Ögussa

Ögussa — formally the Österreichische Gold- und Silber-Scheideanstalt Ges.m.b.H. — is an Austrian precious-metals company headquartered in Vienna and known as "the Austrian gold factory." Its roots reach back to 1862, when Georg Adam Scheid and Michael Markowitsch founded the jewellery and silverware firm Markowitsch & Scheid in Vienna. After Scheid left in 1882 to found his own jewellery factory and, in 1884, the Georg Adam Scheid'sche Affinerie, the refining business grew into a recognized name among goldsmiths, with branches in Budapest, Amstetten, Prague and Bucharest as well as in Austria. In 1962 the Scheid refinery merged with the Louis Rössler firm — in which Degussa AG had held a limited-partner stake since 1923 — to form Ögussa (Österreichische Gold- und Silberscheideanstalt Scheid & Rössler). Degussa gradually bought out the remaining private partners between 1988 and 1990, and in 1999 Ögussa was fully merged into Degussa Austria GmbH. Today the company operates as a subsidiary within the AGOSI/Umicore group. Ögussa describes itself as Austria's market leader in precious-metal processing and recycling, employing around 160 people. It buys, sells and recycles precious metals and supplies high-purity metals and alloys of gold, silver, platinum and palladium in the form of precision semi-finished products such as sheets, foils, fine wires, strips, tubes and rods. It also sells investment products directly to consumers through its webshop, including Ögussa fine gold bars, fine silver bars with guaranteed stamped fineness, and gold coins such as ducats and Vienna Philharmonics. The company emphasizes quality and precision in manufacturing and frames its corporate philosophy around clean technologies and sustainability, with the group earning most of its revenue from innovative, environmentally friendly approaches and dedicating major R&D efforts to automotive exhaust catalysts, materials for rechargeable batteries, photovoltaic applications, fuel cells and the recycling of valuable materials. Its stated aim is to create sustainable value under the motto "Materials for a better life." Ögussa maintains branches in Vienna (two locations), Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz, Klagenfurt and Dornbirn — most of them established between 1927 and 1932 — and an international representative office in Prague. The brand combines a long heritage as an Austrian precious-metals refiner with a modern role in industrial materials and recycling within a global specialty-materials group.

The history of Ögussa begins in 1862 with the founding of the jewellery and silverware firm Markowitsch & Scheid in Vienna by Georg Adam Scheid and Michael Markowitsch. Scheid had come from Württemberg to Vienna in 1858 and entered the workshop of the silversmith and jeweller Michael Markowitsch, his later father-in-law; with the establishment of their joint OHG in 1862 he became a partner. After Scheid's later departure, Markowitsch & Scheid continued under the same name, led by Adolf Markowitsch, son of Michael Markowitsch, until the firm was dissolved in 1898. In 1882 Scheid left the joint business — by then employing around 300 people — and founded the Vienna-based jewellery factory Georg Adam Scheid, which successfully sold its products in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom. In 1884 Scheid also founded the precious-metals refinery named Georg Adam Scheid'sche Affinerie, which soon became a recognized name among goldsmiths. Driven by domestic and foreign demand, branches were established in Budapest (1891–1945), Amstetten (1908–1926; sold), Prague (1920–1945) and Bucharest (1923–1945), as well as the branch offices that still exist in Austria today. In 1894 Scheid's sons Arthur (1870–1897) and Robert (1872–1950) and his nephew Georg (1850–1937) joined the management as partners. In 1911 Georg Adam Scheid retired, and Robert and Georg Scheid, later Robert and his younger brother Ludwig Scheid (1886–1960), took over management. The collapse of the overseas market for the jewellery sector and the poor economic conditions after the end of the Second World War led to the liquidation of the jewellery factory, while the refinery continued in its original form until 1962. In 1962 the refinery merged with the firm of Louis Rössler (1850–1910), in which Degussa AG had been a limited partner since 1923 and which since 1960 was half-owned by Österreichische Chemische Werke Ges.m.b.H. (from 1993 Degussa Austria GmbH and from 2000 Degussa-Hüls CEE). The merged company took the name Ögussa (Österreichische Gold- und Silberscheideanstalt Scheid & Rössler), at that time still operated as a Ges.m.b.H. & Co KG. Between 1988 and 1990 Degussa Austria acquired Ögussa completely through the step-by-step purchase of the remaining shares from private partners, and in 1999 Ögussa was fully merged into Degussa Austria GmbH. Today the company is a subsidiary of AGOSI/Umicore. Ögussa's branch network reflects its long-standing presence across Austria: locations in Vienna (Gumpendorfer Straße 85 in the 6th district and Liesing-Flur-Gasse 4 in the 23rd district), Linz (Hessenplatz 7), Salzburg (Schwarzstraße 11), Innsbruck (Leopoldstraße 42), Graz (Hans Sachs-Gasse 12), Klagenfurt (Villacher Straße 1b) and Dornbirn (Marktstraße 16A), plus an international representative office in Prague (Soukenická ul. 12). Most of the Austrian branches outside Dornbirn were founded between 1927 and 1932. In the present day, Ögussa presents itself as Austria's market leader in precious-metal processing and recycling with around 160 employees, supplying high-purity metals and alloys in precision semi-finished forms and selling investment bars and coins, while its corporate group focuses on clean technologies and sustainability, including automotive exhaust catalysts, rechargeable-battery materials, photovoltaics, fuel cells and materials recycling under the motto "Materials for a better life."

