BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA — Jürgen Joachim (Jorge Joaquín) Hinrichsen, founder of J.J. Hinrichsen S.A., died on Dec. 22 at the age of 96 .

After three years of practical apprenticeship at the Hamburg import and export trading company of Eduard Ringel & Co., Hinrichsen, who was born in Lübeck, Germany in 1915, was contracted in 1938 to work as a junior clerk with the Buenos Aires, Argentina-based grain, feeding stuff and vegetable oils exporters Pablo Hadra Ltda.

After almost 18 years with the same company, on Jan. 1, 1955 he founded the brokerage J.J. Hinrichsen S.A. The constant growth of Argenina’s oilseed production and industrialization lead to an increase in work of the brokerage firm.

Until 1985, his company’s activity was limited to intermediation within Argentina. Then, through the incorporation of his younger son, Thomas J. Hinrichsen, it was extended to a global basis.

The company specializes in vegetable oils, meals, oilseeds, byproducts and grains.

The funeral was Dec. 23 at the Garden Cemetery of the "Congregación Evangélica Alemana," in Pablo Nogués, Buenos Aires.