Chronology

Ferrum launches a new content rich website following the new brand appearance.

The business unit Centrifuge Technology delivers more than 100 systems in 2011. More than 6000 centrifuges have been installed worldwide so far.

FerruLean: The business unit Canning Technology implements successfully the synchronized flow assembly and the customer specific switch box mounting for a major part of their machine types.

The Mechanical Manufacturing restores the western part of the factory workshop in Rupperswil and optimizes its flexibility and production capabilities. The testing expertise is enhanced by a means of an optical 3D micro coordinate system for form and roughness measurement.

Ferrum exceeds for the first time in their history a turnover of CHF 150 million.

The Metal Castings foundry installs a new moulding system. The cast products now range from lightweight parts of only 100 grams to heavy constructions of 10 tons.

The long-time patron of Ferrum Ltd. Heiner Werder dies at the age of 83 years. The shares remain within the family.

FerruLean: The introduction of Lean Manufacturing sets the course for a further successful future.

The business unit Canning Technology delivers the 100th can seamer of the series F400.

Part of the machinery of the Mechanical Manufacturing is renewed with state-of-the-art machining centres.

At the Drinktech automatic foam cleaning becomes standard and the Ferrum business unit Canning Technology presents the worldwide first can seamer designed according to the directive "Hygienic Design".

Ferrum India is founded as a company of the business unit Centrifuge Technology.

The order entry of the business unit Canning Technology nearly doubled within a short period of time. To comply with the market demand an additional assembly hall was rented and put into operation within 1 ½ months.

The business unit Canning Technology completes the new generation of modular seamers, successfully started in 2005, with high performance machines for 8, 10 and 12 stations.

In its celebratory year, turnover at Ferrum Ltd., now with a permanent workforce of around 400, is likely to exceed CHF 100 million for the first time.

The business unit Centrifuge Technology unit enters unchartered territory. A new range of small centrifuges specified for “HAPI” production (Highly Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) allows entry into the market for the production of highly active substances.

As planner and equipment supplier, the business unit Washing Technology manages and implements the biggest car-wash centre in Emmen, Switzerland.

The business unit Canning Technology presents the new generation F-400 can sealer - an instant hit.

The business unit Canning Technology opens up further market segments with a newly developed sealer for plastic containers with foil.

Third new building in Schafisheim with assembly and administration building for the business unit Canning Technology. In parallel, and in subsequent years, thorough modernisation and extension of buildings in Rupperswil for the business units Manufacturing and Washing Technology together with comprehensive modernisation of production machinery. Particularly high level of innovation since:

The business unit  Washing Technology manages and realises integrated, large-scale laundries for working clothes and focuses increasingly on the construction of complete systems, including clothes transport and dispensing systems. The business unit Centrifuge Technology introduces new high-performance pusher centrifuges.

The Metal Castings foundry consolidates its leading technological position with the commissioning of a new automatic moulding system. In conjunction with the Production unit, it increasingly provides post-machining of its cast products.

Heiner Werder passes on the office of president of the Board of Directors to Dr. Peter J. Kienast and is elected honorary president.

In the Metal Castings foundry, the old cupola melting furnaces are replaced by modern, powerful and environmentally-friendly electric arc furnaces. Besides satisfying environmental requirements, this paves the way to be able to offer grey cast iron and spheroidal cast iron products. This has since become an important revenue stream for our foundry.

Ferrum acquires from Sulzer-Escher-Wyss the sub-unit pusher centrifuges for the chemical industry and applied process engineering (e.g. salt processing) and integrates it into the Centrifuge Technology unit. This strengthens both product range and workforce.

Ferrum certified to ISO-9000 standard for the first time.

Heiner Werder hands over operative management to a General Manager who is not a family member and instead focuses on the chairmanship of the Board of Directors.

A new building is constructed in Schafisheim, next to the foundry, to house management, sales, engineering and installation for the Centrifuge Technology unit as well as company management and central administration.

