SUHNER HOLDING AG

COMPANY PROFILE

1864 Gottlieb Suhner starts his one-man operation to manufacture accessories for the textile machinery and needle point working machines in Herisau, canton Appenzell, Switzerland. Starting capital: SFr. 100.-- on loan. 1880 Gottlieb Suhner's company in Herisau benefits from the economic growth in the textile machinery business in the eastern part of Switzerland, the company employs now 25 employees. 1890 Recession, beginning decline of textile and related business in eastern Switzerland. Gottlieb Suhner decides to diversify into electrical cables. 1896 Foundation of a subsidiary cable and wire rope manufacturing company in Brugg/Switzerland. The location was picked for transportation purposes: Brugg was connected to the relatively new Swiss rail road system, whereas Herisau in Appenzell at that time did not have any rail connections at all. Until 1908 the cable manufacturing company in Brugg was privately owned by Mr. Otto Suhner senior, son of Gottlieb Suhner. At that time the company was transformed into a corporation, and shares were offered to the public. 1914 Otto Suhner decides to remain in the wire business and is starting with the manufacturing of flexible shafts for transmission of rotary power. His firm is located in Brugg/Switzerland. 1928 Opening of the flexible shaft winding operation in Sckingen/Germany. 1930 Both operations, the one in Germany and the one in Switzerland are being incorporated and carry the name of Otto Suhner Ltd. Brugg/ Switzerland and Otto Suhner GmbH Sckingen/Germany. 1935 Willy O. Suhner, graduated mechanical engineer in the third generation, joins the company and later on takes the ownership. Many of his patents and machines such as the multiple speed gear driven "Rotofera" are still today popular units. 1939 - 1945 After the recession of the 1930's, the SUHNER companies make their way through World War II with roughly 200 employees. Otto Suhner senior dies in 1942. Willy Suhner supports during the last month of the war and right thereafter many suffering German families with food and employment. Still today quite a few of the older folks respect him because of his humanitarian support. 1947 SUHNER added the automatic floating of carbide cutters to be the first European company with this modern manufacturing process. 1955 Electric power tools and later on pneumatic power tools were added to the flexible shaft driven machines. With this diversification and also the high frequency tools, SUHNER was and still today is worldwide the only abrasive power tool manufacturer to offer 4 different drive systems at the same time: Electric motors, flexible shaft drives, pneumatic motors and 400 Hz high frequency motors. 1957 Foundation of UNIPRESS Ltd. specialized in tools and precision stampings. 1966 Opening of the new production facilities in Birrfeld, Switzerland. 1967 Based on ideas of Willy O. Suhner, who was a great skier all his life, the first ski binding was manufactured and sold under the name of Su-matic. The SUHNER companies successfully participated in the ski safety technology for 20 years and still today many of their safety features are far advanced. 1971 Opening of sales office in Austria. 1972 Otto H. Suhner joins the corporation to be the fourth generation of graduated engineer in his family. 1976 The SUHNER group of companies diversify into their first overseas operation: Groundbreaking for flexible shaft manufacturing plant in Rome, Georgia, USA (SUHNER to be the first Swiss company to open a manufacturing plant in the State of Georgia). Total employment of this operation today: 100. SUHNER USA can be considered the world's largest flexible shaft manufacturer.

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