In the late 19th century there was major industrial development in Bilbao, which led to a boom in the economic life of Bizkaia. From 1900 onwards more shipping companies appeared that plied regular trade routes sailing out of the port of Bilbao.
Erhardt became the agent in the port of Bilbao for some of these companies, including Norddeutscher Lloyd, Deutsche Dampfschiffahrts Gesellschaft Hansa Linie, Hamburg-Amerika Linie and Oldenburg-Portugiesische Dampfschiffs-Rhederei.
The founder of the company, Eugen Erhardt Kausler, passed away in 1919 at the age of 62, leaving a company ready for the second generation to take over.