1382 The origins of the Schoeller family can be traced back to 1382. The family belonged to the regional nobility.

1550 Joeris Schoeller buys parts of an ironworks in Gemünd in the Eifel and thus lays the foundations for the Schoeller family business. In the 16th century the Schoellers convert to Protestantism and give up their title. In the 17th century a descendent of Joeris, Philipp Dietrich Schoeller, runs a smelting works in Gemünd; he also owns coal mines and large estates in Schleiden, Heimbach and Dreiborn.

1799 Johann Arnold Schoeller, father of Leopold Schoeller, later the founder of the carpet merchants, moves with his family from the Eifel to Düren and founds the soon to be very successful “Feintuchfabrik Schoeller” (Schoeller’s factory for fine cloth) with his brother Heinrich Wilhelm.

1815 Leopold Schoeller founds a cloth factory in Düren with his brother Friedrich.

1842 Leopold Schoeller sets up business on his own and founds his own cloth factory in Düren under the name of “Leopold Schoeller & Söhne”. He thus follows the goal, on the one hand, of pursuing his own ideas and, on the other hand, of passing an independent business to his sons later on.

1854 Only a few years after the revolution in 1848/49 a remarkable industrial boom starts. A series of newly invented machines offers a wealth of potential for expansion in the textile industry. In 1852 Leopold Schoeller learns of the warp dyeing method. He immediately takes out a Prussian patent for these so-called “printed carpets” On 1 July 1854, once all the conditions have been met, Schoeller opens the “carpet merchants’ business” under the roof of his cloth factory, under the management of his fourth son Philipp Eberhard Leopold.

1867 The early stages of the carpet factory prove to be difficult for various reasons. The yarns that were first procured from the family’s own worsted spinning mill in Breslau are too expensive, the machine engineering is not fully developed and the staff at the cloth factory do not have enough technical know-how for carpet manufacture. The costs are too high compared with the quantity of carpets produced. Under these circumstances, Leopold Schoeller appoints his fifth son, Philipp Schoeller, as manager of the company.

1868 Under the management of Philipp Schoeller the carpet factory evolves from the cloth merchants. Business starts to flourish. Before long, 8 new looms have to be purchased so that a total of 27 looms are in operation. The uniquely patterned, hand woven carpets from the Orient serve as models for carpet production at Schoeller. Simultaneously the company strives to find its own style, as in all areas of craftsmanship in German industry.

1873 The company is entered in the Aachen companies register under the name of “Gebrüder Schoeller & Co.”. At the same time the carpets, which by this time have gained a good reputation, are labelled with the ANKER (= anchor) symbol as the manufacturing brand. The anchor stands as a symbol for trade and for commercial solidarity. It is registered as the trademark for the carpet factory on 29 February 1876.

1879 The new buildings constructed in the centre of Düren only a few years previously are no longer enough. Philipp Schoeller decides to move one part of the factory to neighbouring Birkesdorf. Schoeller buys an approx. 63 acre plot of land (around 16 hectares) on the Rur from the local authority. Over the course of the continuing boom, additional sites are acquired on both banks of the Rur.

1904 Philipp Schoeller dies and his widow Anna and his son – also called Philipp – take over management of the carpet factory together with Leo Schoeller, a great-grandson of the founder of the company. Philipp Schoeller jr. moves the factory completely to Birkesdorf.

1913 The building work in Birkesdorf is not entirely completed until 1913. The carpet factory undergoes a remarkable boom between 1910 and 1913. Turnover increases from 3.5 to over 5 million marks.

1914 Even before the outbreak of the First World War, the effects of the slump in a difficult, international political situation had been noticeable. In spring 1914 production is no longer running at full pace. Supplies of materials and raw materials are nearing exhaustion. The carpet factory now weaves fabric for the military. Many workers are conscripted, others are made redundant as a result of the lack of materials. ANKER is not only cut off from the foreign yarn suppliers, neither is anyone interested in a luxury article like carpets any longer.

1918/19 After the end of the war Germany experiences a winter of revolutionary turmoil. In December 1918 English troops first enter Düren and in November 1919 French troops occupy the Rhineland. Once the Zentral-Wollhandels-Gesellschaft (central wool trade company) has made wool available from the empire’s war stocks, the carpet factory is weaving carpets again from spring 1919. Yarn can again be procured from England from May on and there is a rapid recovery.

