1900 Karl Otto Helm, a merchant, sets up the company in Hamburg to import and export a wide range of products, including furniture, textile goods, porcelain, fragrances and spices. (Karl Otto Helm)
	1950 Hermann Schnabel takes over the company. Success comes quickly due to specialization in chemical trading, business acumen and the creation of a streamlined, modern organization. (Hermann Schnabel)

1960 In the early sixties work starts on expansion abroad, with branch offices in Copenhagen, Madrid and Mexico, D.F.

1970 Turnover reaches 180 million euro, with branch offices in 10 countries, Karl O. Helm company employs 300 people.

1978 Karl O. Helm is turned into a family-owned stock corporation called HELM AG.

1980 The number of employees doubled to 600, the company has a presence in 20 countries, and with 557 million euro the turnover tripled.

1984 Dieter Schnabel becomes chairman of the executive board.

1986 Foundation of Helm Kimya Ltd. Sti.. Its function is to purchase and to market all chemicals within the product line of Helm AG.

1995 Start of pharmaceutical developments of finished products together with Eczacıbaşı.

2004 On November 3rd 2004 HELM starts the local distribution of chemical liquids in Turkey

2007 Takeover of Strathmann Biotec GmbH & Co. KG together with Gedeon Richter

2009 With EURO 9,121 million in turnover, the business year 2008 turned out to be the most successful year in the more than hundred-year history of HELM AG.