George Assan

Industrialist and merchant. George Assan was one of the first industrialists and a merchant trader in Bucharest, Romania. In 1849 he opened a grocery store with his partner Ion Martinovici. Their success in providing luxury goods led to their next venture of opening Assan's Mill, the first steam powered mill in Romania in 1853. "The ship of Assan" as it was called by their contemporaries, aroused great astonishment and many bakers refused to grind the wheat at "the fire mill" afraid that the flour was going to burn. Eventually the new method was accepted, and his business expanded to include the production and manufacture of oils, paints, varnishes and soaps. Upon his death his legacy was carried on by his wife and two sons.