In 2026, Emil Otto GmbH will celebrate its 125th anniversary. Since its founding by Emil Otto in 1901, the company has stood for chemical-technical products of the highest quality, innovative strength, and a deep understanding of industrial manufacturing processes. Over five generations, a small, craft-based chemical company has developed into an internationally active specialist for fluxes, cleaning media, and process chemicals, whose products are now used worldwide in electronics manufacturing, metal processing, mechanical engineering, and the solar industry.
From Magdeburg to Eltville – A story of courage and adaptability
When Emil Otto founded the company of the same name in Magdeburg on January 6, 1901, the environment was characterized by industrial dynamism. German mechanical and plant engineering was experiencing its heyday, and the growing metalworking industry needed auxiliary materials that made soldering processes more efficient and safer. Based in Magdeburg, the company was located at what was then the hot spot of German mechanical engineering. The prospects were promising, and Otto, himself a trained plumber with a keen spirit of research, wanted to develop soldering materials that did not produce harmful fumes and at the same time delivered reliable results.
At that time, companies in the metalworking industry, including well-known names such as Krupp-Gruson and Buckau Wolf, required numerous chemical additives to optimize their production processes. There was particular demand for drilling oils, pickling and polishing agents, and fluxes for soft and hard soldering of iron, copper, and brass. Emil Otto recognized this need early on and specialized in the development and manufacture of such consumables. He focused his work on fluxes, which he continuously developed in different variants and compositions.
It took until he was 40 years old before Emil Otto was able to found his company, „Emil Otto – Fabrikation chemisch-technischer Produkte“ (Emil Otto – Manufacture of Chemical-Technical Products), after numerous inventions, patents, and several unsuccessful attempts. The first core product of his company was a special aid for the protection and maintenance of collectors for direct current electrical machines. This product, known as „Otto's collector smoothing compound,“ gained great importance in the early years of electricity development and contributed significantly to the economic success of the young company. It was only with the increasing spread of alternating current that demand for this special smoothing compound declined.
At the same time, Emil Otto worked intensively on the further development of soldering materials. The acid-free variants available at the time often failed to meet the requirements of the sheet metal and metal goods industry. Driven by the goal of creating safe and effective alternatives, Otto developed a range of new soldering materials. When his first products were ready for market, they quickly found widespread use, especially in plumbing and metalworking companies. Success grew rapidly, and in order to meet the increasing demand, Emil Otto transferred sales to his son-in-law Paul Faßbender. Faßbender expanded the sales structures and successfully introduced the products not only in Germany, but also in Austria, Hungary, France, and Switzerland.
While Faßbender built up the market, Emil Otto continued to devote himself to product development. In the years that followed, numerous new soldering oils, soldering greases, and soldering pastes were developed for a wide range of applications, from electrical components and installation work to precision mechanical components. Even at that time, Otto offered its products in both concentrated and powder form, a unique technical feature that remains to this day.
„Emil Otto remains the only manufacturer worldwide that produces and supplies flux in both aggregate forms, proof of the company's consistent culture of innovation.“
On November 14, 1922, Emil Otto handed over management of the company to his son-in-law Paul Faßbender for health reasons. Faßbender successfully continued to run the company even after the founder's death in 1930. Despite the political and economic turmoil of the time, the company continued to grow. Even the destruction of the production buildings during a bombing raid in January 1945 could not stop the company from continuing to operate. Production was temporarily continued in the remaining cellar rooms until reconstruction was completed.
The division of Germany marked the beginning of a new and difficult phase for the company. After the founding of the GDR, the company, like many others, was converted into a semi-state-owned limited partnership in 1957. The grandson of the company's founder then decided to move to the West and opened a new branch office in Hamburg. Shortly before the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, other family members left the East and moved to West Germany. They acquired a former canning factory in Erbach near Eltville, which was converted into a modern chemical production facility. The company is still based at this location today.
Independence and family tradition as factors for success
Today, Emil Otto GmbH is managed by Barbara and Markus Geßner, the fifth generation of the family. They run the company with a clear commitment to independence, sustainable chemistry, and partnership-based cooperation with customers and research institutions. The combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern process expertise continues to shape the corporate culture to this day.
The fact that Emil Otto has remained a family business is an important factor in building trust for many customers. Decisions are made quickly, developments can be flexibly adapted to specific requirements, and communication with customers takes place on an equal footing.
„This practical approach was already a central component of our company's philosophy in the days of our founder, and 125 years later it remains the foundation of our success.“
A diverse portfolio for modern manufacturing processes
Today, Emil Otto is much more than just a manufacturer of fluxes. The company sees itself as a process partner for its customers. Its product range covers all relevant areas of industrial joining technology, from electronics manufacturing and the solar industry to metal processing and special applications.
Emil Otto offers the following services in electronics manufacturing Fluxes, pastes and cleaning agent for a wide variety of soldering processes, from wave and selective soldering to rework applications and manual soldering. Particular attention is paid to the development of highly innovative and environmentally friendly fluxes that ensure stable wetting properties with minimal residue formation. Close cooperation with machine and system manufacturers allows products to be precisely tailored to process parameters.
Emil Otto has developed special Fluxes and gels that ensure consistently high quality and efficiency when soldering solar cells. The focus here is on temperature stability, reproducible wetting, and low-residue formulation. These are all factors that are crucial for the longevity and efficiency of modern solar modules.
Also in metalworking, in Radiator manufacturing and in the Strip tinning Emil Otto products have been established for decades. Whether for tin plating or hard and soft soldering processes, Emil Otto's fluxes and cleaning agents play a key role wherever metal surfaces need to be permanently joined or refined.
„Our portfolio is constantly expanding. In recent years, environmentally friendly cleaning agents, SMD adhesives, and special formulations have been added, making production processes more efficient and sustainable. This is Emil Otto's response to the growing demand for environmentally friendly, safe, and process-stable chemicals in modern manufacturing.“
Experience as measurable customer benefit
125 years of experience are not only a reason to celebrate, but above all a tangible added value for customers. This long history has resulted in a deep understanding of processes, materials, and industrial conditions. The combination of historical continuity and modern technological expertise leads to solutions that set standards in terms of quality, reliability, and sustainability.
„Our customers benefit in particular from the high process reliability and reproducibility of the products. The formulations are developed in close consultation with users, tested on individual systems, and continuously optimized. Manufacturing at the Eltville site enables short distances, flexibility, and the rapid implementation of customer-specific requirements, from small special batches to series production.“
At the same time, Emil Otto takes its responsibility for the environment and sustainability seriously. Many of today's formulations are halogen-free, VOC-reduced, and water-based in order to conserve resources and avoid emissions. This commitment to sustainable chemistry has long since become a central part of the company's identity.
125 years of continuity and future orientation
The history of Emil Otto reflects German industrial history and is characterized by inventive spirit, resilience in times of crisis, and the ability to constantly reinvent itself and adapt to changing political and economic conditions. From a small-scale chemical business in the 19th century to industrial expansion in the post-war period and modern, internationally networked process chemistry in the 21st century, a common thread of quality, reliability, and customer focus runs through the company's history.
Even after 125 years, the company remains true to its values and quality philosophy, while consistently looking ahead.
„With investments in research and development, the expansion of international cooperation, and a clear focus on sustainable product solutions, we are preparing ourselves for the coming decades.“
What remains is the certainty that the values on which the company was founded, such as precision craftsmanship, inventiveness, and a sense of responsibility, will continue to endure in the future. Emil Otto is thus exemplary of what distinguishes German SMEs worldwide: tradition and innovation in perfect balance.