Milestones in our Ritzenhoff history
A look back: The most formative moments of our journey
We are proud to look back on a long history. For this reason, we would like to review the most formative moments once again - discover our milestones!
1800 - 1904
The origins
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, somewhere in the upper Aabach valley (North Rhine-Westphalia). There, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world, the Dutchman A.W. Kapmeier ran a small forest glassworks. A century passed until the forest glassworks moved to Marsberg in 1904 - the foundation stone for the creation of Ritzenhoff.
Ritzenhoff Stories
Insights into 120 years of Ritzenhoff
With our Ritzenhoff Stories, we will give you new, exciting insights into the history and development of Ritzenhoff throughout the anniversary year 2024.
We start with the mouth-blowing workshop: A lot has changed in 120 years. Back then, there were numerous glassblowers, many mouth-blowing workshops and many products that were mouth-blown. Nowadays, however, most production is done by machine. Nevertheless, we keep the tradition alive: our production still has a mouth-blowing workshop for special glasses and patterns. We are very proud that we still have employees who are masters of the art of glassblowing.
1935
Entry of the Ritzenhoff family
The year is 1935. In this year Heinrich Ritzenhoff became managing director. As a glass wholesaler, Heinrich was not only a businessman, but also had a passion for special glasses. Father and son together shaped the future of Ritzenhoff.
1936 - 1991
Growth and transformation
Years passed and the Ritzenhoff family experienced a boom. A finishing plant for lighting glass, a branch for brewery glass and a fully automated glass production facility for drinking glasses were set up. Then in 1974, the Ritzenhoff graphic company was founded - a printing company that produced decals for glass.
1992
The idea of the century
Ritzenhoff became one of the most important drinking glass manufacturers in Europe. What happened next? The idea of the century in 1992: the milk glass. International artists used the milk as a canvas for decorations. The result: the breakthrough on the design market. It didn't take long before other types of glass were also artistically decorated. To this day, our collections inspire design lovers all over the world.
1993 - Today
The Ritzenhoff story. Happy without end
In keeping with the motto: From Marsberg out into the world, a small forest glassworks developed into an internationally renowned company. Our products enchant people in over 60 countries and we are incredibly proud of that. But that doesn't mean that this is the end - we look forward to more years full of exciting moments, together with you!
Hatch × Ritzenhoff
120 years of Ritzenhoff: A work of art like no other! In this artwork, artistic sophistication and playful creativity merge to present the highlights of our 120-year history. From the humble glassblower to the Ritzenhoff showroom – in every detail there is a milestone on our unique journey. Immerse yourself in the world of Ritzenhoff and discover other motifs that have shaped our history!
120 years of Ritzenhoff
Let's celebrate our passion together!
For 120 years, we have been passionate about creating glasses for special moments. But our adventure is far from over - the most beautiful things last forever. We are grateful for our history and look forward to the future. But we don't want to celebrate the anniversary alone - we want to celebrate it with you! On this page, we reveal what surprises await you. Raise your glass and let's toast to many more years!
Our anniversary collection
Style that goes beyond glasses!
We are celebrating 120 years of Ritzenhoff! To mark the occasion, there will be a few very special merchandise items, for example T-shirts designed exclusively by our artist Hatch or an art calendar that takes you through 2024 with exciting Ritzenhoff motifs. Discover our anniversary collection now!