1920 As in all sectors of industry, the carpet industry also suffers from the consequences of incipient inflation. In order to find the appropriate equivalent value for its goods, ANKER only sells in US dollars from August 1922 on. This is how the company manages to save the firm’s capital without significant losses over the years of inflation.

1923 The next generation takes over: Philipp’s son Werner is granted Prokura (power of attorney) in 1923. He brings a breath of fresh air to the carpet factory, in contrast to his father who is rooted in the pre-war era. The “Golden Twenties” bless the Schoellers with a brief boom phase.

1925/26 After the World War and inflation, the “Dawes Plan” ensures reasonably stable economic conditions and foreign funds flow into Germany. The demand for carpets increases rapidly. Werner Schoeller increasingly concentrates on “contract business”, i.e. fitting large-scale building projects. Numerous prestigious orders are received in Düren. For example, Schoeller supplies the carpets for the legendary Hotel Adlon in Berlin in 1925.

1929 After the brief period of the “Golden Twenties”, the depression dominates the political climate in Germany. The NSDAP wins more and more backing. In upper middle-class circles, people tend to detach themselves from the political events of the day, where the National Socialists are attracting attention with terrible actions.

1930 ANKER supplies carpets for the famous zeppelins, which are also used in transatlantic airship services. These carpets need to be extremely lightweight but must also be fire-retardant.

1939 The start of the Second World War means a dramatic turning point for the carpet factory. There is soon a serious shortage of labour. Werner Schoeller also has to produce for the armaments industry from 1940. He first manufactures semi-finished products for armaments, later 50 kilo bombs are manufactured. French, Ukrainian and Belgian female workers are also used for this from 1942. However, as in the First World War, carpet manufacture is not shut down now either.

1944 Despite growing difficulties in procuring raw materials, Werner Schoeller maintains production in the carpet factory until the autumn of 1944. On 19 July the first bombs fall on the carpet factory buildings. On 16 November Düren is almost completely destroyed.

1945 Werner Schoeller starts on reconstruction of the badly damaged carpet factory as early as summer 1945. Whatever machinery is left is repaired or reassembled. By the end of 1945, 193 staff are already working in the factory again. They produce carrier bags made of paper, wool blankets and sack cloth. It is not possible to manufacture carpet runners, rugs and carpets again until 1946.

1948 Currency reform brings the turning point for the carpet factory too. The economy stabilises quickly, the order books are well filled and the workforce grows rapidly. Towards the end of 1949, the flagship of the ANKER carpet factory, the warp dyeing plant, is brought back into operation. In 1951 ANKER is again producing as many square metres of carpet as before the war.

1954 On the 100th anniversary of the company, the Schoeller family organises a large celebration for employees and their families. Large-scale investments are necessary in order to be able to expand production further still. Among other things, a new boiler plant for generating steam and electricity is acquired.

1956 According to market research, classic Persian carpets are equally popular at the time of the “economic miracle” as modern designs with stylised patterns. Schoeller has to react to this. Pattern designers and external artists are hired, like Siegmund von Weech, Charlotte Gecks and Elsbeth Kupferot.

1958 ANKER produces the Expo carpet, designed by Prof. Margret Hildebrandt, for the German pavilion at the World Fair in Brussels. In 1967 this carpet is awarded the Rosenthal-Studio Prize for a product for the home with outstanding design. In 1989 the “Expo” is produced again as a limited edition for trade shops.

1959 After a protracted phase of experimentation and development with synthetic fibres ANKER launches Perlon Rips on the market. This carpet is manufactured from perlon and is extremely hard-wearing. At this stage, no one has any idea that this product will one day become the flagship product for the carpet factory and a carpeting classic for the market. About this time, rugs are increasingly going out of fashion and “wall-to-wall” carpets are becoming more and more popular.

1964/65 Werner Schoeller gives his son-in-law, Alexander Schoeller, a share in management of the company as a general partner and managing director. Fundamental modernisation and rationalisation are carried out. Warp figure dyeing is outdated and is discontinued. In 1965, the German Carpet Research Institute is founded in Aachen. The management at ANKER plays a key role in this. The growing contract carpet business necessitates that verifiable standards are established for properties like wear, fastness to light, etc.

