Seit 235 Jahren wird mit dem Eisenhammer bei Hasloch im Spessart glühendes Metall in Form gebracht. Aus einer Schmiede, die die Wasserkraft des Haselbachs nutzte, entwickelte sich ein weltweit tätiger Konzern. Die Familienunternehmer Kurtz führen diesen Konzern seit sechs Generationen. Während viele vergleichbare Eisenhämmer in der Region keinen Weg in das 21. Jahrhundert fanden, gelang dem Familienunternehmen durch mutiges unternehmerisches Handeln und Innovationen stetig mit neuen Produkten in neue Geschäftsfelder und neue Märkte zu wachsen. Das Buch zeigt die Besonderheiten des Familienunternehmens und der Unternehmerfamilie und stellt die Betriebsfamilie vor. Der Kurtz Ersa-Konzern wird in diesem Buch als ein für den global agierenden deutschen Mittelstand typischer Hidden Champion sichtbar.§From the Iron Hammer Works in Hasloch to Kurtz Ersa. A Glowing Business History from the Spessart Region§The iron hammer nearby Hasloch in the Spessart region is forming glowing metal for 235 years now. From a former smithy that had used the water-power of the Haselbach stream a globally acting company has evolved. The Kurtz family is managing the business in the sixth generation. Whereas a number of similar ironworks of the region did not make their way into the 21st century, the familyowned enterprise was successfully growing into new business areas and markets, with the help of brave entrepreneurial action, innovation and new products. This study shows the distinctive features of a family business and a business family at the same time and it also presents the company family. In this book, Kurtz Ersa Corporation is becoming a visible hidden champion that is typical for the German Mittelstand acting on the global market. The iron hammer nearby Hasloch in the Spessart region is forming glowing metal for 235 years now. From a former smithy that had used the water-power of the Haselbach stream a globally acting company has evolved. The Kurtz family is managing the business in the sixth generation. Whereas a number of similar ironworks of the region did not make their way into the 21st century, the familyowned enterprise was successfully growing into new business areas and markets, with the help of brave entrepreneurial action, innovation and new products. This study shows the distinctive features of a family business and a business family at the same time and it also presents the company family. In this book, Kurtz Ersa Corporation is becoming a visible hidden champion that is typical for the German Mittelstand acting on the global market.