The business was founded by Bartlmä Grassmayr in Habichen, a hamlet in the municipality of Oetz.

He learned the art of bellfounding from the Aachen bell founder Joan von Teer.

On 29 March 1595, it was acquired by his father, Hansen Grassmayr and was initially used for the casting of "harbors", the precursor of today's cooking pots.

On 16 May 1601 Bartlmä's son Johann Grassmayr (died 4 April 1683 in Wilten) was born.

With the improvement of the transportation system in the country, the company relocated its headquarters to Innsbruck in 1836, where the foundry remains today.