Central Laboratory – Quality with tradition

Quality has always been a top priority at Quarzwerke. More than 100 years ago, we already had laboratories in our factories to ensure high standards. As our customers’ requirements grew, so did our standards—and so our central laboratory was established in 1955.

Each of our plants has a small laboratory that is directly integrated into the production process and ensures that our products meet quality standards long before they reach the customer. This has a very long tradition at Quarzwerke. The first wet processing plant in Frechen, which was completed in 1919, already housed a laboratory.

The challenges grew in the 1950s. It was no longer just a matter of quality testing raw materials—new deposits were also being analyzed, and the increasing demands of our customers called for innovative developments.

The next milestone came in the mid-1950s: with the construction of a new office and social building at the grinding plant in Frechen, the newly founded central laboratory was given its first premises – a decisive step for research and development.

Over the years, the central laboratory became a center of innovation: at the end of the 1960s, its work gave rise to several specialized departments, including “Prospecting/Deposit Securing,” which is now known as the Geology Service Division. At the same time, application technology became increasingly important—foundry molding materials, fillers, and ceramic materials were subject to strict quality controls, and this eventually led to the development of product development.

Whether then or now, the central laboratory, product development, and geology service department share a common mission: to guarantee the best quality for our customers! 🔬✨