WYCKOFF, NJ — New Brook International Inc. recently announced the celebration of the 125^th anniversary of its sister company, Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik, which is a leading producer of bismuth vanadate pigments. Due to COVID-19 restrictions a small, internal celebration was held to mark the anniversary, during which company owner Ronald A. Levi reviewed the history of the company and all it has accomplished. 

The company was founded in 1896 as Lack- und Farbengroßhandlung Gebrüder Katzauer. The focus was on products for craftsmen such as brushes, paints and other equipment. A few years later, the company began producing its own putty and various lime paints. At the beginning of the 1920s, the Katzauer family acquired a 20-hectare site on the outskirts of Bruchsal, Germany, which still serves as the company's headquarters. At the Bruchsal site, the foundation was laid for the chemical production of pigments, which continues to be the most important focus of the company. During the early 20^th century, new production halls were built for the chemical production of chromate pigments, organic and iron cyanide pigments, making Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik an important international manufacturer of these colors. The continued growth and success story was abruptly interrupted in 1938 when the Katzauer and Levi families were forced to flee Germany and the company was incorporated into Rheinchemie, a part of IG Farben. Fortunately, the Levi family was able to immigrate to the United States and later regained rightful ownership of the company in 1949. After the Second World War, pigment production was renewed, and the facilities were completely rebuilt into what the company describes as one of the most modern inorganic pigment production sites in the world.