Overview of Radium's history
Here you find Radium's history.
Berrenbergsche Elektricitätswerke GmbH
On January 29th the owner of the spinning company, Mr. Richard Drecker and Adolf Berrenberg – an employee of Edison in the USA – founded the "Berrenbergsche Elektricitätswerke GmbH".
After Mr. Richard Kersting joined the company, on December 17th 1904 the change of name into „Radium- Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft m.b.H“ took place.
Eugen Kersting
Eugen Kersting, the oldest son of Richard Kersting and his wife Alma, joined the company.
Business administration
After his father’s death, Eugen Kersting took over the business administration together with Richard Drecker. Under the technical leadership of Eugen Kersting Radium started an amazing rise in the following years.
OSRAM
The Osram company emerged from the Deutsche Gasglühlicht/Auer-Gesellschaft, which had held 50% of the shares in Radium since 1917 - there had always been a lively exchange between the two companies.
Phoebus Cartel
Together with other light bulb manufacturers, Osram founded the Phoebus cartel (also known as the light bulb cartel), which aimed, among other things, at agreements regarding the exchange of patents and technical information, as well as standardization.
First high-pressure discharge lamp
Radium develops and builds the first high-pressure discharge (HPD) lamp.
Dr.-Eugen-Kersting Street
The Mühlenstraße (Mill Street), which runs along the radium factory in Wipperfürth, Germany, is renamed Dr.-Eugen-Kersting-Straße.
Eugen Kersting
Eugen Kersting died on July 25, 1958. In addition, the first sports facility lighting was installed on the then company-owned sports field "Dreibocken" in Wipperfürth.
Colour television
In Germany colour television went on air. Thanks to the electric lighting of Radium the game show „Der Goldene Schuss“ could be broadcasted coloured.
High-Bay-Warehouse
Radium begins construction of its high-bay warehouse.
Olympic Games
Radium fitted almost all stadiums for the Olympic Games in Munich with lamps especially developed for this purpose.
Siemens AG
Company Osram, and with it 50% of Radium, is integrated into the Siemens AG.
Additional Shares
Osram acquires further shares in Radium and becomes the majority shareholder with 83.4%.
Oscar
Osram receives an Oscar in Hollywood for its HMI lamps, which are manufactured at Radium.
Quality Management
Radium introduces a quality management system according to the DIN ISO 9001 standard.
Spin-off
Osram and Radium are split off again from the Siemens group.
Soccer World Championship
Soccer World Championship in Brazil: 8 out of 10 stadia are lit up by floodlighting from Wipperfürth. The German National Team has become champion underneath our lighting!
LEDVANCE
Osram sells its business with conventional light sources, including Radium, under the name LEDVANCE, to a Chinese consortium.
Autonomy
Radium becomes independent again – the investor ASC Lighting GmbH acquires from LEDVANCE the Wipperfürth plant and the Radium brand.
Oldest active German lamp manufacturer
Today, as the oldest active German lamp manufacturer Radium makes innovative lamps and light solutions on highly industrialised production lines for the global market.