It all started with the formation of the Hartmann group in the German Empire in 1881 under the leadership of Wilhelm Hartmann. The period until the outbreak of the First World War was characterized by growth and worldwide expansion. The group was severely impacted by the economic crisis of the 1930s and subsequently expropriated by the Nazi regime in 1938.

In 1952, the Austrian part of the company was restituted, and the group was rebuilt by Fritz Wilhelm Hartmann, the son of Wilhelm Hartmann. When Fritz Wilhelm Hartmann died in 1967, his wife Harriet Hartmann (née Kaufmann) took over the leadership of the group. A period of growth and international expansion followed, leading to a joint venture with Mondi plc. (Anglo American Group) in 1990 and a sale of all remaining shares in 2004.

The acquisition of a strategic shareholding in the Swedish pulp and paper company Billerud under the leadership of Michael M.F. Kaufmann in 2005 marks another milestone in the group’s history. Since 2005, Billerud has grown significantly, multiplying its net sales and production volume and becoming a leading company in high-performing paper and packaging materials.