Annual review
1910:
On November 19, Ingeborg Häußler is born in Engelsbrand/Württ.
1949:
Founding of the company on Lake Constance under the name "Ingeborg Häußler Kressbronn". On September 19, authorization is granted by the former state of Württemberg-Hohenzollern for the wholesale of tea, cocoa, and coffee.
The first tea bags are made from surgical gauze. The gauze is laid out in multiple layers and cut into hexagons. The tea is weighed using apothecary scales. The threads are glued to the labels in home work and sealed to the tea bags with an aluminum cap and pliers for parcel seals.
The attempt to also pack and sell coffee portioned in individual bags fails. The coffee quickly loses its aroma in the air. Ingeborg Sauter concentrates on tea.
1950:
The first dosing device for tea is built by Gerhard Klar, the son of the company founder from her first marriage, while he is still a student.
1951:
The gauze bags are replaced by heat-sealable paper. Using a purchased sealing machine with heating wires and a folding device, chains of prefabricated, still open tea bags are produced. After the tea has been dosed and filled, the tea bags are closed with the 3rd seal. The threads are attached with a hand stapler.
1952:
The first integrated device with dosing and sealing is created as a prototype. From this, the first usable but still nameless machine develops very quickly.
Around this time, the first teas are sold with a brand of a small Chinese man. The symbol had been designed by the artist Bernd Bytomski. At some point it is named Goldmännchen.
1953:
The company founder marries again and is henceforth named Sauter. This creates the name combination "Häußler & Sauter", which is still passed down to this day.
In the same year, the first real small tea bag machine is also created. It is given the name "Superte". Gerhard Klar receives a patent for the construction. The machine sells well.
1955:
The next tea bag machine, originally named "Roberte", later PT-10, attaches the thread and label to the sealed single-chamber bag. It is also filed for a patent by Gerhard Klar on August 26. The machine proves itself and is also a great success on the market. Operational machines can still be found 40 years later.
On July 3, the trademark Goldmännchen-TEE is registered.
1957:
On September 25, the company "Häußler & Sauter oHG" is founded. This takes place with the involvement of Ingeborg Sauter's mother, Berta Häußler. Counted this way, the company is actually already in its fourth generation today. The commercial register number from that time is still valid today.
1960:
On August 1, the branch office in Soltau/Lüneburger Heide is opened.
1961:
Gerhard Klar receives his doctorate (Dr.-Ing.) from the TU Munich.
1964:
On February 14, the first pharmaceutical manufacturing authorization is granted by the Tübingen regional council. Packaging of the first medicinal teas in Kressbronn. A recipe for a blend of fennel, anise, and caraway is discovered in old herbal books, and it is decided to revitalize ancient herbal knowledge.
1965:
Acquisition of the OST-INDIEN TEE COMPAGNIE, a traditional name in the tea industry, with the Clipper-Tee brand.
1966:
8 tea blends, which were registered as medicinal teas, receive approvals. The products, including "Fennel-Anise-Caraway," are launched exclusively in pharmacies. This marks the first time a blend of this kind is placed on the market industrially.
Construction of a new production facility in Kressbronn, a multi-story building featuring the capability to feed the machines with tea from above in a product-friendly manner.
1967:
The company becomes "Häußler & Sauter KG".
The "Fruit Tea with Vitamin C" is created. Tests show that even with boiling infusion, sufficient vitamins transfer into the tea.
1968:
On January 9, the Ministry of the Interior of Baden-Württemberg issues approval under number X1592/82 to manufacture the fruit tea with Vitamin C (at that time, a permit was still required for this). This is presumably the very first vitaminized tea blend in the world to be placed on the market.
In the same year, the PT-20 double-chamber tea bag machine is developed. Dr. Gerhard Klar receives a patent for the particularly clear and simple machine principle. The original design continues to be developed to this day and remains competitive.
