10 February 2026

270 years of Haniel: Our story begins in the Packhaus

Why a royal signature dated 10 February 1756 is regarded as the starting point of our corporate history today. 270 years of Haniel – an anniversary that at first glance seems to have a simple answer: founded in 1756. But why exactly this date? The answer leads back to the mouth of the River Ruhr, to the “Royal Gardens” outside the gates of Ruhrort – and to a “Packhaus” that became the nucleus of the company.

The nucleus of the now 270-year-old Haniel family business: It all started in 1756 with a storage business in the small town of Ruhrort. Jan Willem Noot built a Packhaus to provide regional importers of so-called colonial goods such as tea, tobacco, spices, and cotton with generous storage facilities.

Model of the Haniel Packhaus — The nucleus of the now 270-year-old Haniel family business: It all started in 1756 with a storage business in the small town of Ruhrort. Jan Willem Noot built a Packhaus to provide regional importers of so-called colonial goods such as tea, tobacco, spices, and cotton with generous storage facilities.

In 1748, three citizens of Ruhrort first applied for permission to build outside the city walls: Mayor and customs inspector Jan Willem Noot (grandfather of Franz Haniel), innkeeper Wilhelm von Hees, and shipbuilder Hermann Nienhaus. The plots of land were located “outside of Ruhrort, yet near the area where the ships are built” – on Prussian domain land (i.e. land owned by the state or sovereign) near the former Ruhrort castle.

A plan of Ruhrort from 1754 shows the largest plot in the “Royal Gardens,” marked by the letter C, intended for customs inspector Jan Willem Noot. The drawing shows not only the town of Ruhrort, but also the site of the former castle (“Hausplatz Ruhrort”), and the location of the swamp. The swamp was a relic of the castle moat and would later be turned into a canal leading up to Noot’s house (dashed line from H to J).

Historical map of Ruhrort — A plan of Ruhrort from 1754 shows the largest plot in the “Royal Gardens,” marked by the letter C, intended for customs inspector Jan Willem Noot. The drawing shows not only the town of Ruhrort, but also the site of the former castle (“Hausplatz Ruhrort”), and the location of the swamp. The swamp was a relic of the castle moat and would later be turned into a canal leading up to Noot’s house (dashed line from H to J).

However, the plans met with resistance. In particular, the city’s innkeepers feared competition – not only because an inn was planned outside the city gates. Noot was not planning a residence either, but a “Packhaus.” The term comes from Dutch "pakhuis" and refers to a warehouse or storage facility. This would have threatened a lucrative side business of the inns: storage and logistics services for merchants. The responsible Chamber of Cleves initially took these objections seriously and rejected the construction applications.

Gave his consent: Frederick II, nicknamed “Old Fritz,” ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786.

Painting showing Frederick II. — Gave his consent: Frederick II, nicknamed “Old Fritz,” ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786.

It was not until 1754 that the tide turned. The Chamber of Cleves dismissed the protests and welcomed a renewed application, now submitted by five citizens of Ruhrort. The expansion of the town appeared to be politically desired. In March 1755, the decisive signal finally came from Berlin: King Frederick II of Prussia declared his consent to the development of the so-called Royal Gardens. The prospective builders subsequently concluded a hereditary lease agreement with the Dinslaken Revenue Office, which was responsible for the Prussian holdings in the region. This contract was signed on 20 December 1755.

The decisive moment followed a few weeks later. On 10 February 1756, Frederick II officially confirmed the hereditary lease agreement in Berlin. Although the document bears the seal of the Domain Chamber of Cleves, the King signed it personally – as the owner of the land. The fact that Frederick II did not delegate this confirmation, but signed it himself, gave the document particular significance. In retrospect, Haniel accorded it the status of a "foundation charter." As a result, 1756 became established as the company’s founding year – not because of a formal company registration, but because of a clearly documented entrepreneurial beginning.

The confirmation of the hereditary lease agreement dated 10 February 1756 is today regarded as Haniel's “foundation charter."

Hereditary lease agreement signed by Frederick the Great — The confirmation of the hereditary lease agreement dated 10 February 1756 is today regarded as Haniel's “foundation charter."

Jan Willem Noot commissioned the construction of a large office and warehouse building that contained both a storage magazine as well as rooms for his family to live in. He invested more than 15,000 thalers – apparently out of his own pocket. The Packhaus was intended for use as a private business, and was never designed to serve his work as a customs inspector. There is no evidence that Noot carried out any other mercantile activities besides his warehouse business. His son-in-law Jacob Wilhelm Haniel was probably the first freight forwarding agent to work from out of the Ruhrort Packhaus.

The name Haniel does not appear immediately. It was not until 1772 that Jacob Wilhelm Haniel relocated his trading and forwarding business from Duisburg to the now vacant Packhaus in Ruhrort. This made the location the permanent headquarters. From here, Haniel conducted trade in wine, timber and “colonial goods,” freight forwarding and commission business, as well as the export of regional products such as textiles and iron goods.

After the death of Jacob Wilhelm Haniel in 1782, his wife Aletta Haniel continued the forwarding business under the name J. W. Haniel seel. Wittib (widow).

Over the course of history, alternative founding dates were also discussed, including:

1757/1758: Start of Jacob W. Haniel’s trading and forwarding activities in Duisburg
1772: Takeover of the Ruhrort Packhaus by Jacob W. Haniel
1800/1802: Entry of Franz and Gerhard Haniel into the coal trade
1809: Emergence of an independent company, Franz Haniel
1917: Foundation of Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH

Portrait of Jacob Wilhelm Haniel — Jacob Wilhelm Haniel (1734 - 1782)

However, all of these dates mark either further developments of existing family businesses or later legal forms. In addition, Jacob W. Haniel was still working with his brother-in-law Bernhard Bongart in 1757. Thus, 1756 – with the construction of the Ruhrort Packhaus – appeared to be the most convincing founding year, documented and sealed by the Prussian king.

Already in 1856, Franz Haniel celebrated the centenary of his company; the bicentenary followed in 1956. Despite all transformations, one thing has remained constant: its origin in Ruhrort.

The historic Packhaus on Franz-Haniel-Platz is home to the Haniel Museum and has been open again to visitors through guided tours since February 2026

Photo of the Haniel Museum — The historic Packhaus on Franz-Haniel-Platz is home to the Haniel Museum and has been open again to visitors through guided tours since February 2026

The Packhaus is more than just a building. It marks the beginning of entrepreneurial activity and thus became the nucleus of Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, which has remained in family ownership. Here, the foundation was laid for now 270 years of entrepreneurship – and to this day, the Packhaus, as the Haniel Museum, continues to tell this story.