1922

– The brothers part ways. Eugen Mayer founds his own company, Eugen Mayer. As sole owner, Josef Mayer continues to run the company Mechanische Trikotwarenfabrik Gebr. Mayer KG with 25 employees.

1923

– Just five years after its founding, the company already employs more than 100 workers and seamstresses. As the local labor market was exhausted and demand for underwear continued to rise, additional branches were established in the surrounding area. A first new building in Burladingen, including a bleaching facility with drying machine, is also constructed.

1925

– The company’s continued growth requires additional production space. The old factory building in Burladingen is extended by one floor.

1926

– Establishment of a branch in Steinhilben

1927

– Establishment of a branch in Trochtelfingen and Rangendingen.

1930

– Within a short time, Josef Mayer had expanded the knitwear factories into a successful large scale enterprise with 267 employees.

1931

– Spacious production buildings with bleaching and dyeing facilities as well as a boiler system with generator are constructed in Burladingen. This system makes the company largely independent from the public power supply. Even back then, the company had the most modern machinery and worked according to the most efficient methods.

1937

– On July 1, the company Hermann Levy (Hechingen) becomes the property of Gebr. Mayer KG for 196,000 Reichsmarks, far below its value. The Jewish owners of the company had previously been pressured into the sale by the Nazi state and organizations connected to it, including credit institutions. In 1952, a settlement including compensation is reached with Alicy Levy from the Jewish owner family.

1938

– Josef Mayer’s son in law, attorney Dr. jur. Franz Grupp, joins the company and soon takes on important management responsibilities.

1941/1942

– Another branch of Gebr. Mayer KG is established in Steinhilben (Gammertinger Straße), not far from the Trochtelfingen branch.

1945

– The dismantling of the modern machinery after the end of the war causes enormous losses. In the year the war ends, revenue collapses by more than 90 percent to just 330,000 Reichsmarks.

1946

– The production of underwear is slowly resumed.

1948

– The currency reform then leads to an increase in revenue to over 2 million Reichsmarks. The number of employees rises to 426 (including 66 employees in Hechingen).

1949

– The number of employees rises to 660 (including 120 employees in Hechingen). In the anniversary year, the company also receives a new administration building and additional production space.

1950

– Improved social benefits for employees follow in the form of a company health insurance fund as well as an in house medical practice.

1951

– The company receives a new boiler house.

1952

– On September 24, Alice Levy and Gebr. Mayer KG agree on a settlement. Gebr. Mayer KG pays her 40,000 DM. The settlement becomes legally binding on January 17, 1953. With 960 employees, 20% of all workers in the Hohenzollern textile industry are employed by the Mechanische Trikotwarenfabriken Gebr. Mayer KG. These companies in turn produce 4% of all knitwear in West Germany.

1956

– On November 30, senior manager and company founder Josef Mayer passes away. Just a few months earlier, he had been awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class. He leaves behind a company that he had built up to considerable size through tireless diligence and entrepreneurial spirit. Representatives from politics, business, and culture attend the funeral service. The entire workforce and the citizens of Burladingen bid farewell to the popular entrepreneur.

1957

– Management is taken over by son in law Dr. jur. Franz Grupp. Supporting him is director Graf, who had joined the company as a commercial apprentice in the founding year of 1919.

1958

– Subsidiary company Plastro Mayer is founded.

1959

– As the labor market was once again exhausted, branches are established in Altshausen and Krauchenwies. New buildings for the Ringingen and Trochtelfingen branches are occupied.

1961

– The company now includes ten branches. The main plant in Burladingen is expanded and modernized.

1967

– A stagnating underwear market prompts Mechanische Trikotwarenfabriken Gebr. Mayer KG to expand its product program to include high quality women’s outerwear. As a result, the company signs tennis star Wilhelm Bungert for the first trigema tennis collection. This product line is established under the brand names trigema Original Bungert Dress and trigema Weekend leisurewear.

1969

– The company celebrates its 50th anniversary with 1,000 employees as well as the staff of subsidiary Plastro Mayer. Shortly afterwards, Consul Dr. Franz Grupp is awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class.

Dipl. Kfm. Wolfgang Grupp takes over management from his father Dr. Franz Grupp. Alongside jeans, the T shirt becomes a symbol of youthful fashion. Wolfgang Grupp embraces the current trend and successfully launches a new phase for the company. He establishes the business segment of T shirts and tennis apparel under the brand name trigema. Through his restructuring, Wolfgang Grupp transforms the traditional knitwear factory into a production site for fashionable leisurewear. To creatively implement new ideas, he builds up a design department. When Wolfgang Grupp takes over management after completing his business studies, the company is still highly diversified and in debt. Following the example of his successful grandfather, he returns to the roots and eliminates the excessive diversification.

1973 – 1977

– Existing buildings are modernized and new buildings are added. The open plan office in Burladingen is completed and the finishing department is expanded. The trigema Sports and Leisure Center in Burladingen and the garment factory in Altshausen are built.

1975

– Wolfgang Grupp increases revenue to 28.1 million and pays off all previous debts in full. From 1975 onward, trigema is Germany’s largest manufacturer of sports and leisurewear.

1979

– trigema enters shirt sponsorship in the German Bundesliga with FC Schalke 04. A cooperation with various clubs begins and lasts for almost two decades, marked by several records to this day.

1981 – 1992

– Further expansions and new buildings follow for the finishing department, cutting department, and printing department in Burladingen, as well as for the garment factory in Altshausen. Company owned public gas stations are built at the Burladingen, Altshausen, and Rangendingen sites and are continuously adapted to the latest environmental regulations.

1984

– The first test store opens in Missen Wilhams in the Allgäu region. As part of the expansion of the test stores in the following years, 21 specially built test stores have been added to this day. In total, the number of test stores in Germany, mostly located in holiday destinations and near highways, amounts to 45.

1987

– The boiler house is rebuilt and the company switches from oil to gas with 100% self generated electricity.

1990

– The trigema monkey Charly appears for the first time as a TV advertising ambassador before the Sportschau on Saturdays.

1992

– The trigema monkey receives his well known advertising slot in the minute before the Tagesschau, where he can still be seen today.

1993

– Construction of the new garment factory in Rangendingen is completed.

1995

– Wolfgang Grupp receives the “Auge mit Durchblick” award for the “best management idea” in connection with the Hessischer Rundfunk television program “IPSO.”

1997

– trigema becomes the first company to appear with its own large scale advertising design on commercial aircraft. A true pioneering achievement.

1998

– Wolfgang Grupp is honored with the Staufer Medal in Gold by Minister President Erwin Teufel for his services to the state of Baden Württemberg.

1998

– Completion of the new garment production and cutting facility at the main plant in Burladingen

2002

– On the occasion of his 60th birthday, Wolfgang Grupp is awarded the honorary ring of the city of Burladingen for his services to his hometown. In recognition of trigema founder Josef Mayer, Hechinger Straße in Burladingen is renamed “Josef Mayer Straße.”

1998 – 2002

– Garment production and the test store in Burladingen are newly built.

2004

– trigema is now also active online with its own online shop. Wolfgang Grupp receives the Max Kehren Medal from the Association of German Textile Finishing Specialists for his responsible commitment to the German textile industry and its production location Germany.

2005

– The first trigema shop opens at Stuttgart Airport. In the same year, then Minister of Economic Affairs Ernst Pfister awards Wolfgang Grupp the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon. In the same year, Wolfgang Grupp also receives the Cicero Speaker Prize 2005 from Verlag für Deutsche Wirtschaft AG for special speaking achievements in the business category.

2006

– The company has always relied on environmentally conscious textile production and is therefore ahead of its time in environmental matters. In cooperation with the environmental institute EPEA, the company develops the world’s first compostable T shirt in 2006 according to the Cradle to Cradle® principle.

2008

– trigema installs photovoltaic systems on its own rooftops to generate electricity for internal use.

2010

– The Cradle to Cradle® T shirt is exhibited in the German pavilion “Balancity – City in Balance” at the Expo in Shanghai. The pavilion staff also wore these trigema Cradle to Cradle® shirts, which were buried on the Expo grounds at the end of the exhibition, entirely in keeping with the Cradle to Cradle® principle. Under the name trigema Change, the sustainable fashion line made from 100% organic cotton and free from harmful substances, as it is 100% compostable, has been produced and expanded ever since.

2012

– The new trigema Change collection is presented, among other places, at Greenfashion Week in Berlin. Minister President Winfried Kretschmann honors Wolfgang Grupp with the Great Staufer Medal in Gold for his services to the economic location of Baden Württemberg. On the occasion of his 70th birthday, he is also named an honorary citizen of the city of Burladingen in the same year.

2013

– The next generation joins the company. After completing their master’s studies at the London School of Economics, Bonita Grupp (E Commerce) and Wolfgang Grupp jun. (Sales) begin their work in the family business.

2014

– The flagship store at Stuttgart Airport is redesigned. A few months later, the first trigema flagship store in Berlin opens in the Mall of Berlin at Leipziger Platz. The online shop receives a relaunch. On November 14, 2014, trigema receives the Cradle to Cradle® Products Innovator Award 2014 in New York as the only company in Germany.

2015

– trigema launches a new TV commercial on private television. The aim of the new commercial is to highlight the products trigema manufactures, using the popular polo shirt as the example.

2016

– In May, a new trigema advertising ambassador takes to the skies for the first time: the trigema airship Charly has its maiden flight on May 21, 2016, on the occasion of the DFB Cup final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

2017

– The online shop receives a redesign and is now also ideally usable on all devices thanks to a responsive implementation. As part of the expansion of online retail through its own online shop www.trigema.de as well as a number of partner shops, trigema increasingly focuses on online marketing. With social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and a company blog, trigema is now also present in the digital world.

2018 – 2019

– Extension of the Burladingen finishing department for expanded fabric storage as well as new sustainable machines: commissioning of a dyeing machine and a particularly sustainable washing and bleaching system that saves 40% water and 33% electricity compared to the previous machine.
Digitalization is also advancing in garment production – various work steps are monitored and analyzed using tablets. Process optimizations can therefore be implemented precisely where needed.

