Gebr. KESS Sägewerk GmbH History

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Founding Kessenmühle

1706 - 1865

In a Untererthal citizen register from 1620, a “new citizen” named KESS appeared for the first time. His first name was Enders and he worked in a brick hut. His son Phillipp, born on January 20, 1622, learned the miller craft. Hans Kess, the founder of the Kessenmühle (son of Phillipp Kess; born February 22, 1653), completed the construction in the summer of 1706.

The fifth generation of Kess, Johann Georg and Johann Nepumuk Kess, added a gypsum mill to the mill in 1840. Johann Georg’s first-born son Kaspar Kess took over the family business in 1865. He renewed and expanded the mill by adding a sawmill.

The owners of the Kessenmühle since 1865

The owner

Kasper Kess died in 1917, having transferred his business to his son Josef Kess on 1 January 1908.
Josef Kess decided to share the business with his younger brother Kilian Kess. In 1913, they founded the company “GEBRÜDER KESS” (= Kess brothers) and had it registered as a trading company in the commercial register.

Walter Keß

Instead, Josef Keß accepted his son Walter Keß (ninth generation born April 2, 1914) in the Gebrüder Kess company. Called up for military service, was used as a pioneer on the Eastern and Western fronts. His sister Maria Abraham has a position of management of operations management. In 1947, after Walter’s return, there were further expansions, the mill wheel reigned as technology progressed.

1950

A new sawmill on the right site of the river Thulba was built, equipped with a sufficient log yard and a new gang saw.

1958

The sawmill was extended by a property exchange with a citizen from Untererthal. Tracks build to carry the wood easily. In addition, a pendulum saw, a crane and another gang saw were built. For the employees a common room was build.
1984 the siblings Gabriele Baumer, Lothar and Hans Kess took over the business from their father Walter Kess.

1980

After the mill was closed down in the 1970s, more expansions in the sawmill took place.
A remanufacturing line was built for further processing of timber. The product range was extended to the production of squares and friezes and the first conventional drying machine was established. Because of the storm Wiebke in 1984, the processing of wood, especially beech, increased extremely, leading to the construction of a log- water storage.

1994

The old steam engine was replaced by a low pressure boiler plant. This was used mainly to provide thermal energy for the now four conventional drying machines. In addition, a horizontal frame saw was build.
In 2000, a debarking plant and a biomass plant were installed.

2007

In addition to the meanwhile 10 conventional drying machines, three vacuum drying machines and two air-conditioned storage halls were established.
In 2015 Lothar Kess retired.

2016

After the fire in 2015 the warehouses had to be rebuilt and six new conventional drying machines were extended. Fire protection had to be extended and a fence had to be set around the entire property.
In 2018 Gabriele Baumer retired.