The industrial group anchored in Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker can trace its roots back to 1750, when Ole Augustinus founded a tobacco mill in Copenhagen. He had three sons of whom the eldest, Christian’s, name is reflected in the company name. All three sons worked for the company, and thereby the family line of Augustinus was established in the tobacco business.
In 2019 Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker joins the ownership group of Abacus Medicine. The Company is a European market leader within distribution of medicine. The Company’s purpose is to create better healthcare through better access to medicine and hence lower the overall healthcare costs for society.
In 2018, Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker, formed a partnership regarding GUBI, one of the Nordics leading furniture design companies, with co-ownership together with Jacob "Gubi" Olsen and Axcel.
In 2017, the joint ownership of Scandinavian Tobacco Group passed from Skandinavisk Holding to Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker and C.W.Obel, respectively.
In 2016, Scandinavian Tobacco Group became a listed company, which reduced Skandinavisk Holding’s ownership stake in STG to 33.1 %.
In 2010, Ambu A/S – manufacturer of hospital equipment – was added to the portfolio of strategic investments.
The corporate structure changed in 1977, and Skandinavisk Holding, an industrial holding company, was formed by the joint owners Augustinus, Obel, Færch and British-American Tobacco. Through this company the first investments were made – among others, Fritz Hansen, a furniture company.
In 2009, Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker expanded its scope with a strategic investment in the brewer Royal Unibrew.
In 2008, the cigarette business was sold to British American Tobacco (BAT), and Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni A/S became the leading manufacturer of cigars and pipe tobacco. At the same time, Færch left the consortium of owners, and the company was renamed Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG).
Within the area of cultural heritage, a more recent investment is Jeudan, a property-owning and service company. Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker bought its first shares in 2004 and following further investments, Jeudan became an associated company in 2013.
In 2000, Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker bought a substantial number of shares in Tivoli with the goal to ensure that the amusement park remained on Danish hands and to have a stake in an iconic brand. Augustinus is still the main shareholder today.
In 1961, three of Denmark’s oldest tobacco businesses merged into Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni A/S: Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker from 1750; C.W. Obel A/S from 1787; and Færchs Fabrikker from 1869. American Tobacco Company joined the merger in 1972.
In the year of 1942, Denmark was occupied by Germany, and Ludvig Augustinus (1888-1947), the sixth generation of the family, remained without a natural heir to the family business. This prompted his decision to establish the foundation Chr. Augustinus Fabrikkers Fond on 25 March.
In 1911, Christian Augustinus (1857-1931) bought the first cigarette machine in Denmark. The machine was a huge success, and in order to meet demand the business was again relocated in 1914 to a larger, newly constructed plant at Gullandsgade, in the Amager area of Copenhagen.
Danish industry was flourishing at the end of the 19th century, resulting in rural-urban migration. The development is also felt by Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker, who moved from the tobacco merchant's house and shop at Vestergade to a newly constructed domain at Gl. Kongevej, Copenhagen.
Ole Augustinus’s eldest son, Christian Augustinus, took over the tobacco mill after his father’s death in 1779 and gave name to the company, which was situated in a newly established tobacco domain at Vestergade in the heart of Copenhagen.
On 11 May 1750, Ole Augustinus (1718-1779) founded a tobacco mill at Frederiksborggade in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ole Augustinus’s three sons were apprentices at the mill, which formed the basis of the family tobacco business of Augustinus.