Petromax — pressure paraffin lamps & outdoor cookware

Petromax — origin, manufacturing and ownership

Petromax began as a lighting product invented by Max Graetz in Germany in 1910 (developed under the Ehrich & Graetz firm). The original Petromax strong‑light (pressure paraffin/kerosene) lamp became a widely recognized German engineering product throughout the 20th century and gave the brand its identity.

Today the Petromax brand covers a broader outdoor and camping range: high‑pressure paraffin/kerosene lamps and a large assortment of outdoor cooking and barbecue equipment (including cast‑iron pans, fire bowls, hobo stoves and related accessories). Product development and final assembly for many items (notably lamps and a large share of cookware and outdoor hardware) are carried out by Petromax GmbH from its headquarters and development site in Magdeburg, Germany. For quality and scale reasons Petromax operates dedicated cast‑iron production lines in Asia for its cast‑iron cookware; those parts are produced in Asia under Petromax quality control and then certified/tested by independent German institutes.

From a company and ownership perspective, Petromax’s lamp was originally produced by Ehrich & Graetz; the modern Petromax Group and Petromax GmbH (Magdeburg) revived and expanded the brand. In September 2022 Petromax Group received a majority investment from BlueGem Capital Partners, a London‑headquartered private equity firm — BlueGem is the current financial/ultimate owner while Petromax GmbH remains the operating subsidiary managing brand, production and distribution.

In short: Petromax is a German heritage brand (founded 1910) with product development and many manufacturing/assembly activities based in Germany, complemented by cast‑iron manufacturing in Asia; the operating company is Petromax GmbH (Magdeburg), and the brand is ultimately held by BlueGem Capital Partners (UK‑based private equity).