One of the oldest company of Zella-Mehlis existing to the end of World War 2 was the "Gewehr- und Fahrradfabrik Fr.Langenhan".
In 1653 a smelting- and hammer-works had been erected by a guild-master of Zella in order to clean and process the "Rasen"-ironore. The so-called "Cain"-iron, recovered by smelting and hammering, was delivered to blacksmithes, locksmithes and other metal-working shops for the production of gun parts, axes, hammers or plows. For power supply the "Gewerksgraben" was used, turning a water wheel.
In 1762 a big firestorm destroyed most of the houses and a big part of the hammer-work too, and because of the common plight and distress the re-erection took place as late as 10 years after.
In 1823 we can find Caspar Jäger as owner, who did run the mill as wire- hammer-works, later on his wife Susanne Jäger, and around 1842 Heinrich Anschütz (named Blücher).
In the beginning the factory was doing well, but later on, because of increasing West-German concurrents with cheaper coal and better traffic-connections, business was decreasing.
Heinrich Anschütz was forced to sell, and by that his factory was taken over by Valentin Friedrich Langenhan from Mehlis, who owned already since 1842 a small company and run a small shop together with his father Johann Gottlieb Langenhan, producing gun-parts like flint-locks, hair-set locks, guards, caps, auxiliaries like several tools and knifeblades.
Now the production of revolvers started, followed by lots of enhancements and new ideas, and good success was done in Germany and abroad. In 1873 the company got an order of the " Sächsische Kriegsministerium" for the delivery of 4000 pcs. Revolvers Mod. 1873, developed by the company.
In 1885 Friedrich Langenhan went sick and his son Hermann Langenhan took over the company. That time the company had 7 employed people. Now the company got new success and was enlarged and enforced by investing in new tool-machines, stronger power plants and additional buildings. First of all the gun production was forced and rifles, teschings, plinkers , later on sporting-guns, self loading pistols, flare pistols and air-guns were produced
In 1894 a new branch was started with the bicycle-production, and the first "Meteor"-bicycle was sold. This bike was of good construction and well known in Germany and abroad. Additional buildings were necessary and until the beginning of Word War I the personal increased up to 310 people. During and after World War I besides bigger amounts of "FL-Selbstlader"-pistols in .32 calibre for the army also two types of pistols in .25 calibre for the civil marked were produced.
After the dead of Hermann Langenhan im 1929 the company was converted to a limited partnership where the widow and children of Herman Langenhan were participants. The sons Fritz und Ernst Langenhan were installed as managers.
Because of increasing unemployment and the reactions of the Edict of Versaille bad time were to pass.
At the beginning of World War II the company had 400 employd people. Like many other companies at that time the company Langenhan since 1934 had to produce military goods, mostly machine-gun-parts. these parts were delivered to the Gustloff-Works, where they were assembled.
After World War II in 1945 the company was transferred to "public posses" of the GDR, by interest together with other companies as "Kombinat" with name "METEOR".