CHRISTMANN + PFEIFER
100 Years of Heartbeat in Steel.
In 2025, there is something to celebrate: In May of this year, the founding of C + P will mark its 100th anniversary.
Since 1925, the steel heartbeat of our corporate group has been strong – then and now. With a deep passion for steel, Wilhelm Christmann and Otto Pfeifer laid the foundation for a company that has evolved from a small forge into an innovative player in construction and interior technology. Steel lockers soon expanded our portfolio, and over time, the company grew further: new locations, modern production facilities, and a continually expanding range of services.
Our corporate culture unites stability and progress. Over the decades, we have created a work environment centered around collaboration, mutual respect, and short decision-making paths. The descendants of our founding families are still actively involved today, contributing to our dynamic approach while staying true to our roots.
With this combination of tradition and a spirit of innovation, we tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Our drive: combining personal commitment, strong teamwork, and the competence of a global player. This is how we create solutions that shape the future, built on a foundation of steel and humanity.
Shaped by Steel, Built for the Future
Steel is far more than just a material – it is the foundation and soul of our company history. With its unique properties like strength, flexibility, and durability, steel forms the basis of all our products. It embodies the values that have shaped C + P for a century: robustness, stability, and versatility. For us, it’s clear: steel is not just a part of our past but also the key to a responsible future.
Space Concepts That Connect – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Today, the interior design sector stands for thoughtful space concepts that connect. What began in a small forge in rural Hesse has grown into a leading company that combines functionality, design, and sustainability. Our steel cabinets and lockers for workshops, changing rooms, offices, and more are synonymous with quality that lasts generations.
Our history is defined by innovation and responsibility – for our region, our employees, and our customers.
100 Years – 100 Actions
Look forward to a year full of special highlights, exclusive offers, and creative activities celebrating our 100th anniversary. Under the motto “100 Years – 100 Actions,” we have numerous surprises planned, which we will unveil throughout the year in our webshop and on our social media channels. From inspiring stories to exclusive content – be inspired and celebrate this special milestone with us!
Milestones That Shape Our History
1925
Technician Wilhelm Christmann (1900–1957) and locksmith Otto Pfeifer (1896–1971) establish their company in a forge in Wallau, Hesse, under the name Christmann & Co. They produce sheet metal components and fittings for the construction industry as well as ash boxes for the stove industry.
1935
The industrial production of steel structures for hall construction and steel lockers marks the foundation for the development of the two business segments: Construction and Furnishing.
1936
Jacob Hainbach (1887–1979) joins the company as an additional personally liable partner, taking responsibility for commercial matters.
1937
Construction of the first assembly hall for the steel construction division. The company now has its own rail connection. A new hall with a loading dock is built to house the toolmaking division. Along the district road to Wiesenbach, an office building is constructed for company management, the commercial department, and a technical office.
1962
A major fire on October 6 destroys the entire steel construction hall, but it is quickly rebuilt.
1975
Horst Hainbach and Walter Pfeifer take over management from Jacob Hainbach.
1982
Installation and commissioning of a new production line for steel structures. C + P becomes the first German steel furniture manufacturer to coat entire cabinet bodies in an immersion system.
1984
The first fully automated punching and bending system with CNC control from the Italian machine manufacturer Salvagnini is commissioned in Breidenbach.
1991
Business graduate Uwe Hainbach succeeds Horst Hainbach as managing director of the Furnishing segment. Acquisition of the Gothaer Maschinen- und Metallwarenfabrik GmbH by C + P Stahlmöbel GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Gotha.
1993
Acquisition of the steel construction division of Saxonia AG Freiberg by C + P Industrietechnik GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Freiberg. C + P Elementbau expands to include a Turnkey Construction division.
2018
Lawyer Tomas Kirschenfauth becomes managing director of the Furnishing segment, succeeding Uwe Hainbach.
2023
Restructuring of the plants in the Furnishing segment: Breidenbach is designated as the main plant for component manufacturing. As a logistics hub, it operates with 40 in-house trucks and 80 furniture trailers. Breidenbach also serves as the administrative headquarters, focusing on sales, marketing, and product development. A multi-stage process begins to optimize workflow organization at the Gotha site of C + P Stahlmöbel. A new fully automated production line is inaugurated as part of the expansion into a high-volume industrial manufacturing facility.
Two Divisions, One Vision – Building and Furnishing
Today, the CHRISTMANN + PFEIFER Group unites two independent business sectors under one roof, sharing a long tradition and a clear vision: innovation and quality for the demands of tomorrow.
Furnishing
We produce and distribute solutions for changing rooms, workshops, and offices – from small trades businesses to large corporations – beyond just steel lockers.
Building
The Building division specializes in heavy structural steel construction, realizing industrial plants, halls, parking garages, and bridges, and taking on turnkey implementation of diverse industrial construction projects.
Education Center
With the C + P Education Center, we also make our expertise in metal professions available to other companies in the region as an inter-company training and continuing education facility.
The Founding Fathers of the C + P Family: Visionaries and Pioneers
Behind the success of CHRISTMANN + PFEIFER are three remarkable individuals: Wilhelm Christmann, Otto Pfeifer, and Jacob Hainbach. With their vision, dedication, and unique skills, they created the foundation for a company that has continuously evolved and set new benchmarks over the decades.
Wilhelm Christmann
Born in 1900 in Wiesenbach, Wilhelm was one of nine siblings, three of whom died at a young age. He lost his father at the age of twelve. After primary school, he trained as a blacksmith under his father’s uncle in Niederdieten near Wiesenbach. With ambitions for greater achievements, he attended a technical school in Altenburg (Thüringen) in the early 1920s. Known for his strict and disciplined nature, Wilhelm was the creative mind behind the company. He passed away at the age of 57, experiencing only the beginnings of the success story he helped initiate. Unlike the descendants of Otto Pfeifer and Jacob Hainbach, his two daughters Gerda and Erika did not work in a managerial capacity for C + P. Both were shareholders until the 1980s. Erika completed an apprenticeship as a commercial clerk in the company and worked there until her marriage.
Otto Pfeifer
Referred to by everyone as "O.P.," Otto came from a lineage of blacksmiths and locksmiths dating back to the early 19th century. Born in 1896, he grew up on a former feudal estate with a forge that had been in the family since 1883. After his education and training as a locksmith, Otto gained a reputation as a respected authority figure until his death in 1971. His son, Walter Pfeifer, managed the Building division from 1975 to 1985. Walter’s grandson, Daniel, continues to work in the company as an industrial construction project manager.
Jacob Hainbach
born in 1887 as the son of a steelworker in Wallau, became the man of numbers at Christmann & Pfeifer starting in 1936. After an apprenticeship as a merchant, he became a managing partner at C + P while maintaining his role at another company for a decade. Jacob managed the company until his death in 1979, after which his son Horst Hainbach took over the Furnishing division. Leadership passed to subsequent family members and, since 2018, Tomas Kirschenfauth has been at the helm of C + P Furniture Systems.
