1770-1899:
The first century
The industrial traditions of Rettig go back to Hamburg in the 1770s, when Steffen Cerillius Rettig became a tobacco master. Following his position as tobacco master at the factory in Ringkjobing, Denmark, he moved to Karlskrona in Sweden, and took over the operation of the new tobacco factory, Carlskrona Tobaks Fabrique.
In 1809, Steffen Cerillius' son, Pehr Christian Rettig (1788-1862) was licensed to establish a tobacco factory, P.C.Rettig & Co, in Gävle in Sweden. He was also engaged in the production of iron, shipbuilding and in the shipping business.
Pehr Christian’s son, Pehr Cerelius Rettig (1811-1871), moved from Gävle in Sweden to Turku in Finland and started up a tobacco factory in 1845.

After the death of Pehr Cerelius, the brother Robert Rettig (1818-1886) became owner of the Turku tobacco factory. Robert Rettig also owned the tobacco factory in Gävle.
In 1867, the son of Robert, Fredric von Rettig (1843-1914) moved to Turku in Finland from Gävle in Sweden and the ownership of the tobacco factory passed on to him. As a distinguished industrialist and culture patron he was raised to nobility in 1898. Fredric von Rettig was also actively involved in establishing Bore Steamship Company in 1897 to start year-around traffic between Turku and Stockholm. In 1907, Henning von Rettig became shareholder in Pargas Kalkbergs Aktiebolag (Partek as of 1978).

(picture taken in 1927)