– The trigema monkey Charly celebrates his comeback as a digital advertising figure and can now be admired on TV as an animated 3D version.

On October 26 of the anniversary year, the company celebrates its 100th anniversary with 1,200 employees, friends, and politicians. On this evening, Wolfgang Grupp is awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class, for his special achievements and the golden pin for 50 years of service. His special thanks go to his employees, without whom he would never have been able to achieve his accomplishments.

2020

– The SARS CoV2 pandemic causes shortages of protective clothing in various institutions. trigema test stores are temporarily closed – causing 60% of revenue to disappear. Despite difficult times, owner Wolfgang Grupp guarantees all jobs. There is neither short time work nor layoffs. At the request of hospitals and nursing homes, the company quickly switches production to reusable face masks and protective gowns. The production location Germany offers immense advantages in terms of delivery times, which is why 2.3 million masks are produced within four months.

– In late autumn, demolition begins on an old company building. It is to make way for a future employee park.

– Opening of the trigema test store in Rheinbreitbach.

– Fast charging stations for electric cars are installed at 21 test store locations.

2021

– The trigema test store in Weitnau is modernized. Due to the lockdown, the textile industry faces problems selling 500 million manufactured garments and destroys the new goods. The overproduction and destruction cause great outrage. As a result, the production location Germany once again receives broad approval. In March, brick and mortar retail is allowed to reopen. In a market dominated by overconsumption, trigema remains constant in its values. 100 % quality, 100 % Made in Germany.

2022

– In February, Russia attacks Ukraine and war breaks out in Europe. The consequence is an energy crisis that is also clearly felt at trigema. For this reason, a new energy concept is developed. Production is adjusted but continues under restricted production conditions. Energy intensive colors such as turquoise are removed from the range. As a result, trigema saves 21.5% gas and 18.6% energy.

– The test store in Weitnau is modernized.

– The employee park now has a 5,500 square meter green area.

2023

– trigema ventures into new territory and implements a cooperation with the streetwear brand Live Fast Die Young. The joint collection consists of 13 items and stands out due to Made in Germany.

– Together with the Hohenstein Institute, trigema develops a testing method for the release of microplastics during washing, which is used among other things to optimize its sports range.

– The employee park is expanded by a 100 square meter terrace to enable lunch breaks in a green setting.

– Since May 2023, five bee colonies have called trigema their home. The honey produced from them is sold in the Burladingen test store under the quality label Made in Germany.

– Since summer 2023, a raising machine (Xetma) has made trigema even more self sufficient: cozy soft and warm fabrics such as fleece can now be raised in house.

– Due to the persistently high energy prices, an energy plan for the future is developed. Among other things, it provides for further investments of 800,000 euros in the expansion of solar energy at the main plant in Burladingen. The entire lighting system of the main plant is also to be converted to LED by 2025. A mobile gas boiler is installed as redundancy for future reconstruction measures.

– The test stores in Frechen, Bad Fredeburg, and Wehr are modernized.

– At the end of the year, the test store in Bispingen opens and the shop design is renewed.

2024

– The roof surfaces of the main plant in Burladingen are renovated. The photovoltaic system is expanded by 2,174 modules and now generates around 920,000 kWh per year.

– The project to create a new energy center in Burladingen begins.

– In cooperation with the manufacturer, our old dyeing machine (Thenflow) is rebuilt as a custom made system according to our requirements. Thanks to newer technology in the pumps and heat exchangers, significant energy savings can be achieved.

– In autumn 2024, we received a new dryer (Brückner), which enables energy savings through newer technology and direct heating via the burner. One drying field can also be heated with electricity in hybrid mode, while further drying fields can be converted to hybrid in the future.

– The test stores in Oberau, Arnbruck, and Mettlach are modernized.

– Opening of our new trigema test store in Leipzig in October 2024.

– As part of an advertising campaign on TV and social media, the trigema monkey Charly takes on a new role as a fashion influencer.

- Wolfgang Grupp sen. steps down from management after 54 years and hands over responsibility for the company to his son Wolfgang Grupp jun., his daughter Bonita Grupp, and his wife Elisabeth Grupp.

- The philosophy and values that have defined trigema as a family business for more than 100 years will continue to form the basis of the management’s daily actions.

- Successors Bonita and Wolfgang Grupp reposition the brand trigema. With a new strategy for the corporate identity and a redesign of the corporate design, trigema begins its new brand appearance. As part of an advertising campaign on TV and social media, the trigema monkey Charly takes on his new role as a fashion influencer.

– Modernization of the test stores in Mainaschaff, Bad Griesbach, and Parsdorf.

- For the first time, trigema opened its doors to all interested visitors. 2,000 visitors experienced trigema up close through production tours and informative conversations. Two embroidery machines in the test store enabled personalized embroidery on site.

- Launch of the new TV commercial with Charly as a fashion influencer. Core message: when it comes to quality, style, and attitude, he takes a clear stand.

- Collaborations with various companies such as V Lace Sneaker and a Pilates sports collection for Josef P.

- Launch of the new shipping system. Another clear step toward digital, optimized order picking. Processes were accelerated by 50%.