SODECIA Safety & Interiors Attendorn GmbH

SODECIA Safety & Interiors Attendorn GmbH is a German metal-processing company and automotive supplier headquartered in Attendorn, North Rhine-Westphalia. The business traces its origins to 1897, when Albert Kemmerich founded a needle and shaft manufacturing operation in Attendorn. Over the twentieth century it evolved from a family-owned metalworking firm into a specialist automotive supplier, developing and producing high-quality stamped, drawn and bent parts from various materials with a focus on lightweight construction. The company employs around 1,000 people worldwide and operates, alongside its Attendorn headquarters, branch plants in Valencia (Spain), Valasská Polanka (Czech Republic) and Auburn, Alabama (United States). The company was long known as Gebr. Kemmerich and later as the Kemmerich Unternehmensgruppe. It began supplying the automotive industry after first contacting Ford in 1964 and progressively shifted its business toward car components. Key expansions included a toolmaking operation near Dresden in 1993, a plant in Spain in 1996, a new press shop at the Attendorn home site in 2002 (expanded three years later), a Czech plant in 2008, a doubling of production space at Kemmerich Czech in 2012, and a further plant in Auburn, Alabama, in 2015. The mechanical engineering division was closed in 2010. In June 2016 the company filed for insolvency at the Siegen local court. In September 2016 the Portuguese Sodecia Group, based in Maia, announced its takeover of the Kemmerich group. Following the acquisition, the Attendorn business was renamed Sodecia Kemmerich GmbH and later Sodecia Safety & Interiors Attendorn GmbH. In 2020 around 100 jobs were cut at the Attendorn headquarters. Today the company operates as a subsidiary within the Sodecia Group, supplying lightweight structural and interior metal components to the international automotive industry.

The company was founded in 1897 by Albert Kemmerich in Attendorn and remained in family ownership for a long period. Its initial business focus was the production of needles and shafts. In 1920 Wilhelm Kemmerich joined the company and the name "Gebr. Kemmerich" was adopted. By 1945 the firm had five employees. In 1951 it began developing and producing wire and sheet-metal take-up and winding reels. From 1964 the company established its first contacts with the automaker Ford and increasingly developed into an automotive supplier in the following years. In 1986 Josef Kemmerich joined the firm. In 1993 the company took over a toolmaking operation near Dresden. A new plant in Spain followed in 1996. In 2002 a new press shop was built at the home site in Attendorn, which was expanded three years later. In 2008 another plant was opened in the Czech Republic. In 2010 the mechanical engineering division was closed. In 2012 production space at Kemmerich Czech was doubled, and in 2015 a further plant was opened in Auburn, Alabama. On 3 June 2016 the company filed an application for insolvency proceedings at the Siegen local court. In September 2016 the takeover of the Kemmerich group by the Portuguese Sodecia Group from Maia was announced. As a result of the acquisition, the Attendorn company operated under the name Sodecia Kemmerich GmbH, which has since been changed to Sodecia Safety & Interiors Attendorn GmbH. In 2020 around 100 jobs were cut at the Attendorn headquarters.

• 2020

  Around 100 jobs cut at the Attendorn headquarters.

• 2016

  Filed for insolvency at the Siegen local court in June; takeover by the Portuguese Sodecia Group announced in September; renamed Sodecia Kemmerich GmbH.

• 2015

  Further plant opened in Auburn, Alabama.

• 2012

  Production space at Kemmerich Czech doubled.

• 2010

  Mechanical engineering division closed.

• 2008

  Another plant opened in the Czech Republic.

• 2005

  Press shop at Attendorn expanded.

• 2002

  New press shop built at the Attendorn home site.

• 1996

  New plant added in Spain.

• 1993

  Took over a toolmaking operation near Dresden.

• 1986

  Josef Kemmerich joined the firm.

• 1964

  First contacts with automaker Ford; gradual shift toward automotive supply.

• 1951

  Began development and production of wire and sheet-metal take-up and winding reels.

• 1945

  The firm had five employees.

• 1920

  Wilhelm Kemmerich joined the company; the name "Gebr. Kemmerich" was adopted.

• 1897

  Founded by Albert Kemmerich in Attendorn; initially produced needles and shafts.

Specialist automotive supplier for lightweight stamped, drawn and bent metal components, operating as part of the international Sodecia Group.

• Stamped, drawn and bent metal parts

  High-quality components made from various materials with a lightweight construction focus, for the automotive industry.

1. 1Sodecia Safety & Interiors Attendorn – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2SODECIA Safety & Interiors Attendorn GmbH – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3sodecia-kemmerich.comsodecia-kemmerich.com