KG Deutsche Gasrußwerke GmbH & Co

KG Deutsche Gasrußwerke GmbH & Co (DGW) is a German medium-sized chemical company based in Dortmund that manufactures carbon black — the industrial black used in tires, rubber, plastics, inks and other applications — and also produces electricity and district heating as by-products of its process. The company traces its origins to 1936, when it was founded as Russwerke Dortmund, and began industrial carbon black production in Dortmund in 1938 using the so-called gas black process. It later added the furnace black process, with production starting in 1956 after the expansion of its facilities in 1954. DGW describes itself as a chemical company with both tradition and innovation, and as a significant carbon black manufacturer closely connected to internationally active companies in the chemical and tire industries. Its product range includes carbon black, furnace black and gas black, alongside energy. The company has operated at its Dortmund site for decades and has trained apprentices in technical and commercial professions since 1979. Beyond carbon black, DGW has developed an energy business. In 1983 it began generating electricity by post-combustion of the residual gas that is a by-product of carbon black production, and expanded electricity production in 1989. Since 1994 it has supplied district heating to the city of Dortmund, today through DEW21. In 2022, growing district heating production and the expansion of DEW21's network allowed DGW to help replace a fossil-fuel power plant, saving 45,000 tonnes of CO2. The company reached a production milestone of four million tonnes of carbon black since its founding in 2006, celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2016, and set a new production record of 133,000 tonnes of carbon black in 2017. It continues to invest in environmental and logistical improvements, including additional condensation plants for CO2-free district heating in 2018 and a rail tank car unloading station completed in 2020. DGW remains an active, privately held, medium-sized enterprise at its Dortmund headquarters.

KG Deutsche Gasrußwerke GmbH & Co was founded in 1936 as Russwerke Dortmund. In 1938, the company — under the name Deutsche Gasrußwerke — began industrial production of carbon black (industrial black) in Dortmund using the so-called gas black process. This process, based on a controlled graduated combustion of gas, produces the carbon black that the company describes as "the stuff of which diamonds are made." In 1954 the company expanded its production facilities and entered furnace black technology, with production starting in 1956. This dual capability in gas black and furnace black positioned DGW as a supplier to the rubber and tire industries as well as other chemical applications. From 1979, DGW began training its own apprentices at its Dortmund headquarters in technical and commercial professions, a practice it continues. In 1983, the company started generating electricity by post-combustion of the residual gas that is a by-product of carbon black production. This marked the beginning of its energy business. Electricity production was expanded in 1989. Since 1994, DGW has supplied district heating to the city of Dortmund, today delivered through the utility DEW21. In 2006, the company produced its four-millionth tonne of carbon black since its founding. In 2016, DGW celebrated its 80th anniversary. In 2017, it achieved a new production record of 133,000 tonnes of carbon black. In 2018, DGW installed two additional condensation plants (Wrasenkondensatoren) to increase CO2-free district heating. In 2020, it completed a rail tank car unloading station, improving logistics flexibility and environmental performance. In 2022, through its growing district heating production and the expansion of DEW21's district heating network, DGW helped replace a fossil-fuel power plant, saving 45,000 tonnes of CO2 — a major step toward future climate neutrality in Dortmund. Today, DGW remains an innovative medium-sized enterprise at its Dortmund site, manufacturing carbon black and supplying energy, with a strong commitment to safety, environmental protection and sustainability.

• 2022

  Helped replace a fossil-fuel power plant through growing district heating production and DEW21's network expansion, saving 45,000 tonnes of CO2.

• 2020

  Completed the rail tank car unloading station.

• 2018

  Installed two additional condensation plants to increase CO2-free district heating.

• 2017

  Achieved a new production record of 133,000 tonnes of carbon black.

• 2016

  Celebrated the company's 80th anniversary.

• 2006

  Produced the four-millionth tonne of carbon black since the company's founding.

• 1994

  Began district heating delivery to the city of Dortmund (today DEW21).

• 1989

  Expanded electricity production.

• 1983

  Started electricity production by post-combustion of residual gas from carbon black production.

• 1979

  Began training apprentices in technical and commercial professions at the Dortmund site.

• 1956

  Start of furnace black production.

• 1954

  Expansion of production facilities and entry into furnace black technology.

• 1938

  Deutsche Gasrußwerke began industrial carbon black production in Dortmund using the gas black process.

• 1936

  Founded as Russwerke Dortmund.

Medium-sized chemical company with tradition and innovation; significant carbon black manufacturer closely linked to international chemical and tire industries; also an energy supplier to Dortmund.

• Carbon Black

  Industrial black produced by controlled graduated combustion; used in tires, rubber, plastics, inks and other applications.

• Furnace Black

  Carbon black produced via the furnace black process, adopted in 1954/1956.

• Gas Black

  Carbon black produced via the gas black process, the company's original production method from 1938.

• Electricity

  Generated from post-combustion of residual gas from carbon black production since 1983.

• District Heating

  Supplied to Dortmund since 1994, today via DEW21.

1. 1DGW – gasruss.de | Homegasruss.de
2. 2DGW – gasruss.de | Über unsgasruss.de
3. 3KG Deutsche Gasrußwerke GmbH & Co – Wikidatawikidata.org