1946
Heinrich Dame and Fritz Reuter found a company, Dame und Reuter, to operate as consulting engineers for plant and equipment, in Schönau (Germany). Besides their consulting activities, they produce machine parts and electrical equipment.

1948
With the import of the first fluorescent lamps from the USA, they start production of luminaires for the new light source.

1954/55
The company moves to a new factory in Schopfheim.

1967
durlum-Leuchten GmbH is founded for the lighting and metal ceiling programme.
The company's name is derived from "Dame und Reuter" (dur) and lumen (lum): durlum.

1969
Production capacity is expanded with the founding of Plafond durlumen S.A. in Vesoul (France).

1984
The original company, Dame und Reuter, is dissolved as the proprietors reach retirement age.

1989
Part of the Zeiss-Ikon lighting programme is taken over and durlum ZI-Lichtsysteme in Bexbach (Saarland) expanded.

1990
In the early nineteen-nineties, series production is moved to Bexbach, freeing Schopfheim for the manufacture of ceilings to order. The emphasis in Vesoul is placed on open-cell ceilings.

1991
Purchase of the precision sheet-metal technologies of the former Carl-Zeiss Jena from Jenoptik.
This led to the creation of ZI-Jena GmbH, which, in 1995, was the first enterprise in Thuringia to be certified by TÜV to EN ISO 9001.

1999
durlum takes over HUCO AG, a lighting manufacture in Münchwilen (Switzerland).
In Putzbrunn (Munich), durlum buys AFI, which manufactures components from wood.

2001
durlum-Austria GmbH is founded on the basis of Bartenbach Lichtsysteme GmbH.

Now
The objective of the durlum Group is to positively and functionally influence rooms through harmony of ceiling and light. Innovation, functionality, design and development are the components which have made durlum into an enterprise active throughout the world.