Gabriel 150 years - Flipbook - Page 12
Founding a textile factory
1850-1855
Kjærs Mølle was founded in ±π∂±. Prior to that
consideration of the pros and cons of the sit-
time, the three founders had carefully cons-
uation, Kjærs Mølle on the outskirts of the
idered the sustainability of such an enterprise.
town of Aalborg appeared to be the most at-
Included in their evaluations were access to
tractive site for the new factory.
water, the local competition and the local
A three-storey factory was built, sales grew
need both for woollen goods and for the fin-
steadily, and this, in turn, led to a continuing
ishing of goods made by cottage industries.
need for loans to finance expansion. After
The availability of a qualified workforce was,
some three to four years, the factory employ-
apparently, of lesser importance. After careful
ed about ∂∞ persons.
potential moneylenders of the feasibility of the
Two manufacturers and
a businessman in search of
a textile factory
project.
A natural solution would have been for P.G. Di-
In ±π∂∞, two Danish manufacturers from mid-
nesen to expand his existing factory in Århus,
Jutland and a businessman from the island of
but he already lacked water power at this site,
Zealand were on the look out for a good loca-
so that was out of the question. Instead, the
tion for a new factory for the manufacture of
three men had to find a place where they could
woollen textiles.
start a new factory. We have no way of knowing
Manufacturer P.G. Dinesen from the town
exactly why they chose Kjærs Mølle, then just
of Århus and W.A. Rodskjer, factory manager at
outside the town of Aalborg, but we do know
Brunshaab Klædefabrik, a textile factory near
that this was a logical and sensible choice. In
the town of Viborg, were experts within the
the first place, there was plenty of water in the
field of textiles. Solicitor Otto Jespersen had fi-
Østerå River to operate the water mill, the
nancial and legal expertise, and he was quickly
heart of the factory, and to provide water for
called upon to make use of both.
the washing, fulling and dyeing of the woollen
products. In the second place, there were no
Starting a textile factory was risky business, not
other factories for making woollen textiles in
least because the founders themselves were
the Aalborg area. And as the three founders
unable to provide more than about one-third
wanted both to manufacture goods for sale and
of the ∂∏,∞∞∞ rix-dollars it was estimated the
to finish the goods supplied by nearby cottage
land and buildings and the establishment of
industries, this site suggested there would be a
the factory itself would cost. Careful prepara-
reliable local market for their products. Finally,
tions were necessary to convince creditors and
Aalborg is centrally located where the water of
1850-1855
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