• 1999

  Ögussa is fully merged into Degussa Austria GmbH.

• 1988

  Beginning of Degussa Austria's step-by-step acquisition of the remaining private shares in Ögussa (completed 1990).

• 1962

  Merger of the Scheid refinery with the Louis Rössler firm to form Ögussa (Österreichische Gold- und Silberscheideanstalt Scheid & Rössler).

• 1923

  Degussa AG becomes a limited partner in the Louis Rössler firm; establishment of a branch in Bucharest (operated until 1945).

• 1920

  Establishment of a branch in Prague (operated until 1945).

• 1911

  Georg Adam Scheid retires; Robert and Georg Scheid, later Robert and Ludwig Scheid, take over management.

• 1908

  Establishment of a branch in Amstetten (operated until 1926; sold).

• 1898

  Dissolution of Markowitsch & Scheid.

• 1894

  Scheid's sons Arthur and Robert and his nephew Georg join the management as partners.

• 1891

  Establishment of a branch in Budapest (operated until 1945).

• 1884

  Founding of the Georg Adam Scheid'sche Affinerie precious-metals refinery.

• 1882

  Georg Adam Scheid leaves the joint business and founds the jewellery factory Georg Adam Scheid in Vienna.

• 1877

  Founding of the firm Louis Rössler, trading in and purchasing precious metals.

• 1873

  Founding of Degussa in Frankfurt.

• 1862

  Founding of Markowitsch & Scheid jewellery and silverware manufacturing in Vienna by Georg Adam Scheid and Michael Markowitsch.

Austria's market leader in precious-metal processing and recycling, combining a heritage as "the Austrian gold factory" since 1862 with industrial materials and sustainability-focused R&D.

• Ögussa Feingoldbarren (fine gold bars)

  Fine gold bars in various sizes, available directly from the Austrian manufacturer via the webshop.

• Ögussa Feinsilberbarren (fine silver bars)

  Fine silver bars in various sizes with guaranteed stamped fineness.

• Gold coins

  Various exclusive gold coins, including gold ducats and Vienna Philharmonics.

• Precious-metal semi-finished products

  High-purity metals and alloys of gold, silver, platinum and palladium in the form of sheets, foils, fine wires, strips, tubes and rods.

1. 1Ögussa - Gold & Silber kaufen und verkaufen seit 1862oegussa.at
2. 2Geschichte der ÖGUSSAoegussa.at
3. 3Barrierefreiheitoegussa.at
4. 4Ögussawikidata.org
5. 5Ögussade.wikipedia.org