Otto Röhm
Encyclopedia
Otto Karl Julius Röhm was one of the founders and a longtime president of the Röhm und Haas chemical company which became later in the USA the Rohm & Haas PLC
and in Germany the Röhm GmbH (today Evonik Degussa).
as pharmacy
assistant he started to study pharmacy at the universities
of Munich
and Tübingen
. As a graduated apothecary
he completed his studies 1901 at Tübingen
with a dissertation in chemistry on "Polymerisation products of the acrylic acid
".
He is named in over 70 patents as inventor or co-inventor. When he died in 1939, his company Röhm GmbH occupied 1800 employees and the annual revenues exceeded 22 million Reichsmark. His name is carried by several streets and other public places in Darmstadt
, Weiterstadt
and Worms
.
company, later he worked for the Stuttgart
city gasworks. Here Otto Röhm focused on the processing of leather. He discovered an enzymatic
leather staining process. This led to a substitute (brand name Oropon) for the fermented
dog dung which was formerly used for bating leather (part of the tanning
process).
In 1907 he founded the company Röhm & Haas
together with the businessman Otto Haas in Esslingen, Germany
. Very soon, Otto Haas expanded the business to the USA, in 1909 he founded the first oversea subsidiary in Philadelphia. At the same time in Germany Röhm moved the company to Darmstadt
where a larger plant was set up being closer to the leather industry of the Rhein-Main Region.
s in technical applications. This led to a revolution in the production and in the use of washing detergent
s around 1914. In 1920 he introduced enzymes in the pharmaceutical industry and 1934 in the food industry, first application here was the clarifying of fruit juices.
Additionally, the development of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) contributed to his economical success. In 1933 he patented and registered the brand PLEXIGLAS (PLEXIGLASS for the international markets).
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
and in Germany the Röhm GmbH (today Evonik Degussa).
Life
After completion of an apprenticeshipApprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
as pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
assistant he started to study pharmacy at the universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
. As a graduated apothecary
Apothecary
Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....
he completed his studies 1901 at Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
with a dissertation in chemistry on "Polymerisation products of the acrylic acid
Acrylic acid
Acrylic acid is an organic compound with the formula CH2=CHCO2H. It is the simplest unsaturated carboxylic acid, consisting of a vinyl group connected directly to a carboxylic acid terminus. This colorless liquid has a characteristic acrid or tart smell. It is miscible with water, alcohols,...
".
He is named in over 70 patents as inventor or co-inventor. When he died in 1939, his company Röhm GmbH occupied 1800 employees and the annual revenues exceeded 22 million Reichsmark. His name is carried by several streets and other public places in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Weiterstadt
Weiterstadt
Weiterstadt is a town in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated approx. 6 km northwest of Darmstadt.....
and Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
.
Career
After the university he started as a researcher at the MerckMerck KGaA
Merck KGaA is a German chemical and pharmaceutical company. Merck, also known as “German Merck” and “Merck Darmstadt”, was founded in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1668, making it the world's oldest operating chemical and pharmaceutical company. The company was privately owned until going public in 1995...
company, later he worked for the Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
city gasworks. Here Otto Röhm focused on the processing of leather. He discovered an enzymatic
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
leather staining process. This led to a substitute (brand name Oropon) for the fermented
Fermentation (biochemistry)
Fermentation is the process of extracting energy from the oxidation of organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, using an endogenous electron acceptor, which is usually an organic compound. In contrast, respiration is where electrons are donated to an exogenous electron acceptor, such as oxygen,...
dog dung which was formerly used for bating leather (part of the tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
process).
In 1907 he founded the company Röhm & Haas
Rohm and Haas
Rohm and Haas Company, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based company, manufactures miscellaneous materials. Formerly a Fortune 500 Company, Rohm and Haas employs more than 17,000 people in 27 countries, with its last sales revenue reported as an independent company at USD 8.9 billion. On July 10,...
together with the businessman Otto Haas in Esslingen, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Very soon, Otto Haas expanded the business to the USA, in 1909 he founded the first oversea subsidiary in Philadelphia. At the same time in Germany Röhm moved the company to Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
where a larger plant was set up being closer to the leather industry of the Rhein-Main Region.
Science
Otto Röhm was the first chemist who isolated and applied enzymeEnzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
s in technical applications. This led to a revolution in the production and in the use of washing detergent
Detergent
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
s around 1914. In 1920 he introduced enzymes in the pharmaceutical industry and 1934 in the food industry, first application here was the clarifying of fruit juices.
Additionally, the development of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) contributed to his economical success. In 1933 he patented and registered the brand PLEXIGLAS (PLEXIGLASS for the international markets).