Time Line

December 6th, 1881

After thirty years of its foundation, Joinville´s commerce is organized, the city plants mate (tea like beverage, brewed from dried leaves of an evergreen shrub or tree) builds the first schools, churches, hospitals and target shooting clubs. In this scenery, the German immigrant Carl Göttlieb Döhler assembles a simple wooden loom and, with his family, starts to make denim and checkered fabrics to supply the hard working local community.

Beginning of the 20th Century

The company buys the first mechanical looms. They are English manufactured, second-hand equipment adapted to fit the needs of the small cotton fabric plant.

1916

Carl Göttlieb Döhler dies at the age of 81, 45 years after starting his business.

1956

New company name: Döhler S/A Commerce & Industry.

1961

The first year of a new time. The company adopts an aggressive policy to update the industrial processes, dying starts to be a mechanical process and the installation of the first automatic machine takes place - a German spool machine.

1963

The arrival of ten automatic looms allows the manufacturing of checkered fabrics with up to two colors. A milestone in weaving automation.

1965

New equipment verticalizes the manufacturing of fabrics, in the standards of a company without a spinning mill - preparation, weaving, dying and finishing areas.

1968

Döhler buys the lot of land where, from July on, its new industrial park starts to be built, in Joinville´s Industrial District.

1969

With the growth of weaving, the company decides to invest in the enlargement of the sewing area by buying new sewing machines. In the same year, it signs its first export contract.

1970

The new plant starts its operation, initially keeping the Weaving (March) and Printing (December) sectors. It´s the great production turning point: for almost 90 years weaving dyed yarns, the company starts printing pre-bleached or dyed fabrics, that were made unbleached in the Weaving sector.

1972

Swiss looms give Döhler the most modern and productive weaving technique existing at that time, thus guaranteeing a huge technological leap.

New printing machines and screens increase five times the production volume, if compared to the manual process.

1973

In the year the old mechanical looms make way for modern ones, Döhler established its own spinning mill - Comfio, a measure that fully verticalizes the manufacturing process - from the yarn to the ready fabrics.

The company ships to Holland the first Döhler fabrics export to Europe.

1974

First time the company takes part in Fenit - Textile Industry National Fair, in São Paulo.

1975

With the arrival of the first cotton bales, the spinning mill starts its production.

The first batch of Döhler products is sent by air to the United States.

1980

Constructions in a frantic rhythm in the industrial park, with the enlargement of several areas and installation of new equipment, such as printers, warping and starching machines, besides 52 looms.

1981

The new three-floor building is starts operations and, until today, it shelters the Confection sector.

It´s the year of the company´s centennial and it keeps growing at wide strides: it has 1.422 employees and produces 2.6 million square meters of fabrics/month (equivalent to 310 Maracanã Stadiums - one of the world´s biggest sporting stadiums located in Rio de Janeiro).

1982

The company starts to organize its own museum with old machines and documents that show Döhler´s evolution during its first century of operations.

In February, Comfio´s second unit starts operating and in five years time it doubles its productive capability.

1983

Comfio starts producing pure polyester yearns and cotton & viscose interweave.

1986

Döhler´s first participation at Heimtextil, the world´s largest textile industry fair, held in Frankfurt, Germany.

1988

The first phase of the plant´s wastewater treatment station is started.

Comfio´s third unit raises production in 60%.

1989

The spinning mill increases its productive capability to 980 tons/month and puts up a fiber laboratory in order to test each cotton bale received.

In December, the company´s own power sub-station starts operating, thus guaranteeing the company the required power supply.

1992

The first loom of plant 2 starts its operation - the plant had been designed to house other 440 Sulzer Looms.

1993

The implementation of the third phase of the wastewater treatment concludes the wastewater treatment station.

1994

The first transversal sewing machine starts its operation, carrying out terry towel seaming and delivering them ready to be folded and packed.

The creation of designs is also updated by two CAD (Computer Aided Drawings) computer stations.

Award of best global performance in the textile sector by "Melhores e Maiores" (The Best and Greatest), Exame Magazine publication.

1995

With 3.000 employees, Döhler manufactures 51 thousand linear kilometers of fabrics/year and the production makes 10.500 tons of yarns.

1996

Investing in environmental responsibility, Döhler opens its own industrial landfill, to collect the solid waste resulting from the wastewater treatment station. In recognition for this initiative, FATMA - Santa Catarina´s Environmental Foundation awards Döhler the Fritz Mueller Trophy.

Supply of beach and bath towels with the brand of Atlanta Olympic Games. More than 460 thousand towels are shipped to the United States.

Döhler robes, beach and bath towels, tablecloths, kitchen towels, decoration fabrics and bed linen receive the Öko-Tex 100 German certification.

1997

Swiss made machines perform the computerized engraving of the printing screens and cylinders.

Döhler celebrates ISO 9002 Certification that testifies the high standard of its quality management system.

1999

New Öko-Tex certification for anti-microbial cotton fabrics.

The company receives the ISO 14001 Certification that confirms the compliance of its procedures with the environmental preservation rules.

Döhler goes to Guinness World Records Book with the world´s longest printed tablecloth, with 560.40 meters long.

2000

Döhler supplies the official towels of Davis Cup, for the tennis matches in Brazil.

