Dux

Markes began in Lüdenscheid in 1904, when Carl Markes established a workshop making cutting and stamping tools. He expanded into bicycle components, including bearing holders and cages; by 1911 the firm offered about 40 bearing types. In 1916 it began making parts for Walther & Co. metal construction sets. Markes registered the DUX trademark in 1932 and began producing its own DUX car, aircraft and universal metal construction sets. The DUX Kino followed in 1935, using moving images in a toy projector. Aircraft construction sets, including a JU 87 model, were among the products sold in the late 1930s.

After the Second World War, Markes resumed toy development and production. In the 1950s it adopted plastic injection molding. The DUX Astroman robot appeared in 1959, followed by the DUX Technic plastic construction set in 1962 and a Volkswagen vehicle construction set in 1964. The Kino 68, introduced in 1968, replaced earlier 35 mm strips with 8 mm film rolls; a hand crank moved the film, and a later version used a motor. Markes ended toy production in the 1980s as international competition increased. The company subsequently focused on specialist bearings, conveyor rollers and metal components.