COMPANY HISTORY

The company's headquarters in Werther Westfalen is located just 10 km from the regional center of Bielefeld, the old linen town.

On August 1, 1899, the merchant Heinrich Wilhelm Meyer founded the clothing factory H.W. Meyer in Ravensberger Straße in Werther with the telephone number No. 2, as can be read on the letterhead: "Mechanical clothing factory - specialty - blue workers' suits". The number of employees producing workwear grew rapidly and shortly after the turn of the century, the first electrically operated sewing machines were already whirring away in his factory - with these modern manufacturing methods, it was the beginning of fluid clothing production.

His son Wilhelm Meyer zu Erpen took over responsibility for the company in 1922 and successfully steered his father's business through the financial and economic crises of the time, the Weimar Republic and National Socialism. Wilhelm Meyer zu Erpen died in 1942 at the age of just 49 - his wife Uta Meyer zu Erpen then took over the management of the company during the difficult war years. The company mainly produced railroad uniforms.

Their youngest son Franz-Heinrich returned from captivity as a prisoner of war in June 1945 and took over his fathers' legacy at the age of 20.

The commemorative publication for the company's 50th anniversary in 1949 states: "Today, the H.W. Meyer company meets all requirements with its facilities and is always up to the challenge of competition. Its products, workwear, sportswear and uniforms have reached a recognized high level due to their good fit and solid workmanship."

As early as 1949, the range was expanded to include sportswear and, from 1951, men's coats were also produced for the first time. The clothing then came onto the market under the brand name ERPINGA. The beginning, continuous expansion made the further expansion of the production facility in Werther necessary.

the passionate rider Franz-Heinrich Meyer zu Erpen founded the company Haefner & Co in Uchte, district of Nienburg, for the industrial production of custom-made riding clothing.

With the beginning of the 1960s and the accompanying economic upturn and full employment in Germany, another production facility was established in Cavaion/Veronese, Italy. Luxador S.A.R.L. produced modern coats and jackets for men under the leisure brand LUXADOR.

The production facilities were later expanded to the Far East (1970).

The company Haefner & Co was renamed PIKEUR Reitmoden GmbH. Since then, equestrian clothing has been sold to the specialist equestrian trade under the very successful PIKEUR brand.

H.W. Meyer manufactured wool coats for the premium segment under license from the designer brand "Pierre Cardin, Paris" and from 1968 launched coats and jackets under its own clothing brand WERTHER INTERNATIONAL.

WERTHER INTERNATIONAL also became internationally known as the official outfitter of the German teams for the Olympic Games in Mexico 1968, Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. The WERTHER coat not only conquered Europe as 'MADE IN GERMANY'; this advertising medium was also well received outside Europe.

The WERTHER-INTERCITY-COAT in particular, the practical travel coat with its many pockets, has become a particularly successful product in the now international WERTHER collection.

a license for the WERTHER INTERNATIONAL brand was even granted to the company N.I. Teijin Shoji Co. Ltd. in Japan - to overcome language barriers, the brand name there was BELTER INTERNATIONAL.

WERTHER INTERNATIONAL was also awarded the contract to equip the German national soccer team - Germany becomes world champion!

Michael Meyer zu Erpen, the first son of 4 children, founded the company ESKADRON Reitausrüstung GmbH in 1977, also in Uchte - PIKEUR (for the rider) and ESKADRON (for the horse) are still market leaders in the equestrian market today.

After the unexpected death of Franz-Heinrich Meyer zu Erpen in June 1982 at the age of just 57, his wife Margret Meyer zu Erpen took over the management of the group of companies.

Under her leadership, the LADY WERTHER women's collection became a successful part of the company.

the first WELLINGTON of BILMORE collection in Anglo-American, British-inspired sportswear style was launched on the market on the initiative of Michael Meyer zu Erpen - casual in style, with attention to detail and high-quality workmanship. Since then, leading men's outfitters and clothing stores in Germany and abroad have been supplied with these outstanding styles.

jackets and coats from WELLINGTON of BILMORE were the first outdoor collection to be equipped with the licensed and innovative functional material GORE-TEX. These were then supplied very successfully to international specialist retailers and high-quality men's outfitters.

the individual brands WERTHER INTERNATIONAL, LUXADOR, PIKEUR, ESKADRON and WELLINGTON of BILMORE were sold.

The newly founded company Wellington Mode GmbH acquired the collection and trademark rights of WELLINGTON of BILMORE. The company had been based in Bielefeld since 1990.

The message of the WELLINGTON of BILMORE collection in the Anglo-American sportswear style was so successful that a women's collection was launched in 1996

A city store is opened in the old town of Bielefeld. The store in Steinhagen opens in the fall of the same year.

As the second son of four children, Moritz Meyer zu Erpen became part of the WELLINGTON of BILMORE team after completing his external training in the textile and clothing industry - he quickly familiarized himself with the new tasks and took over the sales management after a short time; thus began the phase of the fourth generation transfer.

Moritz Meyer zu Erpen took over Wellington Clothing GmbH with great commitment as the sole managing partner. The handover and passing of the baton to the fifth generation of entrepreneurs was now complete.

The collection was successfully launched in the online store in December of this year.

Not far from the first company headquarters from 1899, the new and modern company building in Werther was occupied in May 2020. Ecological as well as contemporary, energy-efficient construction technology was implemented in a future-oriented and sustainable manner; ideal conditions for further growth and the requirements of the future.