NEWS | 25.05.2023

The history of metalworking – a journey through time

From stone to metal

Metalworking has a history that spans around 8,000 years. Throughout its evolution, it has achieved numerous significant milestones. The roots of metalworking date back to the Stone Age.

The different eras are named after the materials that dominated during those times, which clearly underscores the huge significance of metalworking throughout the ages.

However, experts, researchers and archaeologists still debate when the first metals were used and cannot completely agree on which was the very first to be used. It is presumed that gold may have been the first metal to be processed.

Metalworking continued to develop and began to gain greater importance in the Roman Empire. Demand came not only from the military and craftsmen but also from the construction trade and agriculture, which became increasingly interested in metalworking and especially precious metals.

Copper also played an important role at that time. Metalworking became increasingly common in the crafting of tools such as spades, sickles, hoes and irons. Over time, it became apparent that iron and bronze were equally important raw materials.

Metal evolves as a pioneering force

Ultimately, it was metal that became the driving force of further change. Over time, as demand increased, so did technical expertise. Continued technological development ushered in initial endeavours in mass production.

Metalworking techniques continued to advance but they were still quite costly. Eventually, the earliest blacksmiths and manufacturers decided to segregate their work processes and refine their techniques.

However, it wasn’t until the European Middle Ages that the old methods could finally be phased out.

Playing with fire

As time went on, workshops began to replace their old furnaces with modern blast furnaces, which could reach temperatures of more than 2,000 degrees. This was a huge difference of more than 600 degrees compared to the previous furnaces.

The blacksmith’s forge is over 8,000 years old, but has been continuously developed over the ages. Nowadays, most forging work is carried out by industrial companies. Industrial metal processing has advanced constantly in recent decades, elevating the significance of metal even further.

There is no doubt that industrial metalworking has become indispensable in today’s world.

From stone to metal – a long, rocky road to metallic success.

History of
NOTZgroup

Find out more about NOTZgroup’s successful 125-year history here: