Many successful corporate histories, both at home and abroad, started as small undertakings, as was the case with TERDEX. Regardless of the industry, they all had one thing in common: There was always a clever mind with the right commercial idea at its heart. Gerd Heikaus (died in 2018) was the pioneer and inventor whose work laid the foundations for TERDEX as it exists today. He made his visions reality as well as being a pioneer in the manufacturing of film products whilst demonstrating early signs of environmental concern by recycling regenerates. He recruited his brother Lothar Heikaus in the early days to ensure that the business started on the right foot. Lothar was responsible for financial matters and is still active within TERDEX management to this day.
Let’s go back to the year when the company was founded: Back in the 1990s, selling a family car provided the start-up capital for the company, then called Heikaus Verpackungssysteme. Back then, stretch films that helped protect special goods were developed and rolled at their own home in late and night shifts alongside their existing employment. This range of films grew and expansion was inevitable. Initially, the brothers acquired facilities in Malzhagen, near Nümbrecht, but this quickly became too small. The company then relocated to Wiehl-Marienhagen a few years later. When these premises also became too small, investment was made in expanding production and storage facilities. As Gerd Heikaus was undoubtedly a salesman and developer at heart, he did everything possible to constantly improve the designs of his machines and acquired many patents in the process.
The company was sold in 2002 and the company premises in Marienhagen were rented to the new proprietors. The Heikaus brothers then founded TERDEX in Gummersbach, which was initially a purely commercial company. Staff initially consisted of both managing directors and several office employees. At the same time, the brothers opened up a second office in Bulgaria, in the centre of Plovdiv. In order to start producing films once again, they acquired company premises and founded TRIDEX.
New opportunities also arose in Marienhagen: The leasing agreement was ended and both brothers decided to return back to their own premises. An environmentally conscious manufacturer of film products with modern extrusion and conversion lines emerged from that commercial company. Quality PE films are manufactured from new materials and recycled plastics.
Florian Heikaus and Lothar Heikaus are part of the management team to this day. The secret of the company’s success can be found in the 50 committed staff involved in administration and production. Investments worth several million euro were made to expand the Marienhagen production site. Further investments are planned in new systems and machines both in the German and Bulgarian sites. 90 staff are employed over there.
