On 1 August 1946 – Swiss National Day – Ernst and Fanny Herrmann set up a precision engineering workshop in Walzenhausen high above Lake Constance in the Swiss canton of Appenzell, marking the birth of Herrmann AG. They soon began to experiment with plastics and bought their first injection moulding machine. Some seven decades and eight expansion phases later, Herrmann AG is a global second-generation family business employing around 70 people with its own R&D department and dedicated mould production facility.
Ernst und Fanny Herrmann set up a small precision engineering workshop on the ground floor of a house in Walzenhausen high above Lake Constance in the Swiss canton of Appenzell, as sole trader ‘Ernst Herrmann’. Here they carry out contract work and manufacture mechanical parts as well as injection moulds and punching tools.
Following a visit to a plastics tradeshow in Düsseldorf, the couple are inspired to set about manufacturing injection-moulded plastic parts. They conduct initial experiments in the kitchen oven, before acquiring their first injection-moulding machine – a Battenfeld with a 25-tonne closing pressure.
The original building in Walzenhausen is extended for the first time.
The company acquires a disused reservoir previously used to power a water-driven cable car – they need the water to cool the moulds. In the 1960s the factory undergoes a three-phase expansion.
The company's 40-strong workforce now manufactures over 500 different caps and closures.
The company changes from sole trader to public limited company.
Josef Mazzel is appointed CEO.
The first substantial new building is constructed and the machinery fleet is significantly upgraded. The first hydraulic injection-moulding machine is installed. The mould production shop is expanded. The number of employees rises to 50.
The company enters the IT era, acquiring a modern ERP solution (NIXDORF Comet) with a storage capacity of 64 MB.
A further expansion is completed at a cost of around 3.5 million Swiss francs.
An additional floor is added to the middle section of the existing building.
The Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems (SQS) awards Herrmann AG an ISO 9002 certificate.
Herrmann AG celebrates its 50th anniversary. Successful SQS certification to ISO 9001. Thomas Baselgia is appointed financial director.
The company invests around five million Swiss francs in expanding the premises by 13,000 m3.
Fanny Herrmann dies in late May 2002, shortly after her 95th birthday.
Company founder Ernst Herrmann dies shortly before his 95th birthday. The company passes to their daughter Barbara Guyot-Herrmann, who is appointed president of supervisory board.
A further extension is completed at a cost of around 10 million Swiss francs. This new four-floor building houses a clean room (Class ISO 7), the mould production shop, building services engineering, warehouse and car park on a floor space of 4500 m2.
Three twin-chamber raw material silos are commissioned for storing a total of 150 t of plastic granules.
Cindy Guyot and Ronald Guyot (3rd generation) are elected to the supervisory board. The supervisory board now comprises: Barbara Guyot-Herrmann (president), Charles Guyot (vice president), Cindy Guyot, Ronald Guyot and Thomas Baselgia.
Thomas Baselgia is appointed CEO.
A global, second-generation family business, employing around 70 people with dedicated mould production plant and R&D department.
Thomas Baselgia
Managing Director
thomas.baselgia@herrmann.swiss
Micha Staub
Head of Sales
micha.staub@herrmann.swiss
Guido Wirth
Head of Quality
guido.wirth@herrmann.swiss
Rainer Koch
Head of Tool Design and Development
rainer.koch@herrmann.swiss
Ronald Guyot Herrmann
Member of the board of directors
ronald.guyot@herrmann.swiss
Our whole company is certificated according to ISO 9001-/15378-/13485-standard
Certificate ISO 9001
Certificate ISO 15378 (GMP)
Certificate ISO 13485
Certificate IQNet 9001
Certificate IQNet 13485
