March 1956 – It all started in the backyard of a pharmacy
Hermann Holtz invents the first magnetic planning board, initially for his own use as a pharmacist. In the same year, due to the great demand, he founds the company magnetoplan® GmbH in Scheffelstraße in Wiesbaden.
1971 – Worldwide start of licensed productions & internationalization
Licensed production of magnetoplan® products in Singapore, Indonesia and Japan.
March 1964 – The transotype® business line
Father and son, Hermann and Peter Holtz found a second company together: The business line transotype®, for the production of modern graphic materials. Under the transotype brand we became the leading manufacturer of graphic materials. The main product at that time was abrasive typefaces.
1968 – Expansion and move to Wiesbaden-Nordenstadt
The company moves to the newly developed industrial area in Wiesbaden-Nordenstadt. On a 10,000 sqm commercial property, office and production rooms with additional workplaces for various occupational groups are being created here.
1980 – Peter Holtz-Kathan takes over the management
After the unexpected death of Hermann Holtz at the age of only 59, his son Peter Holtz-Kathan takes over the sole management of the company. The new task as well as further successes give him strength to cope with the grief.
1985 – Unification of magnetoplan® and transotype®
P. Holtz-Kathan unites the companies magnetoplan® and transotype® under the roof of HOLTZ GmbH.
1987 – Introduction of the Copic Marker
HOLTZ GmbH becomes exclusive distributor of the Japanese Copic Marker in Germany. Despite initial scepticism in the German market, it develops within a very short time from position 19 to the absolute number 1. It is now considered a revolution among layout markers. Since 1989 HOLTZ OFFICE SUPPORT GmbH has been the exclusive distributor of the Copic Marker for Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
2006 – Christopher Holtz-Kathan joins the management as the 3rd generation
Christopher Holtz-Kathan joins the management team after successfully completing his business studies with a focus on "International Business Administration" and various studies and practical semesters abroad.
October 2010 – New construction of logistics centre & head office in Wiesbaden-Delkenheim
magnetoplan®, Copic and transotype® are united under the roof of HOLTZ OFFICE SUPPORT GmbH. The employees of the family-owned company carry out the relocation of the "new" company to Wiesbaden-Delkenheim in only 4 days, almost entirely on their own initiative. The modern rooms with a view of nature, reward for the effort.
September 2011 – Award of the "Großer Preis den Mittelstandes
The award of the "Großer Preis des Mittelstandes" of the Oskar Patzelt Foundation, one of the most important business prizes in Germany, confirms Peter and Christopher Holtz-Kathan on their joint path to a continued successful future.
2013 – Awarded as "Wiesbadener Ökoprofit-Betrieb
As a company we see it as our duty to pay attention to sustainability. For this reason, we put our actions to the test in a comprehensive certification process and are awarded the title of "Wiesbadener Ökoprofit-Betrieb".
2013 – Foundation stone for transotype® design awards
Our product lines senseBook RED RUBBER and senseBook Flap are awarded the reddot design award winner 2013.
2015 – Further design awards for our brand transotype®
Our red aluminium cutting rulers receive the reddot design award winner 2015, and our senseBook RED RUBBER and senseBook Flap product lines are now also being honoured with the German Design Award Winner 2015. And last but not least, the senseBag series receives the reddot design award honourable mention 2015.
2015 – Expansion of the logistics centre
The logistics centre of HOLTZ OFFICE SUPPORT GmbH in Wiesbaden-Delkenheim is being further expanded. Around one million euros is being invested in the expansion of the pallet racking system for this purpose, so that the company is well equipped for the near and medium future.
2016 – Awarded brands
In recognition of the successful brand and business development, both brands - magnetoplan® + transotype® – are awarded the German Brand Award 2016 by the German Design Council. TThe double award as a major German brand 2016 also crowns this successful path.
2016 – Foundation stone for magnetoplan® design awards
The new evolutionary magnetoplan evolution plus design whiteboards convince the jury of the German Design Council and receive the German Design Award Special 2016.
Elke Holtz-Kathan, a graduate in business administration (LL.M. M.Sc.) and wife of Christopher Holtz-Kathan, takes over as head of the company's human resources department.
2017 – transotype® wins further design prizes
Our senseBag Shopper and the red Cutter Pro are awarded the reddot design award winner 2017.
2018 – Record year for magnetoplan® and transotype® design awards
A large number of product innovations of our two brands magnetoplan® and transotype® will receive awards this year. The senseBag Shopper from transotype® wins the German Design Award Special 2018 and our Cutter Pro even receives the German Design Award Winner 2018 twice. On the one hand in the category Workshop and Tools, on the other hand in the category Universal Design. The new magnetoplan® presenter bag "Messenger" from magnetoplan® is the reddot design award winner 2018.
2019 – Seminar bag "Messenger
Our seminar bag "Messenger" is now also awarded with the German Design Award Winner 2019.
