Actually, it was because of NAPOLEON that Johann Froescheis could register his business as pencil manufacturer at the magistracy of Nuremberg in the year 1806.

The former Free Reich`s City lost it`s privileges to set it`s own rules, when NAPOLEON ordered the administrative restructuring of, in that case Bavaria, and Nuremberg was made part of it. Up until then it was the privilege of the carpenters guild to make pencils in Nuremberg.

The fast expansion of the factory made it necessary to relocate the production from the Kleinweidenmühle (little willow mill) to the Großweidenmühle (big willow mill) and to change power from water to steam. This happened around 1900 when about 500 workers and office people were employed, who produced about 7000 Gros of wood-cased graphite and color-pencils per week plus penholders, leadholders and other writing and drawing material.