THE HISTORY BEHIND PALSGAARD
The Schou family at Palsgaard
For over 100 years, the Schou family has played a key role in shaping Palsgaard's history. When the family bought the estate, it became the foundation for a modern industrial company with strong humanistic values.
A skilled businessman discovers new opportunities
When Einar Viggo Schou bought Palsgaard in 1908, he dreamed of "a grand, beautiful old place with large, rich fields and livestock – a place not only for pleasure, but where real work and effort took place".
Palsgaard became the setting for a visionary and hard-working businessman, his wife, and their two children. Before this, Einar Viggo Schou had spent 20 years as director and co-owner of Otto Mønsted's margarine factories in England.
An invention gains worldwide recognition
In 1913, in a small experimental factory at Palsgaard, Einar Viggo Schou began experimenting with mixing liquids that cannot dissolve in one another. Four years later, he introduced Palsgaard Emulsions Oil – a revolutionary invention: an emulsifying oil capable of binding water and oil together.
The invention became the world's first industrial emulsifier and laid the foundation for two new factories at Palsgaard: Emulsion A/S, founded in 1919, and a state-of-the-art margarine factory established in 1925.
A visionary leader with a human touch
Einar Viggo Schou was more than just a successful businessman. He was a remarkable leader who placed the welfare of his employees at the heart of his work. Ahead of time, he introduced bonus schemes where part of the profits were shared with the employees..
Schou was deeply committed to strengthening the social and intellectual lives of his employees. He initiated the construction of the "Gildehallen", which you can still see on Palsgaard's ground today. This building served as a social gathering place for the employees and housed a library open to all.
This openness and care were typical of Schou. He was known for his nightly walks around Palsgaard to ensure that everything was in order. One evening, he met an employee who had fallen asleep at work. That moment inspired Schou to establish the library, which he believed would help keep the night-shift workers awake and mentally engaged.
Einar Viggo Schou was a true humanist who put people first. His leadership style was characterised by respect, empathy and a belief in the potential of every employee. He left behind a legacy of social initiatives and a strong focus on employee well-being, values that remain deeply embedded in Palsgaard's identity to this day.
The son Herbert continues the story
When Einar Viggo Schou passed away in 1925, his son Herbert took over as managing director and continued to grow the family business. Among other things, he established a soap factory, founded the company Credin, launched cosmetics production with customers in Hollywood and set up subsidiaries in many countries.
Herbert Schou dreamed of a workplace where the employees were happy and motivated to do their best. He ensured social security for his employees in times of illness and retirement by founding Denmark's first private pension scheme, the Palsgaard Foundation.
Establishment of the Schou Foundation
Gudrun and Herbert Schou's marriage was childless, and therefore in 1957 they established the Schou Foundation, and transferred ownership of the estate and of the companies to it. The purpose of the foundation is to manage the estate and businesses according to the same humanistic ideals and social responsibility that the family itself upheld.
Read more and watch a short film about the Schou Foundation here.
