B+T Group bids farewell to its founders

The founders of the B+T Group, Werner Ruhl and Willi Perschbacher, met at the age of 14 during their vocational training. A deep mutual trust developed from this early encounter, which was to have a decisive influence on their later entrepreneurial activities. Werner Ruhl was born in Giessen in January 1935. Willi Perschbacher was born in April 1935 in nearby Hungen. By training as an electroplater, Perschbacher laid the foundations for an extraordinary professional career. Over the years, he developed into a proven expert in electroplating and chemical technology, with his curiosity, his courage to experiment and his deep understanding of processes accompanying him throughout his life. After Willi Perschbacher passed his master craftsman's examination in 1961, he made a name for himself as a chemicals manufacturer in addition to his work as an electroplating manager. As the strategic head of the founding duo, he shaped B+T with foresight, structural thinking and a clear understanding of sustainable corporate development. His pioneering spirit of craftsmanship and technology often led to innovation being created pragmatically at the kitchen table at home or in the garage of the family home.

Small electroplating shop as the cornerstone of B+T

After decades of friendship, Werner Ruhl and Willi Perschbacher acquired a small electroplating shop with six employees in the district of Marburg-Biedenkopf in Cölbe in 1976. This laid the foundations for Ruhl & Co. GmbH and at the same time for an extraordinary success story in surface technology. Under their joint leadership, the company grew continuously. After 20 years, the location was strategically relocated to Wetzlar. There, targeted investments were made in modern systems for process reliability, analytics and quality assurance, as well as in the expansion of the production area. The two entrepreneurs always combined entrepreneurial foresight with a keen interest in technological and social developments. Even in their old age, they still sought an exchange with the younger generation of companies and pursued topics such as alternative energies and modern automation with curiosity and enthusiasm. The connection to the B+T Group and its employees remained an important concern for them to the very end. Their joint visit to the company in 2023 is an impressive example of their lifelong passion for innovative technology, their home region and their fellow human beings, which accompanied them into old age.