Johann Jacob Sulzer-
Hirzel (1806-1883)

1836 Still largely a workshop establishment, the business then employs forty journeymen, laborers, and apprentices, some of whom receive room and board with the family. Though patriarchal in accordance with the times, the company takes the first steps towards a division of labor.

1839 A new foundry is constructed, and the original building becomes a machine shop. The first steam engine installed in Winterthur creates a sensation.

1845 A “Sickness-Benefit Association for Factory Workers” is founded. This is the first step towards a health insurance plan for the company.

Paddle steamer “Schweiz”
(1890)

1859 The first trading-company agreement between the Sulzer brothers is made, whereby company activities are divided into divisions. Entrepreneurial thinking and the willingness to take a risk lead to the introduction of new products (such as steam engines and, later, steamboats) with more efficient industrial production methods.

Around 1860 The first sales office abroad is opened in Turin, Italy.

1909 Sulzer starts to build compressors.

1914 The family firm is transformed into three joint-stock companies, one of which is the holding company.

1937 With the rise of political totalitarianism in Europe and after a narrowly avoided strike at Sulzer, an industrial peace agreement is signed. Employers and employees of the Swiss machine industry thereby agree to negotiate in good faith instead of taking militant action.

1939 to 1950 Business activities abroad intensify and form the basis for a new growth phase that brings great prosperity and strong expansion after the Second World War.

1950 onwards In order to meet steadily rising production demands, increasing numbers of employees are recruited, especially from southern Europe. Due to ongoing construction activities at the Oberwinterthur site, manufacturing facilities are tripled within twenty-five years. The product range expands, particularly in the boiler-construction and textile machinery. Construction of housing increases steadily in Winterthur suburbs and surrounding regions. Employees benefit from better working conditions and social welfare. Female labor is promoted for light factory work.

1970 onwards Material technology activities are intensified and form the basis for medical-technology products. The fundamental change from a machine-building company to a technology corporation starts to become apparent.

1984 Sulzer’s 150th jubilee celebrations coincide with extensive restructuring activities. For the first time in many years, the corporation records a net loss and does not pay out a dividend to its stockholders.

1988 Corporate reorganization measures lead to restructuring of the product portfolio. The medical technology business expands intensively (including acquisition of the Intermedics Group, USA). A hostile takeover bid is averted.

1990 Sulzer stops production at the Winterthur factory. Its various departments are reassigned to the product divisions (“verticalisation”) in an attempt to streamline the product areas. The historical Winterthur site is cleared, and work started on reutilization plans. For the first time in Sulzer’s history, the number of Sulzer employees abroad exceeds the number in Switzerland. The diesel engine business is divested to the new Sulzer diesel company, in which Sulzer holds only a minor participation.

1992 Non-Swiss shareholders are permitted for the first time.

1993 Closure of the Oberwinterthur foundry.

1996 The inauguration of the Sulzer Orthopedics Technology Center takes place on May 21 in Oberwinterthur. An open house is held at the Oberwinterthur industry park, with more than ten thousand visitors. The flourishing-but-too-small Sulzer Chemtech environmental technology business is sold to Austrian Energy and Environment. ELMA Electronic becomes independent and goes public in the same year. A new Sulzer “Fund for Job Creation and Retention” is endowed to provide financial support for management buyouts.

1997 In the summer, Sulzer Medica goes public. The corporation decides to pursue a dual strategy: medical technology and industrial business. Sulzer Thermtec (power plant valves and apparatuses) is sold to the British company IMI.

1998 Sulzer Medica takes over the American company Spine-Tech, active in the spinal market segment. With this acquisition, Sulzer strengthens its range of opportunity in the field of orthopedics. The engineering sector of SLM (Swiss Locomotive and Machine Factory) is sold to Adtranz Switzerland.

1999 Corporate restructuring is carried out. Like Sulzer Medica, Sulzer Industries is established as an independent sector with its own CEO. Sulzer Pumps strengthens its position on the Chinese market by founding a joint venture with Dalian Pumps. Within the framework of the extensive “Performance” restructuring project, Sulzer Industries plans to reduce personnel by 1900 worldwide over the next two years to improve competitiveness. Sulzer sells the Sulzer Hydro water turbine and pump business to the technology company VA Tech (Austria). Sulzer Medica consolidates biotechnology activities in the new division, Sulzer Biologics, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA.

2000 Sulzer Pumps takes over Ahlstrom Pumps (Finland). In September, plans are made public that Sulzer wants to divest several divisions, and to reintegrate Sulzer Medica. However, the reintegration plan is cancelled a few weeks later; the industrial and the medical technology parts are to develop more independently. In December, Sulzer Turbo is sold to the MAN group.

2001 Incentive Capital initiates a hostile takeover bid for Sulzer. In response, Sulzer advises shareholders to reject this offer and launches a defensive campaign. At the 87th Annual General Meeting, all board proposals are approved, including the Sulzer Medica spin-off, while Incentive’s proposals are clearly rejected. As a result, Incentive cancels its bid. Sulzer Infra is divested to Groupe Fabricom. The Sulzer Medica spin-off is finalized on July 10, 2001. Sulzer Textile is sold to the Promatech Group, Italy.

2002 With the sale of Sulzer Burckhardt to its management, the divestiture program that was started in 2000 is closed. Sulzer comprises now four divisions: Sulzer Pumps, Sulzer Metco, Sulzer Chemtech, and Sulzer Turbo Services.

2004 Sulzer publishes its first biannual “Sustainability Summary”, which is well received among experts. In the course of the year, Sulzer strengthens the market positions of its divisions: Sulzer Metco acquires the Ambeon division of Westaim in Canada as well as OSU Machine Construction in Germany. Sulzer Pumps takes over the Johnston, Crown, and Paco pump activities from Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC), located in Houston, Texas, USA, and in Wuxi, China.

2005 Sulzer Chemtech acquires Cana-Tex in Houston, Texas, USA and thus becomes a leading field-service supplier for separation columns. Shortly before year-end, the Hexis fuel-cell activities are sold to a Swiss foundation.

2006 In February, Sulzer Pumps divests its Paco pumping activities to Grundfos. In December, the corporation acquires Mixpac, Werfo, and Mold. The companies are integrated into the new business unit Sulzer Mixpac Systems in 2007.

2007 Since 2004, the corporation has been in excellent condition. Income and profitability have improved continuously. In January, Sulzer Chemtech acquires the separation business of KnitMesh Ltd. Sulzer initiates a health and safety awareness program to ensure adequate safety behavior on all levels. The corporation has set the long-term goal of reducing the number of occupational accidents and illnesses to zero. In the midterm, Sulzer aims to reduce the 2006 accident frequency rate by half by 2010.