In 1892, the toolmaker Heinrich Schiefer opens in his house family workshop of security locks with alphabetic or numeric code.

In 1905, the workshop grew out to venture SCHIEFER & Heß for the production of metal products in Barchfeld (Nürnberger street 2). The goods are in demand in Germany and abroad.

In 1919, after the death of one of the owners and in view of health condition of the others the manufacturer Börner-Sachs from Steinbach acquired equity capital of the enterprise.

Renamed into PALLAS-WERKE Reum & Börner-Sachs, the company produces various accessories for bicycles, such as bicycle chains ( Pallas-Werke chains), spokes, pannier racks, chain drive guards, pedals, locks, pumps, light holders, trousers clips, rear lights, chain tensioners. All these goods are sold throughout Germany and European countries, as well as exported to Asia, Africa and China.

As starting from 1939 and during the Second World War, the factory produces goods of military importance, in 1945, the Soviet Military Administration closes production and dismantles partly the establishment. However, thanks to the efforts of the former owners and the employees of the enterprise the outflow of tangible assets is quickly suspended. Thus, all the machines and tools returned and recovery of production sets up.

Since 1948, production of chain drive guards, chains, pannier racks, spokes and nipples continues.

In 1951, the company is reorganized into VEB PALLAS-WERKE under the supervision of the Berlin Motor Vehicle Administration, and later transferred to Karl-Marx-Stadt Association of People’s Enterprises of Car Manufacturers - VVB Automobilbau Karl-Marx-Stad.

Under the new name as VEB Kettenfabrik Barchfeld, factory redesigns the production of driving chains for mopeds and motorcycles, and roller chains with special attachments. Some shops, such as for electroplating, stamping and heat treatment, are expanded and others, e.g. for production of spokes and nipples, rebuild. The goods are sold in domestic and foreign markets. Export of commodity output is about 1.5 million of driving chains and 3-4 million of spokes and nipples a year.

In 1966, VEB Fahrzeug- und Gerätewerk Simson Suhl (manufacturer of two-wheeled vehicles) merges with VEB Ernst-Thälmann-Werk Suhl (arms manufacturer), thus, a newly named enterprise VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenwerk Ernst Thälmann is established with Plant No. 4 as a separate division.

Since the beginning of the 70’s, there are put on sale driving chains and component parts for SIMSON bicycles under KEBA trademark owned by VEB Fahrzeug und Gerätewerk Simson Suhl, and later drives for motor vehicles of Industrial Association for Construction of two-wheeled vehicles (VVB IFA- Kombinat für Zweiradfahrzeuge).

In 1983, the factory with over 50 patented prototypes started production of experimental wheelchairs (of electric as well).

At the same time, there are built new production premises, such as heat treat shops, which are necessary for production of oil pumps for passenger cars (Wartburg and Trabant).

In 1985, in the result of the reorganization VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenwerk Ernst Thälmann joins the Industrial Association of Vehicle Manufacturers (IFA Kombinat) and wins its independency as an enterprise.

Deliveries are carried out not only on the territory of the GDR and the Soviet bloc countries, but also worldwide. Industrial establishments from Western Germany show their interest in output products, for example, VW purchases automotive chains.

However, in 1989, IFA Kombinat gradually splits into small enterprises. In result of this, in 1996, the factory METEOR Kettenfabrik GmbH for production of driving chains under METEOR trademark is established at the premises of the former plant.

Nowadays, the enterprise METEOR Kettenfabrik GmbH manufactures a big range of high-precision driving chains for industrial use and represents DITTON Driving Chain Factory (trademark "ДЦ" with spelling of two Cyrillic letters as “DC”) in the European market. The goods under the METEOR and ДЦ trademarks are well known by customers and of high demand in the market.