2020 – Further design awards hail
Infinity Wall, Action Holster and Action Wallet now also receive the German Innovation Award Winner 2020.
2019 – Awarded brands
For the second time, both brands - magnetoplan® + transotype® – are awarded the German Brand Award by the German Design Council. magnetoplan® is also awarded as product brand of the year. 2020 is followed by the repeated award as the major German brand 2020.
2020 – Elke Holtz-Kathan joins the management
Elke Holtz-Kathan now manages Holtz Office Support GmbH together with her husband Christopher Holtz-Kathan and becomes managing director of the company. The graduate in business administration (LL.M. M.Sc.) continues to be responsible for the human resources department of Holtz Office Support GmbH.
2020 – Design market leader magnetoplan®
magnetoplan® establishes itself as the design market leader and convinces with three product innovations: Infinity Wall, Action Holster and Action Wallet. All receive the German Design Award Winner 2020.
2020 – Iconic Award Winner - Best of Best
The Infinity Wall receives its second award and wins the Iconic Award Innovative Interior - Best of Best.
2020 – iF Design Award Winner
The Infinity Wall, the Action Wallet and the Design Thinking whiteboard kit now also receive the iF Design Award Winner 2020.
2009 – Investment in the future
The HOLTZ OFFICE SUPPORT GmbH decides, despite one of the heaviest economic crises of the post-war period to make in addition one of their largest investments. The planning for an investment of 7 Million Euro in a new logistics center + head office began.
2016 – transotype® design awards
It's raining design awards for transotype®: The red aluminium cutting rulers are awarded the German Design Award Special. The senseBag product line is nominated for the German Design Award.
2020 – magnetoTray wins design awards
The innovation magnetoTray, the environmentally friendly + magnetic pen holder made of recycled felt, is awarded the German Design Award Special Mention 2021 twice: For excellent product design in the categories "Stationery" and "Eco Design".
2020 – German Design Award 2021
The timeless design presentation board Vario Pin and the design whiteboard Vario - made in Germany - receive the German Design Award Special Mention 2021 for excellent product design in the category "Office Furniture". The board with flame-retardant felt is available in 8 fresh trend colours. The whiteboard with lacquered, magnetic surface and the felt board can be mounted in portrait or landscape format. The frame and feet are made of super-light aluminium and finished with white powder coating.
2020 – Hygiene products
The Covid 19 crisis hit many companies unprepared and sometimes very hard. Suddenly the economy came to a standstill. Also for us, as a provider of visual communication solutions for training, seminars and further education. The need for moderation, flipcharts, screens etc. was suddenly no longer needed to the same extent as before, as attendance events had to be discontinued. We quickly understood what people need instead in a crisis in order to continue their work safely and securely. Our product development department has developed – virtually overnight – a comprehensive range of hygiene and safety products with our production plants. With the broadly extended range of Room dividers and partitions, spit protection walls, face protection visors, disinfectant stations and much more, we were thus able to provide within a very short time for hospitals, doctors' surgeries, the food trade and in many other system-relevant areas / institutions of public life. Together with our employees, we managed the changeover of the product range with combined forces, a lot of agility and at an incredible speed. The crisis has allowed us to grow even closer together internally but also with our trading partners and has significantly expanded our joint potential for the future.
Our brand design convinces
GERMAN DESIGN AWARD
2021 Design-Whiteboard Vario
2021 Design-Moderationstafel VarioPin
2021 magnetoTray (Category: Eco Design)
2021 magnetoTray (Category: Stationery)
2020 Action Holster
2020 Action Wallet
2020 Infinity Wall
2019 Moderatorentasche Messenger
2018 Cutter PRO (Category: Workshop and Tools)
2018 Cutter PRO (Category: Universal Design)
2018 Shopper
2016 Design-Whiteboards evolution plus
2016 Non-Slip Aluminium Cutting Ruler PRO
2016 Non-Slip Aluminium Cutting Ruler
2016 (Nominee) senseBag Produktlinie
2015 (Nominee) Flipchart evolution plus
2015 senseBook
REDDOT DESIGN AWARD
2018 Moderatorentasche Messenger
2017 Cutter PRO
2017 senseBag Shopper
2015 Non-Slip Aluminium Cutting Ruler PRO
2015 Non-Slip Aluminium Cutting Ruler
2015 (honourable mention) senseBag Produktlinie
2013 senseBook
ICONIC AWARD
2020 Infinity Wall
GERMAN INNOVATION AWARD
2020 Action Holster
2020 Action Wallet
2020 Infinity Wall
iF DESIGN AWARD
2020 Action Wallet
2020 Design-Thinking Whiteboard-Kit
2020 Infinity Wall
GERMAN BRAND AWARD
2019 special product brand of the year magnetoplan
2019 magnetoplan
2019 special transotype
2016 magnetoplan
2016 transotype
DIE GROSSEN DEUTSCHEN MARKEN
2020 magnetoplan
2020 transotype
2016 magnetoplan
2016 transotype