1968 ANKER introduces a new method for carpet manufacture: tufting. The flourishing contract carpet business encompasses fitting administrative buildings, banks and building societies, schools and universities, hotels and restaurants, theatres, museums, libraries, hospitals and retirement homes, as well as large housing projects. In addition to this come carpets for airlines, ships and trains. Innovations are also introduced in the areas of marketing and distribution. ANKER exhibits at the Frankfurt spring fair “Heimtextil” for the first time.

1973 The oil crisis has a major impact on carpet production. Prices for synthetic fibres manufactured from oil go up in price by 172 per cent. The slump in the building sector, on which the carpet industry depends, surpasses all the crises the sector has previously undergone. ANKER is compelled to cut the workforce, over 160 staff are made redundant.

1976 Werner Schoeller dies at the age of 80 years. Alexander Schoeller continues the family tradition in management of the company. He assumes the inheritance at a time of great difficulty for the carpet industry. “Stand out from the crowd” with reliable quality products at reasonable prices is his motto. This also means giving up areas that are not profitable. One year later, production of rugs is discontinued. Alexander Schoeller endeavours to make up for lost ground again with various innovative products.

1979 ANKER celebrates its 125th anniversary on a large scale with a reception, works party and an open house. As part of the contract carpet business, ANKER is awarded the contract to supply around 42,000,000 sq.m. of carpet for the ICC Berlin.

1984 ANKER attains its goal of 100 million DM in turnover. A notable achievement at a time of a significant slump in the economy. In the 1980s, the industrial sector continues to lose importance in all industrial societies. In the Federal Republic of Germany, this process accelerates between 1980 and 1985, as the services sector asserts its dominant position. To aggravate the situation for the carpets branch, steel, glass and wood are used more and more by architects and interior designers and there is little room left for textiles.

1987 Fate deals the Schoeller family heavy blows. On 17 December, Alexander Schoeller dies after a serious illness, only five weeks after his wife has died. A shock for the three sons, those directly connected with the family and the workforce at the carpet factory. Alexander Schoeller was scarcely able to prepare the handover of the company and his sons are not old enough to be able to assume the full inheritance. Administration of the Schoeller sons’ stakes in the business is therefore transferred to an advisory board, which is composed of several people close to the family.

1990 ANKER launches the new “Chromojet-Spritzdruck” jet printing production method: in this process an unbleached white carpet is colour-printed using a movable print head. (In 1997 ANKER installs its own printing plant in Düren.) The company management also confronts the challenges posed by environmentally friendly production and, together with other carpet manufacturers, it initiates formation of the association for environmentally friendly carpets (“Gemeinschaft umweltfreundlicher Teppichboden”).

1993 Markus Schoeller, the oldest son of Marion and Alexander Schoeller, starts work in the company after graduation from university. The reunification of Germany provides the economic climate in Germany with a boost from 1991 on. Turnover increases to between 130 and 145 million DM annually from 1991. ANKER makes substantial investments – in subsequent years too – in modernisation of its machinery.

1995 ANKER is awarded the prestigious contract to fit the German parliament building (Reichstag) in Berlin with carpets. In Düren, the first source air carpet is developed especially for this purpose. It allows draught-free air-conditioning upwards through the carpet.

1997 The former carpet factory changes its name to “ANKER-Teppichboden Gebr. Schoeller GmbH + Co. KG” from 1997 on. With its new name, the company now also makes it clear to the outside world that it only manufactures textile floor coverings.

2004 After the downturn in business that had been heralded since mid 2000, ANKER undergoes reorganisation under new management. After internal structures have been optimised, the product portfolio streamlined and a new corporate design developed, continuous growth in turnover is achieved in the years between 2004 and 2008.

2009 The collapse of the global financial markets hits the contract carpet business badly. The continuous dyeing and skein-dyeing plants and chromojet printing plants are shut down. ANKER confronts the drop in turnover with sensational innovations to its products. This year, it is time to celebrate the absolute carpeting classic: Perlon Rips is 50 years old. This prototypical first contract carpeting, which is the equal of any hard flooring in terms of wear-resistance, remains the company’s flagship product to this day.

2010 ANKER again underlines its leading position in the development of high-end carpeting for upmarket commercial property. The company from Düren produces the world’s first carpet with thermal embossing and the world’s first carpet that is entirely composed of recycled materials. Turnover develops positively again, in particular, the aviation business strengthens significantly.