Adox Fotowerke was founded in 1860 by the chemist Dr. Carl Schleussner in Frankfurt am Main and was the first photochemical factory in the world. Initially, dry plates were produced, followed later by photographic papers and roll films. Carl Adolf Schleussner, the grandson of the company founder, gave his name to the company "Aktiengesellschaft Doktor C. Schleussner" (= ADOX) in 1923. In 1934, Schleussner founded Cella GmbH in Biebrich, which produced celluloid base films and cellulose-based coatings. The prerequisite for starting camera production in Biebrich was the acquisition of the Wiesbaden-based Wirgin camera factory, which Schleussner was able to realize in 1938 as part of the so-called Aryanization. The camera factory in Biebrich, which had reopened on January 1, 1948, was significantly expanded in 1953.

For example, the Golf 6×6 medium format camera and the Polo 35mm camera were manufactured here. The lenses came from the Schneider Kreuznach company, with the exception of those for the POLO 1, which came from Will Wetzlar and were called "ADOXAR". A milestone in the history of camera manufacture was the introduction of the ADOX 300, the world's first 35 mm camera with interchangeable magazines. Slide projectors were also manufactured in Biebrich, e.g. the ADOX 300-M. In the years that followed, the ADOX brand became a recognized byword for quality, and Adox Fotowerke was one of the leading film factories.

In 1962, the entrepreneurial family decided to sell the Adox Fotowerke to the DuPont company and the patents to a Yugoslavian company. The production of ADOX films was discontinued. Adox Fotowerke was closed in 1995. Today, Adox Fotowerke GmbH Bad Saarow continues the history of the ADOX brand.