[3] At the beginning of the 17th century, Protestants' loss of guild rights in catholic Aachen which caused brass manufacturer Christian Prym (1614–83) and his family to move to nearby Stolberg.

His son Heinrich August (1843–1927) did his apprenticeship in Birmingham and used the knowledge acquired there to introduce mechanical manufacturing of metal haberdashery in Germany.

[4] Following World War II, the considerable possessions of the family and the company in Berlin, Eastern Germany, Poland and Belgium were lost.

In 1960, after prolonged negotiations, Hans Prym was successful in buying back all Austrian properties and rights.

[9] In 2007, Prym was fined €40M by the European Commission for its part in operating a price fixing cartel, along with YKK and Coats plc.