Company History Company History

In 2005 the Deutschen Amphibolin-Werke von Robert Murjahn celebrated 110 years since its foundation.

Originally founded to mine the mineral amphibole (hornblende/ greenstone slate), the company developed into a manufacturer of coating materials for the construction sector. These materials were initially powder products made from mineral pigments, fillers and the binders chalk/casein ("Murjahn's Coating Powder") and then also from size and water glass, a form of sodium silicate. Later, primarily due to the life's work of Dr. Robert Murjahn, the technology of synthetic dispersion binders shifted into the focus of the product research.

In this field the company assumed the role of a specialist and pioneer, a role which it holds today. Above all the aqueous universal paint binder "Caparol" (Casein, Paraffin, Oleum) - later using synthetic dispersion as the basic raw material instead of oil - became very popular with German painters and decorators.

The following traditional brands should be mentioned as further milestones: The facade paints "Amphibolin", "Muresko" and "AmphiSilan", the interior paints "Alpinaweiß", "Malerit" and "Indeko-plus" as well as numerous specialties and the well-known tinting materials "Alpinacolor" and "AVA".

Stations through a successful development:
1885 Ernst Murjahn and his son Eduard of the Hamburg export and import trading company "Ernst Murjahn & Son" acquire rights for mining manganese in the Odenwald region of Germany. In the following soil analysis Eduard Murjahn stumbles on hornblende, an important mineral of the amphibole group.
1889 Eduard Murjahn concludes on behalf of "Ernst Murjahn & Son" the first mining contracts for working mineral deposits and finds a method of refining the amphibole that has been found. In 1889 in Ernsthoften/Odenwald he founds the "Deutschen Amphibolin-Werke von Eduard Murjahn" and then begins with the manufacture of paint and plaster powder and rust-protection paints.
1894 Robert Murjahn, son of Eduard Murjahn, develops a plaster powder paint based on lime and chalk. In 1894 the powder receives an honorary diploma at an exhibition in Kiel and is awarded a gold medal.
1895 Founding of the company "Deutsche Amphibolin-Werke von Robert Murjahn" in Ober-Ramstadt by the son of Eduard Murjahn. Manufacture of plaster powder paint and "Murjahn's Coating Powder".
1901 Production of sized chalk as hot-water soluble powder paint – a little later under the name "Alpinaweiß".
1909 "Alpinaweiß" is registered as a brand name for limewash. Four years later the production of the first cold-water soluble size powder paint "Alpinaweiß" begins.
1928 Dr. Robert Murjahn develops the aqueous dispersion binder "Caparol" with the aid of which the decorator can produce the required paint himself from pigments and fillers. The brand name is derived from the first letters of the three constituents casein, paraffin and Chinese wood oil (oleum). The new product introduces dispersion binder technology into the painting trade.
1936 Dr. Robert Murjahn employs for the first time an acrylic dispersion in his Caparol binder instead of oil.
The "Caparol Oil-Free Paste" signifies the beginning of modern dispersion paint technology.
1953 Market launch of the "Capaplex" gloss coating agent.
1954 With "Murjahn's Latex Paint" the first ready-to-use dispersion latex paint was launched onto the market.
1956 A dispersion paint based on vinyl propionate is marketed under the traditional name of "Amphibolin".
1957 Founding of Disbon GmbH, Ober-Ramstadt. As a packaging innovation the 1-kg plastic tube for the AVA colorants is introduced. Forming a dough with the powder paint pigments is no longer necessary with the widespread use of the AVA tinting paints.
1959 A redeveloped dispersion filler paint comes onto the market under the traditional brand name of "Muresko".
1963 Introduction of the polymer resin facade paint "Duparol".
With "Disbon 400", Disbon presents one of the first officially approved oil blockers.
1965 In terms of turnover DAW is now Germany's largest dispersion paint plant.
1966 The Austrian Synthesa-Chemie in Perg is taken over. Synthesa is a manufacturer of dispersion paints, adhesives and emery paper for the wood-working industry.
1968 The traditional brand, "Alpinaweiß", is the first and most well-known branded article in Germany in the field of paints and since 1979 it is Europe's most sold interior paint.
1972 Presentation of the - even today - most successful full-pack colour mixing system in the new generation – "Alpinacolor".
1973 Market launch of the acrylic enamel "Capacryl".
1976 A modernised range of silicate paints is introduced under the brand name "Sylitol".
1978 After the death of Dr. Robert Murjahn, his son Dr. Klaus Murjahn who has been a director since 1973, takes over the management of the DAW.
Market introduction of the automated tinting system "Capamix" for paints, enamels and renders/plasters.
1981 Founding of Capatect Dämmsysteme GmbH & Co. Energietechnik KG, Ober-Ramstadt. Capactect markets thermally insulating composites and render/plaster systems
1983 Founding of Alpina Farben Vertriebs GmbH & Co. KG, Ober-Ramstadt.
1984 The striped elephant becomes the new company logo for Caparol.
1985 Presentation of internationally the first emission-minimised, plasticizer and solvent-free interior paint – "Indeko-plus E.S.F."
1987 With "AmphiSilan", a rain-repellent, but highly diffusion-active facade paint is brought onto the market.
1989

Founding of Caparol Farben GmbH & Co KG. The "Deutschen Amphibolin-Werke von Robert Murjahn" becomes the holding company.
The marketing companies of DAW are: Caparol, Capatect, Disbon and Alpina.
The group achieves for the first time a turnover of over € 250 million.
1990 Take-over of Fries-Burgholzer, Perg/Austria, manufacturer of mineral renders/plasters.
1991 "Alpinaweiß" and "Alpina Environmental Interior Paint" are judged "very good" by the consumer testing organisation, Stiftung Warentest.
1992 Take-over of Lacufa AG, Berlin with four production plants from the trust establishment, Treuhandanstalt Berlin. Lacufa production plants are: Fürstenwalde, Köthen, Rückmarsdorf and Nerchau. There are Lacufa offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
1993 Introduction of the Capalac range of enamels and glazes.
1995 Anniversary celebrations with customers and suppliers for 100 years of "DAW".
The Caparol Group takes over 100% of Alligator-Farbwerke GmbH & Co KG.
1996 The most modern dispersion paint plant in Europe starts operation at the company headquarters in Ober-Ramstadt. The 46-metre high silo tower for raw materials is a visible symbol of this expansion.
1998 Caparol opens the most modern synthetic enamel plant in Europe at Köthen. The Swedish paint plant, AB N. Haglund Färgindustri/ Gothenburg, is taken over.
New marketing concept 2000: Caparol, Capatect and Disbon are combined to form the new marketing company "Caparol Farben Lacke Bautenschutz".
1999 Premiere and introduction of the pioneering colour shade collection "Caparol 3D System for building paints".
2001 Formal opening of the new production plant of Caparol Italiana in Vermezzo.
2002 DAW France opens its new production site in Boves (Amiens).
2003

Founding of Caparol Shanghai with its own production for the Chinese market.
Restructuring of the Caparol Business Units.
Founding of the Deutsche Amphibolin-Werke von Robert Murjahn Stiftung & Co KG
2004 Market launch of Muresko, the new class of facade paint based on SilaCryl®.
Market launch of the Nespri-TEC® System for mist-free spray coating of facades.
2005 DAW celebrates its 110-year company anniversary.
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