'''Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH''' is a German holding company headquartered in Duisburg, Germany. It was founded in 1756 in the city of Ruhrort, now Duisburg. Today, it is one of Europe's largest privately owned family businesses. The Haniel family consists of more than 600 family members and is considered one of the wealthiest families in Germany.[2]
History
Foundation
The company was founded in Ruhrort by Jan Willem Noot and began as a colonial goods store. Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, signed the leasehold for the land on 10 February 1756. This year is used as the founding year. Jan Willem Noot's daughter Aletta Haniel and her husband, Jacob Haniel, took on the business after his death.
19th century
Their youngest son Franz Haniel renamed the company and became the main driving force. With his brother Gerhard Haniel they took over the business at the beginning of the nineteenth century and expanded in many business areas, including merchant shipping, mining and trade.