Tradition
Tradition – at the interface of modern economic considerations
The tanning trade is one of the oldest professions on our planet. And it can also be counted among those that remain in the hands of one and the same family for the longest time. The example of the Gimmel Tannery shows that regardless of the economic changes and the ever-changing environment, a family business can certainly hold its own at the interface of tradition and prevailing economic values.
From small and very modest beginnings, it has emerged as a company which is one of the most advanced in Europe. To make this development at all possible, a tremendous desire for freedom and independence was necessary: you must want to shape your own destiny. On the other hand, family circumstances must allow the business to be handed over from one generation to the next. But these changes are not decided solely by the families. In 1848, Johannes Gimmel was able to acquire the tannery, located in the suburb of Arbon at the time, from the Stoffel family. After five generations in the trade, the Stoffel family decided to turn to other activities in future.