Eight years after moving from Jebenhausen to Göppingen, Jakob B. Gutmann founded the company J.B.Gutmann as a sole proprietorship in 1868. When the eldest son Bernhard J. Gutmann joined as a partner in 1872, it became a partnership. After the departure of company founder Jakob B. Gutmann in 1877 and the entry of two other sons, Leopold J. Gutmann and Max J. Gutmann, the company name changed to " Gebrüder Gutmann ". In 1899, it became the joint stock company "Mechanische Buntweberei am Stadtbach" with Bernhard J. Gutmann as its chairman.