ULTRAFÉRTIL: Reinventing the Bourgeoisie

Ernst (Ernesto) Igel was born in 1893 in Wien, Austria, first of five kids in a family of merchants . Ernesto Igel after his youth in the first war and services to the Austrian Army emigrated to Braszil and maried to Margarida Hartman, alson austrian, and had two kids: Pery and Daisy. As an importer, founded Ernesto Igel & Cia., a small company to import china clay, sanitary metals and stoves for gas. In August, 30, 1937 fouded Empresa Brasileira de Gás a Domicílio Ltda, the infancy of Ultragaz. Was CEO of Groupo Ultra untill 1959, when his son Pery become CEO, and died in 1966. Ultra began with Ernesto family´s successes in the distribution of bottled gas in Rio de janeiro em the 30´s (gas that was in surplus, since it was used in Zepellin´s and some tragic acidents have put that transportation under suspect). With Ernesto´s son, Peri Igel, Ultragaz eventually grew and the family opened Ultralar, an appliances retail shops network. In the 70´s, with Hélio Beltrão as President of Grupo Ultra, they diversified through alliances with multinationals and the Brazilian State. ULTRAFÉRTIL was an association with Philips Petroleum. Was statized in 1974 and privatized in 1993.