Discover our history

With effect from 01 April 2020 Stephan Schnabel takes over as Chairman of the HELM AG Executive Board.

With this, the family-owned company will also once again be family-managed.

With the participation in the Swiss company Phargentis, HELM develops the advanced therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

HELM establishes Methanol Joint Venture

HELM Proman Methanol AG is established on 01 July, in which HELM participates as a majority shareholder along with two long-term business partners. The newly established company is structured as a sales and distribution platform and has a head office in Europe, Asia and America respectively. This creates the optimal conditions for access to key international markets and secures the supply of Methanol to North America.

North America’s largest methanol plant comes onstream

The Texan production plant Natgasoline LLC, in which HELM has a participation, commences operation in June. With an annual production capacity of 1.75 mt it is one of the largest plants of this type in the world.

HELM Kimya distributed 245.000 mt of chemical products.

HELM Kimya achieved to be number 29 biggest Exporter of Pharmaceuticals produced in Turkey among total 455 companies.

Dieter Schnabel takes over as Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

Hans-Christian Sievers becomes Chairman of the Executive Board of HELM AG on 1 January.

With 151 million Euro, HELM Kimya achieved first time in history a sales turnover in Turkey of more than 100 million Euro.

In Saudi Arabia, production begins with 330,000 metric tons of vinyl acetate monomer and 460,000 metric tons of acetic acid per annum.

Of these production volumes, HELM markets 300,000 metric tons and 180,000 metric tons, respectively.

First export of Pharmaceuticals from Turkey into the European Union.

The Oman Methanol Company, in which HELM holds a stake, starts to operate the production plant in Sohar.

1.05 million metric tons of methanol are produced there each year. HELM is the exclusive marketing partner.

Sales revenues of the HELM Group exceed the 5 billion Euro mark for the first time, at Euro 5,811,355.

With Saudi partners HELM founds a joint venture in order to produce acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer.

HELM Kimya started the distribution of liquid Chemicals in Turkey.

HELM invests in the Arab world.

HELM takes a stake in the Oman Methanol Company (OMC) in Sohar.

HELM started the first Development of a Pharmaceutical Generic together with a partner in Turkey.

Science advances at HELM.

The first in-house developed pharmaceutical generic medication Calcitonin, used to combat osteoporosis, is rolled out on the market.

1986 is the year of the foundation of HELM Kimya Ltd. Şirketi

Dieter Schnabel becomes Chairman of the Executive Board.

Hermann Schnabel hands the management of HELM AG over to his son with the words: "Take care Dieter." The development from trading to international marketing begins.

HELM begins with marketing methanol from Trinidad & Tobago.

Today 4.1 million mt of methanol per annum are produced in five plants at that location.

HELM becomes a family-owned stock corporation.

Now the focus also lies on Asia: HELM Japan Ltd. is founded in Tokyo. In the following decades, the international expansion was intensively pursued.

HELM dares to take the leap across the pond: HELM de México, S.A. is established in Mexico City.

The first foreign subsidiary is established: HELM Skandinavien A/S, Copenhagen.

Hermann Schnabel takes over the company from Karl O. Helm.

With primary focus on chemicals he constitutes the company that today operates worldwide.

Karl O. Helm establishes an import-export company in Hamburg for merchandise of every description.