Press Release

We deeply mourn the loss of Nils Knappe

It is with great sadness that we announce that Nils Knappe passed away unexpectantly on 19/10/2024. For 28 years, Nils was the managing director of H. Schmincke & Co. and thereby always had an outstanding focus on the interest of the entire company, its customers and all partners.

Nils was not only the public face of Schmincke, but also a personality who left a lasting positive impression on everyone who knew him. It is both sad and a great loss that he has left us so unexpectedly and far too soon. 

In Nils Knappe, we have lost a competent confidant with integrity who was fully committed to the company at all times.

Nils legacy and the positive influence he left on our company will survive.

Our sincere condolences go to his wife, family and friends.

 

If you would like to express your sympathy, share your thoughts or memories in our public condolence book you can do so here:

October 2023

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Schmincke organises management succession in 2024

  • Markus Baumgart, 52 – currently Head of Marketing / Sales – will be appointed Managing Director as of January 1, 2024.
  • After a transitional period in 2024 in joint management with Nils Knappe, he will take over as sole Managing Director in 2025.
  • Nils Knappe will then retire after 28 years as Managing Director. 
     

Nils Knappe joined the long-established family company H. Schmincke & Co. in November 1996, when he became the first sole non-family managing director in the company’s 140-year history. He geared the company’s structures to the challenges of the new century, focusing above all on the company’s core competencies. Concentrating on the production of high-quality artists’ colours has contributed significantly to the successful development of the company.

Markus Baumgart has been working at Schmincke since 2001 and has been a member of the three-person management team alongside Nils Knappe for many years as an authorized signatory, together with Uwe Petrow (commercial manager/authorized signatory). Together they have raised the sustainable development of the company H. Schmincke & Co to a new level through consistent investments in state-of-the-art and resource-saving production processes, through internationalisation and diversification of sales channels, and through the development of innovative products.

As part of the new management, Uwe Petrow will be granted sole power of attorney from January 2025.

Schmincke is thus ensuring a smooth transition and long-term continuity in the future direction of the company. The focus will continue to be on the core competencies, combined with sustainable and efficient production “Made in Germany”.

It is the central concern of the shareholders of H. Schmincke & Co to continue this successful development and to secure the independence of the company, the lived values and the jobs in the long term. Pursuing this approach, it was decided that the significant shares in H. Schmincke & Co. will be permanently borne by a foundation in the future. In line with the guiding motto “Meliora Cogito – I strive for the best” this will secure and strengthen the independent and successful long-term development of the company.

Schmincke is a family-owned company that has been producing high-quality artists’ paints made in Germany since 1881 and is currently represented in 65 countries. Schmincke has received numerous awards in recent years such as being named “Brand of the Century”.

> Download PDF <
 

20.09.2021

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SCHMINCKE BOOK: "The finest colors for artists" - the company history of the artist colour manufacturer Schmincke

 

About the finest colors for artists

A truly colorful history of the finest manufacturer of artists´ paint: H. Schmincke & Co.

 

Order here >

20.09.2021

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Brands of the Century 2022 - Producer of Finest artists' colours honoured by award

H. Schmincke & Co. in Erkrath has been awarded for the fourth time the title of "Brand of the Century".
 


The producer of finest artists' colours has been chosen once again as one of the strongest brands in Germany. This is shown by the decision of a high-ranking advisory committee to include the brand "Schmincke" in the well-known compendium "German Standards - Brands of the century 2022" and to award the "German Standards Brand Award".

In "Brands of the Century", publishers "German Standards" tell the story of leading German brands in words and pictures to give an impressive overall view of Germany's economic strengths. The current issue of the brand compendium published every three years presents the 250 most recognized German brands of various product segments like Ritter Sport, BMW or Jägermeister. These 250 brands are market leaders in their sector and represent an entire product category.

The work indicates the function of strong brands as benchmarks and highlights the exciting stories behind these brands. These are stories that instill life and identity into brands, thereby leave a lasting impression in the memory of consumers and give them orientation in the wide range of products on offer. They are just as much a part of the positioning of a brand as the continuous work on product quality, innovations and advertising.

Schmincke Artists' Colours is very happy to have been chosen once again: "We regard this as a task to work hard towards highest quality - in the future as we have done in the past", said Markus Baumgart and added: "With this policy, continuous improvements and production made in Germany we want to keep and gain the confidence in Schmincke Finest Artists' Colours by our retail partners and artists around the world. This follows the founders' claim "Meliora cogito - We strive for the best". This has already been set in 1881 and is still included in the company symbol, the owl."

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