More than 300 years of Delius

With the acquisition of Johann Caspar Delius' trade license on 11.09.1722, the foundation stone was laid for the DELIUS success story. Thanks to the continuous determination to provide customers with innovative, high-quality products, DELIUS can now look back on a 300-year history in which the company has been able to survive and continue to develop.

In 1837, the company introduced contract manufacturing and was thus able to offer its customers tailor-made linen. The then E.A. Delius & Söhne was thus the first linen trading company in Bielefeld to use industrial production in a workshop system. In 1838, 200 weavers were already employed in this workshop.

In 1839, the system of manufacturing on demand began to falter as quality problems multiplied and competition intensified due to the rapid industrialization of England and the high-margin toiles manufactured on the machine that followed. In response to this situation, Hermann Delius and other entrepreneurs from Bielefeld founded the "Ravensberger Spinnerei" and thus introduced the mechanical production of linen fibers in Westphalia. This is how the challenges of industrialization could be overcome.

In 1845, Gottfried Delius began silk production. In 1852, E.A. Delius & Söhne founded the first maladie caisse in Bielefeld. From 1864, the sale of linen accounted for just 20% of total sales. In 1886, production was extended to the manufacture of furs. As this had become too large, the company was split in two on 1 July 1887. C.A. Delius & Söhne (Carl Albrecht Delius and his sons Paul and Erich) concentrated on silk production, while Delius & Sohn (Hermann Delius and his son Otto) continued to produce linen and plush.

The current DELIUS was reminiscent of Carl Albrecht. From 1897, the international markets, particularly England and the United States, were part of the main markets for Delius tissus. Four factories were built up to 1925. At the time of the First World War and the post-war period, C. A. Delius & Söhne knew the highs and the lows and was able to continue to exist thanks to strategic adaptations.

In the 1930s, it added home textiles to its range. Replacing pure silk with rayon led to an immense increase in sales. This new raw material also made it easier to develop new products. In 1939, the company reached its peak capacity and C.A. Delius & Söhne employed 2689 people.

During the Second World War, the company mainly produced soie for parachutes. In May 1945, civilian production resumed with just 300 employees. It mainly manufactured hardware, chemicals and doublures. In 1952, the first automatic welding machines were introduced. From then on, the focus was on permanent expansion and modernization. Since the mid-1960s, synthetic fibres have been used for the production of high-quality fabrics.

The 1990s were characterized by globalization and an economic downturn. The trend from standardized products to specialized technologies led to a reduction in capacity and a reduction in the workforce. In 1997, the business was taken over by Rudolf and Friedrich Wilhelm Delius in the 9th generation. Since 2002, DELCOTEX has been producing technical textiles in-house with an accredited test laboratory. DELIUS develops and sells contract fabrics with high functionality and aesthetic appeal.