The story
Johann Friedrich Dick founded the company in 1778 to manufacture files. It continued in the manufacture of files as its main product line until 1873, when Paul Friedrich Dick took over the company and began the production of sharpening steels.
One hundred years after the founding of the company, a factory in Esslingen began construction. At that time the company had 20 employees. In 1881, company's and Germany's first file production machine was commissioned. In 1889, Friedr. Dick built a new factory in Kollwitz/Fleischmannstrasse in Esslingen, employing 100 people and expanding the product line to include knives for butchers and chefs, cleavers and other specialized tools. Files manufactured ranged from the smallest watchmaker's file to the largest (over 45 cm in length) square file. In 1997, the F. Dick company moved to a new headquarters in Deizisau, Germany. The old factory in Esslingen is now a class listed monument and the town's landmark.
From Wikipedia’s article on F. Dick, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3