Early Life
Reinhold Würth was born on April 20, 1935, in Öhringen, Germany. He is the son of Alma Würth and Adolf Würth, who founded a screw wholesaling business in Künzelsau in 1945. He received violin lessons as a child.
Rise to Success
At the age of 14, Reinhold joined his father's wholesale screw business. When his father died in 1954, Reinhold, then 19, took over the management of the company. Over the following decades, Würth transformed the regional trading business into a global enterprise, expanding internationally, with the first foreign sales subsidiary established in the Netherlands in 1962. By 2020, the Würth Group operated through over 400 companies in more than 80 countries.
Key Business Strategies
Reinhold Würth’s business acumen led to the growth of the Würth Group into a global empire. His strategies included direct delivery to customers and an emphasis on customer relationships. He placed a strong emphasis on decentralization and empowered local leadership, fostering a culture of accountability and entrepreneurial spirit.
Philanthropy
Together with his wife Carmen, Reinhold Würth founded the nonprofit Würth Foundation in 1987. The Würth Foundation supports projects in the fields of art and culture, training and education, and research and science. The Carmen Würth Forum, dedicated to culture and arts, is a testament to their commitment to giving back to society. The couple has also supported initiatives in education and disability inclusion.
