Deutsche Norton, Technology organization in Wesseling, Germany
Deutsche Norton was a manufacturing facility in Wesseling that specialized in abrasive materials and refractory products. The plant featured multiple round and tunnel kilns designed to produce these materials on a large scale.
The company was founded in 1909 and began producing abrasive materials in 1910 with around 60 workers. Operations grew over the decades but closed in 1992 when the workforce dropped from 160 to 50 employees.
The facility attracted workers from different countries who lived in basic housing near the factory grounds. These workers were part of operations for decades and shaped the composition of the local community.
The former industrial site has been inactive since 1992 and is not open to the public. The property is fenced off and currently being prepared for a new construction project.
In December 2023, the Cologne public transport operator KVB purchased the site to build a new depot. The new facility will be roughly five times larger than their current operations center.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
