The history of the Hugo Hettich clock factory began in 1942, when Hugo Hettich and Kurt Blesch founded Blesch & Hettich in Ludwigshafen on Lake Constance. Both had previously worked at the Gustav Bössenroth clock factory in Berlin. In 1949, the two men went their separate ways in business. Hugo Hettich continued operating the factory in Ludwigshafen under his own name, while Kurt Blesch founded the Garant clock factory in nearby Sipplingen. Their shared origins can also be seen in their clock movements: identical or closely related movements are known bearing either the Hettich or Garant name. The two manufacturers should nevertheless be regarded as separate companies. One distinctive feature of Hettich clocks was the floating-balance escapement developed by Hugo Hettich, for which he had filed a patent application as early as 1941. Alongside various domestic clocks, the company was particularly known for its mechanical anniversary clocks, which also enjoyed international success. At times, exports accounted for as much as 60 percent of sales. In 1979, Bruno and Günther Söhnle acquired a majority stake in the company. Following financial difficulties, the business passed to the Herbert Trenkle clock factory in 1984. Clock production in Ludwigshafen finally ended on May 31, 1987.