1969:
Start of construction on a new production facility in Soltau with a high-bay warehouse, one of the first automated high-bay warehouses in Germany.
1976:
Development of Big Bag logistics for tea, an innovation in the tea industry that quickly caught on. Tea is no longer transported in chests and sacks (25 - 50 kg), but in large flexible containers (500 - 750 kg), in which it is kept hygienically, protected from odors, and secure.
Construction of the high-bay warehouse in Kressbronn.
1985:
30 years of Goldmännchen is celebrated.
1987:
Founding of "H&S Tee-Gesellschaft mbH & Co KG", which takes over operational business activities.
1990:
Even before the monetary union, the first products are delivered to the GDR. From the very beginning, Dr. Gerhard Klar is convinced that production must also take place in East Germany in order to create value and jobs there. Therefore, a cooperation with a former VEB (state-owned enterprise) is sought.
As early as December 1, production begins in Thuringia in rented premises using HST machines. This quickly becomes the starting point for a larger commitment in Thuringia.
1991:
Construction of a production expansion in Soltau.
1992:
Start of construction of a new production facility in St. Gangloff (Thuringia).
1993:
On June 1st, relocation to the plant in St. Gangloff (Thuringia) while construction was still ongoing. Goldmännchen-TEE quickly becomes a popular tea in the New Federal States.
Expansion of the PT-20 tea bag machine to the PT-33 (aroma protection envelope). The machine can process extremely thin films and therefore produces particularly environmentally friendly products.
1994:
Construction of a new mechanical engineering hall in Kressbronn.
1996:
In June, Goldmännchen-TEE is awarded the Thuringian quality and origin seal for 4 herbal teas.
1998:
Start of construction for the second construction phase in St. Gangloff (Thuringia), distribution center and fully automated high-bay warehouse.
On November 27th, the entrepreneurial family is awarded the Economic Medal of the State of Baden-Württemberg.
1999:
Stephanie Klar, the wife of Dr. Wolfgang Klar, the grandson of the company founder, has since taken over responsibility for the quality of the products. To this day, she tastes all teas herself, selects them, purchases them, and manages development and marketing.
2001:
Takeover of the company management by Dr. Wolfgang Klar.
Dr. Gerhard Klar focuses increasingly on mechanical engineering.
2003:
Start of construction for the fourth construction phase in Kressbronn: distribution center and tripling of the high-bay warehouse.
2004:
H&S Tee number 1 in recommendation frequency of medicinal tea series.
2005:
On June 7th, the founder I. Sauter passes away highly respected at the age of 94.
2008:
After several years of development: Sale of our first tea bag machine with a knot instead of a metal clasp on the tea bag. Especially noteworthy is that almost all existing tea bag machines from our company can be retrofitted. As a result, our machine customers have received a high level of investment protection.
Another advantage of our knot: The bag cannot tear off when you pull the string, as the knot consists of self-looping loops.
2010/2011:
Development of a series of teas with Bach flowers. Stephanie Klar came up with the idea through her positive experiences with using Bach flowers in the family.
2013:
Now a solution for a knot instead of a metal clasp on the tea bag tag is also being used. This technology can also be retrofitted to the existing machines.
2019:
Development of a high-quality packaging method for the cartoning of our tea bag machines: Foodboard™ seals the box against harmful substances such as MOSH/MOAH and the like. This is achieved by combining folding flaps in the edge area with the special carton material Foodboard™ from the Mayr-Melnhof Group. The new system can be retrofitted to all standard cartoners in our machine park.
2023:
We look back on 70 years of mechanical engineering. As of January 1, 2023, we have spun off the mechanical engineering division as an independently operating company in order to better meet the increasing demands of our customers.
But only the company name has changed to "HST Packing Machines GmbH & Co KG". Our machines keep running and running. Hence our motto: Decades connect us.
Today:
We have been working towards this for almost 75 years: you become our valued customer and enjoy our tea or let it help you heal.
