History
Infraserv Höchst and Industriepark Höchst - the history of a company with tradition
Zeitstreifen - Permanent exhibition in the foyer of Building C 830, East Gate welcome
desk
Opening hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00
p.m.
Zeitstreifen online: Experience industrial history
2011
2011 is the year of sustainable energy projects. For instance, Infranova Bioerdgas GmbH – a joint venture of Infraserv Höchst and Mainova, a utility – builds a state-of-the-art biomethane-upgrading plant. The commissioning of a new gas-turbine plant marks another momentous step for Industriepark Höchst: The park is now largely energy-independent. And: Infraserv Höchst uses zero-emissions hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles.
2010
Infraserv Höchst plans to build a new gas-turbine plant this year. The facility will have two gas turbines, each generating 45 megawatts of electricity. This represents an investment of EUR 70 million in further optimizing energy supplies at Industriepark Höchst.
One of Germany's most advanced, cutting-edge biomethane-upgrading plants is under construction at a cost of EUR 5 million – another example of climate protection in action. Mainova, a public utility, will feed the upgraded biomethane into the public gas grid.
2009
Infraserv Höchst builds a new media bridge to supply steam and various raw materials to production facilities in the southern part of the park.
A new, colorfully designed acoustical barrier is erected at the western perimeter of Industriepark Höchst, significantly improving noise control.
SOL, an Italian industrial-gas company, invests EUR 20 million to construct a plant for liquefying technical gases in Industriepark Höchst. The plant is managed and operated by Infraserv Höchst.
2008
Infraserv Höchst has started construction on the waste-to-energy plant. A cutting-edge logistics center worth € 44 million is being built in the southern sector of the park. With approximately 70,000 pallet positions, the New Logistics Center in Industriepark Höchst is the largest storage facility for chemical products in the State of Hesse.This year, the 90-some tenant companies invested over € 602 million in Industriepark Höchst.
2007
Infraserv Höchst began planning a waste-to-energy plant with an annual capacity of 675,000 metric tons of refuse-derived fuel. It was designed to produce 70 megawatts of electric power and 250 metric tons of steam per hour, and to offer tenants energy at attractive, internationally competitive rates. With a project budget of € 300 million, it was the single largest investment in Industriepark Höchst's history.
2006
Industriepark
Höchst, Clariant, sanofi-aventis, and Infraserv Höchst contribute to "365 Landmarks
in the Land of Ideas", a nationwide lecture series.
The industrial park is
one of
the 365 landmarks whose activities represent Germany's innovative drive and wealth of ideas this year.
Infraserv Höchst renewed its commitment to clean, renewable energy. It opened a hydrogen filling station at Industriepark Höchst as part of the EU's Zero Regio project, and built a co-digester that could produce biogas from biosolids and organic waste.
2005
The companies in Industriepark Höchst invested over € 340 million in the site in 2005. The new facilities include a biodiesel-production plant, a purified water facility, and a Biocenter for drugs. The technologically advanced Biocenter bridges the gap between innovative research and efficient production. As such, it is a crucial building block in ensuring Industriepark Höchst's future success.
2004
Work
finishes on the trimodal port on the southern bank of the Main River in Industriepark Höchst. It combines
the water, rail and road transport modes - hence the name "trimodal".
Provadis'
private college is also created: the School of International Management and Technology.
A
functional office building is constructed on the eastern periphery of the industrial park. Owing to
its unusual shape, it is dubbed the "Ship on Stilts". The state-of-the-art building brings
together architectural sophistication and efficiency through innovative technology.
2003
Aventis, now called sanofi-aventis, invests a nine-figure sum in building a new insulin plant.
2001
Industriepark Höchst grows further, fuelled by the record 450 million euros invested by occupant companies. Among other projects, Infraserv Höchst builds a new multi-purpose laboratory building and a nine-story office high-rise in the south side of the park.
2000
Infraserv aligns itself with a new, process- and customer-centric structure. It sets out to lead the market as a full-service site operator.
1998
Infraserv GmbH & Co. Höchst KG is created from the site services for Hoechst AG’s parent plant. The factory site is turned into a modern, highly developed industrial park with plenty of space for new users.
1997
The former factory site is opened up to non-Hoechst companies.

1994
"Transition '94": Hoechst AG starts to reorganize and introduce a new organizational structure.
'80s
Pioneering work performed in genetic engineering. Production process for genetically engineered human insulin.

'60s/'70s
The research center in the south of the industrial park is built and expanded. Two factory bridges provide access across the Main River.
'60s
Pioneering work in environmental protection: 1965 sees the commissioning of Europe’s first large-scale biological treatment facility for industrial wastewater.
'50s
Pioneering work performed in plastics and synthetic fibers, especially the high-density polyethylene Hostalen and the polyester fiber Trevira. Oral antidiabetics are also developed.
1939
Prisoners of war, foreign workers and forced laborers from all over Europe are used during the labor shortage. Approximately nine thousand of them work at the Höchst factory.
'30s
The factory infrastructure is revamped. The generation and delivery systems for power and steam are modernized.
1923
Insulin production begins, using the process developed by Banting and Best.
1919
The Berlin architect Peter Behrens designs and builds the new Technical Administration Building for Farbwerke Hoechst. Construction starts in the spring of 1920. The engineers and office staff move into their offices in June 1924. The building is considered to be an outstanding example of expressionist architecture.
1910
Large-scale industrial production of Salvarsan, discovered by Paul Ehrlich. This syphilis drug ushers in the era of modern chemotherapy.
1894
The diphtheria serum developed by Emil von Behring enters production as the first immunobiological agent. It also launched the successful fight against diphtheria, which claimed the lives of 50,000 children per year in Germany alone.
1896
Tuberculocidin, a tuberculosis diagnostic, is Hoechst’s first immunological drug. It leads to the creation of a sero-bacteriological department.
1883
Antipyrin is the first important medicine produced industrially. It is an antipyretic and analgesic.
1869
Large-scale industrial synthesis of alizarine, the red dye made from madder and famously used in the French army's uniforms.

