History
In Prettin since 1871.
Schladitz milwa GmbH looks back on more than 150 years of tradition as a manufacturer of household chemical products.
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1818The origin
A soap boiler from Bad Schmiedeberg.
Today’s Schladitz milwa GmbH is a “descendant” of the craft business of Gottlieb Wilhelm Schladitz – a soap boiler born in 1818 in Bad Schmiedeberg (Wittenberg district).
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1871Founding
A soap works in Prettin.
His son, Carl Moritz Schladitz, moves to Prettin and founds a soap works here in 1871. The soap is sold through rural traders and in the company’s own shop.
The C. M. Schladitz & Co. soap factory in Prettin/Elbe – historic postcard. -
to 1939Growth
Direct sales through its own branches.
Until 1939, the company mainly produces bar soap, fine soap and soft soap as well as detergents – the latter using the so-called floor-drying process (Tennenverfahren).
The products are sold directly to consumers. Numerous branches and distribution depots are set up for this purpose, including in Naumburg, Braunschweig and Cottbus. The company trades as C. M. Schladitz & Co.
130+household chemical products115sales agents32small vans8medium lorries
Washing powder production using the floor-drying process, around 1930. 
Delivery van “Schladitz Seifen, Prettin/Elbe”. -
1946Post-war
Hundreds of thousands of packs per quarter.
After the Second World War, the company remains owned by the Schladitz family, but direct sales are discontinued. In 1946, 146 people work here.
New products are added, such as the scouring powder “Küchenglanz”, the household soft soap “Juttal” and various liquid cleaners.
200,000bars of soap500,000packs of washing powder800,000bars of fine and toilet soapProduction in the second quarter of 1946.
Historic packaging: Schladitz “Irmal”. -
1958Semi-state
State participation – and exports.
From 1 January 1958, “a state participation is forced upon” the then owner, Dr Erwin Schladitz: the company continues as the semi-state-owned C. M. Schladitz & Co. KG. This is achieved by the state restricting the sale of Schladitz soaps to the retail chains KONSUM and HO.
From 1958, soaps from Prettin are exported – to Holland, England, Finland, Belgium, West Berlin and Singapore.
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1960 – 1970Repositioning
From soap works to washing powder.
Slowly but steadily, the range changes: production of bar, toilet and fine soap is scaled back in favour of washing and cleaning products in powder form.
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1972Expropriation
VEB Waschmittelwerk Prettin.
In 1972, C. M. Schladitz & Co. KG is fully expropriated. The works continues as VEB Waschmittelwerk Prettin, a state-owned detergent works, and until 1990 belongs to various higher-level combines. Investment modernises and expands washing powder production.
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1972 – 1990Capacity
From 8,000 to 19,000 tonnes.
Annual washing powder capacity 197219801984Soap production ends in the mid-1970s. Only soft soap for industrial use – for example as a cleaning agent and lubricant for the tyre industry and for beverage bottling – is still made until 1990 at the original headquarters at Hohe Straße 7 in Prettin.
AKTIV soft soap – packaging from the GDR era. -
1990 – 1991Reunification
Back to the Schladitz family.
With the political and economic changes of reunification, VEB Waschmittelwerk separates from the Piesteritz agrochemical combine (Wittenberg district) from 1990 onwards. In 1991, the Treuhand – the agency privatising former East German state enterprises – returns the company to the Schladitz family.
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TodayPowder specialist
Specialised in powder.
Today, Schladitz milwa GmbH makes washing and cleaning products exclusively in powder form and can pack them flexibly to order.
“Good detergent has been made here for ages.”
5 out of 5 stars – Cora B.Public Google review, shortened and translated · not checked for a purchase