Gabriel 150 years - Flipbook - Page 22
Market fluctuations
±π∫π-±∫µ∞
Kjærs Mølle enjoyed a period of prosperity
the company operated at a loss for several
in the first decades of the ≤∞th century and
years. Bankruptcy threatened, and the num-
became one of Denmark’s leading manufac-
ber of employees fell again to about ∂∞, with
turers of woollen cloth.
many of those working less than full time.
st
When the ± World War ended in ±∫±π, the
Once again fortune smiled on Kjærs
future looked bright in Denmark, and Kjærs
Mølle. The company owned about ±≤ ±/≤
Mølle was prepared to increase production.
hectares of land that was parcelled out from
But war was followed by crisis, and with a
±∫≥≤ to ±∫≥∏. The income from the sale of this
stock of expensive raw materials and virtually
property was used, among other things, for
unsaleable products, operations were no
necessary investments, and from ±∫≥∫, Kjærs
longer feasible. Due to a weak market, fashion
Mølle’s position could once again be des-
whims and well-worn production facilities,
cribed as sustainable.
Optimism in the early
1900s
existing building. In ±∫±≥, the roof of the boiler
house had to be raised, and in ±∫±∑ another
≥∑∫ m≤ was added to the spinning mill.
The many investments made as the ±π∞∞s drew
to a close resulted in greatly increased capaci-
The production plant was utilised to its ut-
ty. While the factory that was rebuilt following
most in the last years of the ±st World War, and
the fire in ±π∂∂ could manufacture about
Kjærs Mølle was among the largest manufac-
±π,∞∞∞ metres of cloth per year, by ±∫∞± and
turers of woollen cloth in the country in terms
the celebration of the company’s ∂∞th anni-
of both share capital and profits. The enter-
versary, more than ±∂∞,∞∞∞ metres were pro-
prise was known for quality goods sold to cus-
duced annually, i.e. π-∫ times as much. During
tomers all over the country as well as directly
the same period, the number of workers more
from Kjærs Mølle’s retail shop in Nytorv in
than tripled, to ±∑∂ employees by ±∫∞±.
Aalborg.
A high level of building activity was main-
In ±∫±∑, a mortgage was taken out in the
tained in the early ±∫∞∞s. The period from
amount of µ∞∞,∞∞∞ Danish kroner, and in ±∫±π
±∫∞≥ to ±∫∞∏ saw the construction of, among
the share capital was increased from π∞∞,∞∞∞
other things, a two-storey office building and
to ± million Danish kroner. Like the rest of the
storeroom, an addition to the building where
country, Kjærs Mølle anticipated a growth in
salaried employees lived, a new dye-works and
prosperity following the end of the ±st World
a new willowing-works, an extension of the
War and was, once again, prepared to expand
spinning mill and the addition of a floor to an
the factory.
1898-1940
23