The company starts to use natural gas to heat the plant´s boilers.

A new logo updates Döhler´s visual presentation in the market.

2001

Release of Service Line - a professional line, made of towels and fabrics for hotels and hospitals.

2002

In order to create loyalty with the important segment of architects, interior decorators and designers, Döhler opens the virtual relationship club called Döhler Club.

2003

Meaningful export growth over the company´s businesses, focusing on the United States, Germany and Argentina.

Adequacy of the quality management system to the new ISO 9001:2000 Norm.

2004

The company opens a commercial office in New York to assist the North American customers, that are the company´s main market abroad.

It reinforces its professional line, intensifies publicity campaigns and supplies exclusive products to Rede Globo de Televisão - Brazil´s main open TV network, for popular shows such as the reality show Big Brother Brazil.

2005

Dohler´s Code of Ethics, which is based on the seven fundamental values of Döhler, has been launched and widely spread among the company´s employees.

Fritz Muller Trophy awards Döhler for the third time for its pioneering actions to preserve the environment.

2006

The first edition of the book with the texts chosen by Joinville Award of Literary Expression - Döhler´s initiative, is released.

The company strengthens its partnership bonds with domestic customers, who visit the plant,check the new products and take an active part in the conception of new lines.

Döhler celebrates the 125 years of its foundation by thanking its employees´ commitment.

2007

Company enters high value added product segment and launches a line using appliqués from Swarovski, the renowned crystal brand.

Collection made with bamboo fiber is completed with the inclusion of bed linen. A further highlight is the launch of the Döhler fabrics for digital printing.

Company receives the 2007 Marketing Professionals Award from Editora Referência, editor of the Propaganda and Marketing magazine.

Design number 20.000 goes to the Döhler printer.

Purchase of the first 15 head embroidery machine.

2008

Döhler and Comfio, a company from the Döhler Group, undergo ISO 9.000 and 14.000 system audits and receive certification in accordance with integrated quality and environmental standards.

The company is granted the right to use water from the Cubatão river basin.

The Profit Sharing Plan is launched, through which company employees receive a share of the profits.

The company acquires the second embroidery machine with six heads.

Döhler purchases two double twisting machines, each with 144 spindles.

Arrival of the doubling and rolling machine.

Two 3.5 m wide looms are acquired with weaving machine for flat weft.

2009

Lean Manufacturing system is implemented aimed at eliminating company losses.

Döhler returns to an active production capacity of 100%.

The company launches the “Made by Brazilian Hands” stamp, guaranteeing production by 100% national labor.

New project for construction of a Dye House is approved by the Board.

Arrival of the 1st Overflow machine for dyeing plush fabric. Two more were acquired shortly afterwards.

Döhler purchases a spinning frame device for producing flame yarn.- Company invests in updating its Uster equipment, responsible for analyzing yarn produced by the company.

Factory receives the third embroidery machine with 12 heads.

Döhler receives two circular knitting looms, one being for the production of Jacquard jersey.

The company invests in a new spinning frame for producing 120 spindle Chenille yarn.

The fourth automatic sewing machine for plush towels and tablecloths arrives.

The dyeing sector acquires a Turbo, 250 kg capacity machine for coloring yarn.

Eight new 2.6 meter air jet looms arrive for weaving plush.

Döhler acquires two more 3.5 m wide looms with weaving machine for flat weft.

Four 2.6 m wide looms with weaving machine for flat weft increase production.

2010

The Dohler store is enlarged and changes name to “Casa Döhler”, selling at factory prices.

The brand is introduced on social networks with Blog, Facebook profile, Twitter and Orkut.

Introduction of new performance evaluation methodology at company, known as the 360 degree evaluation.

Döhler’s new institutional video presents the company and the brand.

Company acquires TOTVS corporate management software.

Factory site modernization investments:

Arrival of 5th and 6th machines for automatic sewing of plush towels and tablecloths.

Döhler buys a longitudinal sewing machine.

Factory unit gains another machine for automatic sewing of bathrobe pockets.

Factory unit acquires spinning frame device for producing flame yarn.

New Tumbler arrives at Döhler, equipment for pre-shrinking and increasing fabric volume.

Purchase of 3 new Jets for dyeing flat synthetic fabrics.

Döhler acquires a new gas boiler for steam generation, with a 20,000 kg/h capacity.

Four new 3.5 m wide looms with weaving machine for flat weft are added to the production line.

Döhler acquires two 4.6 m wide air jet looms.

Arrival of seven new 2.6 m rapier looms with mechanism.

Factory unit purchases 9th and 10th spinning frames for producing Chenille yarn.

Döhler acquires second doubling and rolling machine, to meet the demand in the bathrobe cell.

Acquisition of 16 manual straight sewing machines.

New longitudinal cutting machine arrives.

Döhler invests in warping machine and roll elevator.

Factory unit receives a rotary spinning frame with 360 spinning points and 3 gas forklifts.

New equipment for Chenille yarn climatization improves production.

Three more Overflows arrive for dyeing plush.

The factory unit receives three electric tow vehicles for transporting supplies.

2011

Döhler acquires a longitudinal cutting machine.

Arrival of the 7th automatic sewing machine for plush towels and tablecloths.