History

How it all began

For nearly a century, Schneider Group has been a leading name in the processing and trading of fine wools and speciality fibres. The company was established in Australia by Giovanni Schneider, a young wool buyer with an entrepreneurial spirit, who started his own wool trading business in the early 1920s. Following the conclusion of the Second World War, the sales of greasy wool fell dramatically in favor of a rising demand for semi-processed products. This significant shift in market needs prompted the Group to develop a new area of business focusing on wool tops, whose production was initially outsourced to external suppliers before being moved in-house in the 1990s.

Key dates in time

1922
Founding of the Company
In 1922, a group of business partners led by Giovanni Schneider, start a new wool trading company that soon becomes a successful business thanks to the enthusiasm, commitment and good market insight of its founders.
1940
Trading of Greasy Wool
Schneider acts mainly as a trader of Australian greasy wool, focusing especially on those high-quality wools very much in demand by Europe-based textile companies.
1950
Adding Topmaking
As a result of the economic growth and the major innovations the textile industry undergoes in the 1950s, traditional wool traders gradually turn into top makers. Schneider, too, follows this path by investing in innovation and developing the technical know-how necessary to obtain combed slivers of the highest quality from the most refined wools.
1990
Expanding Production
The Group brings the industrial production in-house in order to gain a better control over quality and efficiency. The group opens its first combing mill in Biella, Italy. In the same period, another combing mill for wool and speciality fibres is opened in Argentina as well as a dehairing plant for cashmere in Mongolia (Monital). In partnership with entrepreneur Sauro Guerri, Schneider Group launches Progetto Lana, an ambitious project aiming to recover and give new life to the various by-products generated by the manufacturing process. The company has its headquarters in Prato, Italy.
2000
Continuing Internationalisation
In 2002, Schneider Group acquires Fuhrmann 1735. Originally based in Amsterdam, Fuhrmann 1735 is the world’s oldest wool trading company and boasts centuries of fascinating history and tradition. Schneider continues its internationalization process with the setup of a combing mill in China and further extends its product range with silk. For this purpose, in 2008 Schneider Group partners with Alberto Enoch for the launch of Servizi e Seta, a company specializing in silk and linen yarns.

Today

Nowadays, Schneider is a world leader in the processing and supply of high-quality wools and natural fibres and operates in Italy, Argentina, China, Mongolia and Egypt.

Over the years, the Group has grown into a solid, integrated organization with production facilities managed by an independent Industrial Division. The sourcing and selection of raw materials in their countries of origin is handled by an extensive network of specialized laboratories performing quality tests and fully-owned purchasing organizations located in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, China and Mongolia.

Schneider trades in the most prominent textile hubs worldwide. We aim to offer a comprehensive customer service that encompasses specialized services, custom technical assistance and tailored advice besides promoting the uniqueness and excellence of natural fibres to the public.

The Group’s internal Financial Division provides a wide range of financial services, thus allowing the individual companies to focus exclusively on their core business.