Hardware store - L. Weil & Reinhardt Aktiengesellschaft

The hardware store „ L. Weil "  was founded in 1868 by Leonhardt Weil. Five years later (1873), Leonhardt Weil took on his former authorized signatory Emil Reinhardt as a partner. From this point on, the company operated under the name " L. Weil & Reinhardt ". Sally, who had been working in the business since his apprenticeship, also became a partner in the company on July 15, 1885. Louis Weil retired from the business at the beginning of 1896. At the end of the 19th century, the company expanded with a branch in the Rheinauhafen. In addition to a machine for metalworking, electrically operated transportation systems and its own narrow-gauge tracks, the branch on the connecting canal also had a canteen for workers, and six telephone lines at the turn of the century testify to the lively business traffic of the time. In April 1903, Philipp Reinhardt, Emil Reinhardt's son, joined the company as a partner after a long period of study and training. Emil Reinhardt was elected to the Chamber of Commerce in January 1899 and was also a member of the Mannheim Citizens' Committee. Louis Weil died in May 1906. Emil Reinhardt died on May 12, 1913. He was active in the company until his death. The company's product range was huge and, in addition to various iron and steel products such as sheet metal, wire, façon iron, mounting iron, bar iron, ornamental iron, pillars and girders through to rails, sleepers and points, also included field railway carriages and locomotives at times. In 1920, the general partnership was converted into a public limited company, with the lawyers Dr. Max Hachenburg and Dr. Emil Selb as well as the businessmen Richard Lenel, Dr. Philipp Reinhardt and Sally Weil on the Supervisory Board. After the 50th anniversary celebrations in January 1924, the company got into financial difficulties in the same year as a result of the occupation of the Ruhr and was later taken over by the Stinnes Group,