 In July 1937, the Reichswerke Hermann Göring was established as a new industrial conglomerate to extract and process domestic iron ores from Salzgitter, as the first step in a general effort to increase German steel production in preparation for war.Later, during the war, the "Reichswerke" would expand by incorporating much of the heavy industry of occupied nations, including between 50 and 60 per cent of Czech heavy industries and slightly less in Austria.By the end of 1941, the "Reichswerke" had become the largest company in Europe, after absorbing most of the industry captured by Germany from the Soviet Union.