Bühler celebrating its 200 years in spinning with passion

15 Feb '12

3 min read

Hermann Bühler AG celebrates its 200 years anniversary in the year 2012. All their engaged employees are finally responsible for that big success.

The rise of the textile industry in the 19th century was the starting point of the industrial revolution and left its marks also in Switzerland. This boom was released following the export embargo on England imposed by Napoleon in November 1806. Imports of cotton yarns and spinning machines from England were not allowed anymore, causing a high demand for cotton yarns by domestic weavers. Johann Jakob Bühler used this favorable opportunity and established in 1812 together with his sons a mechanical workshop and a small spinning mill for cotton.

Based on a water concession, he built a bigger spinning mill and realized a canal for a water-power station in 1831. After adding further mills in 1855, the company employed 400 workers and became the biggest spinning operation in the canton of Zurich. In 1858, his son Hansheinrich started building the mill in Sennhof which was equipped with the latest mechanical spindles. In 1897 the next generation continued the business under the name of Hermann Bühler & Co.; the company's name remained unchanged also in the 20th and 21th century.

In 1931, the company was incorporated. During the postwar period the production was concentrated in Sennhof. An important stage of extension followed with the construction of a new ring-spinning hall and a modern opening room in the 1980s. Finally in 1996 Buhler Quality Yarns Corp. was estab-lished in Jefferson (GA). The 32'000 “state of the art” spindles installed in their US-affiliate company produces high quality yarns from Supima cotton and Micro Modal for customers in North and South America.

Already in the 1860s, the company Bühler imported cotton from the Southern States, in former times picked by enslaves. Already 100 years later, the American cotton industry had changed nearly completely too mechanical harvesting.

In 1996 Bühler launched the production of Micro Modal which is another environmental friendly fiber.

Currently the company is owned since 7 generations by the family Bühler. The family members Martin Kägi, Dr. Beat Denzler and Christina Frehner are involved in managing or in the supervisory board and have direct impact on the success of the Bühler group. The cooperative leadership, the open communication, the interest in new technologies and the consequent implementation of innovative ideas have formed the company's character during the last decades. Today 158 employees located in Sennhof strive to satisfy all expectations of customers in 43 countries.

Hermann Bühler AG

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