Breuer & Schmitz was founded in 1883 as a machine factory in Wald i. Rhineland, today Solingen, founded by Carl Schmitz. The main business initially consisted of supplying the surrounding industry with special machines for metal processing and wire bending, e.g. for umbrellas or women’s handbag hangers. After only a few years, the manufacture of building hardware was also added to the production, from which a specialization in the production of all kinds of hinges developed over the decades.