Dr. Peter J. Kienast, grandson of Rudolf Werder and a lawyer in Zurich, joins the Board of Directors.

Hans Rudolf Werder dies at the age of 54. His brother, Heiner Werder, assumes overall management and chair of the Board of Directors.

The company builds and moves into a new metal castings foundry in Schafisheim.

The first vertical centrifuges are built in accordance with Basle pharmaceutical industry standards. Vacuum can sealing (initially for canned coffee) in the business unit Canning Technology and the absorption of sales, installation and maintenance of car-wash plants in the business unit Washing Technology unit are further innovations and enlargements. The five units operating still exist today, whereby the production of our own machines for textile washing was gradually replaced by sourcing from third-party suppliers.

Heiner Werder, second son of Rudolf Werder, joins Ferrum and, soon after, assumes top management responsibility together with his brother on the Executive Board and Board of Directors.

The pension fund is set up - a long time before occupational pensions become binding.

Thanks to new machine models, the construction of centrifuges, now primarily for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, develops into a further autonomous and strong business unit (Centrifuge Technology).

Hans Rudolf Werder, the eldest son of Rudolf Werder, assumes overall management of Ferrum AG. 

The proprietor welfare fund (still in existence today) is set up - then pioneering.

Rudolf Werder dies at the age of 46. His widow, Ida Werder-Steiner, assumes his position on the Board of Directors. Supported by family friends and business associates, the company which was left in good operational shape continues to be run through the following years so affected by the Second World War, even in Switzerland.

A cash box metalworking shop, producing mainly safes, was affiliated to the company. This arm is spun off as an independent company in 1946 and later sold.

The product range and customer base of the washer and ironing machines unit, as well as centrifuges and other machines for large-scale washer plants, are transferred to Ferrum from Kienast und Lange in Bonstetten, near Zurich. So a third unit was added - washing technology (for textiles). During the same period, individual industrial centrifuges for other applications were included in the product range for the first time. 

During these crisis years, a new assembly facility is built and equipped, the foundry is upgraded and office space is expanded using freed-up capacities, partly from their own workforce.

Ferrum AG experiences its first real boom in its history.

Transfer of all Ferrum AG shares from the previous owners at Hero AG to Rudolf Werder from Birrenlauf (now Schinznach Bad) in Boniswil. The company employs 30 people in its foundry and machines for the canning industry units and is in an unfortunate situation. Rudolf Werder succeeds in turning the business around.

Attempts to design and build weaving and bobbing machines end disappointingly.

The Rupperswil council again takes note of the poor situation at Ferrum. Working hours were reduced by 63% in spring. The authorities accuse Ferrum of not having a sufficiently long-term approach in the hiring of staff.

Senior civil servants put on record that the situation at Ferrum AG is confused. Only in 1917/18 was a dividend issued.

The son of one of the Hero partners, Johann Friedrich Roth, and Walter Hediger from Rupperswil relocate their engineering works from Niederlenz to Rupperswil, acquire the Fröhli foundry and, on May 12th 1917, establish Ferrum AG. The other shareholders are Hero AG, Gustav Henkell, Hans Roth and ca. 25 other small shareholders.

The articles of association stipulate that the new company is founded by the acquisition, unification and expansion of the Johann Friedrich Roth machine tool factory and the Emil Fröhli foundry. As well as the foundry, the primary activity of the new company is the manufacture of machines and equipment for the (food) canning industry (including can sealers).

Master foundryman Emil Fröhli, from the grand duchy of Baden, constructs a foundry alongside.

Master builder Jakob Härdi builds a cement works, and later an artificial stone business, on today’s Ferrum site in Rupperswil.

After the death of Gustav Zeiler, change of company name to Henkell und Roth to include the new partner (today Hero AG).

Gustav Henkell and Gustav Zeiler start up a canning factory in Lenzburg.