chronik wipf gruppe e web
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
1914 to 2014
THE FOUNDERS AND ENTREPRENEUR
4 generations forge the packaging, stationery, and envelope industries
Heinrich WipfActive 1914 - 1944
Heinrich Wipf sen.Active 1926 - 1974
Heinrich R. WipfActive 1958 - 1999
Christian H. WipfActive 1991 - today
The history of the Wipf Group, which now spans 100 years and four generations, has been characterized by traditional Swiss values such as superb quality and dependability as well as awareness of the legitimate needs of our employees and the environment. This combination of traditional values paired with entrepreneurial risk will stay in the focus for the next 100 years.
In the course of time, the Wipf Group ex-perienced a continuous change of product innovations, technologies as well as invest-ments in new machines, services and de-velopments. This resulted in the success stories of Wipf AG, a leader in flexible packaging, Elco AG, a firmly established brand in the stationery and envelope mar-ket, and Swiss Direct Marketing AG, a recently incorporated specialist in the do-main of cross-media multichannel direct marketing campaigns.
My thanks go out to the people who made the Wipf Group what it is today. On one hand, they are our customers, suppliers, and partners. On the other, they are our staff members whose know-how and mo-tivation have been the foundation of our economic success for four generations.
I look forward to the challenges ahead, with the assurance that together, we can master them successfully. We remain committed to premium-quality products and high-potential industrial sites in Switzer- land ... right in the heart of Europe.
With kind regards,
Christian H. WipfChairman, Wipf Group
PREFACE
Wipf Group – 100 years tradition and innovation
An anniversary is always a welcome occasion to not only review the past but also to look forward. In the past, our culture has repeatedly made it possible for our company to transform itself and adjust to new challenges and developments.
1882 TO 1914
Formative history
1882Carl Lüdin establishes a sole proprietorship for the mechanical production of paper bags. The manufacturing facility is located on the lower Mühlesteg in Zürich and the machines are driven with waterwheels. The houses on the lower Mühlesteg in the Limmat River between the Bahnhofbrücke and Rudolf-Brun-Brücke have long disap-peared. Today, a pedestrian bridge con-nects the lower Limmatquai with the Papier-werdinsel (Coop shopping centre).
1897 Heinrich Wipf (1st generation, born in 1882) joins the company as a commercial appren-tice. The bags are printed on a letterpress bed one by one.
Pictures (from left)
Production facility on the lower Mühlesteg in ZürichCarl LüdinFirst paper bag machine 1890
1914
Incorporation of Wipf & Feldmann
1914Carl Lüdin wants to sell the company because he has no offspring. Heinrich Wipf (1st generation) acquires it together with Hans Feldmann. In the same year, they move to new premises on Kernstrasse in Zürich‘s district 4. A new era begins.
The first inline aniline (now flexographic) press is coupled with a web-fed bag ma-chine before the end of the year.
World War I erupts in 1914, and the first few years are very difficult for the company. Business starts to expand after the war ends.
Initially confined to the Zürich region, the company‘s market gradually encompasses the entire German-speaking part Switzer-land. For hygienic reasons, more and more products such as flour, cereals, fruit, coffee, etc. are packaged in paper bags with attractive graphic designs to stimulate sales.
Pictures (from left)
First-year ledger in 1914Paper bag for dry pet foodWipf & Feldmann factory on Kernstrasse 51/53 in Zürich
1926 TO 1939
Production of cardboard boxes
1926 Heinrich Wipf‘s son (same name, 2nd gen-eration) joins the company after commer-cial school and sojourns abroad in England and France. The company acquires an additional warehouse on nearby Brauer-strasse. It begins to produce paper plates and cake boxes.
1927After the death of Hans Feldmann, the company is renamed Wipf + Co. Papier-warenfabrik Zürich.
1934Wipf introduces the conversion of cello-phane and aluminium foil to better protect and more attractively present bagged products. The company now serves customers throughout Switzerland.
Pictures (from left)
Automatic embossing machine for paper plates and cardboard productsFolding cellulose filmsSpecialty cardboard products
1939 TO 1950
New factory on Badenerstrasse
1938Construction starts on Badenerstrasse in Zürich-Altstetten; the new factory building is completed just before the 1939 National Exposition and the outbreak of World War II.
1942Offset printing is introduced.
1945Soon after the end of the war, Heinrich Wipf travels to Germany to find bag-making machines for eliminating production capac-ity bottlenecks. The company now has 200 employees, many of them still in man-ual-labour jobs.
It operates about 20 paper bag machines, a letterpress printing machine as well as an offset press, and a die cutter for the in-house manufacture of cardboard prod-ucts used for bakery goods and pastries.
1950Expansion and enlargement of building on Badenerstrasse 571 in Zürich-Altstetten.
Pictures (from left)
Offset printingLetterpress departmentFactory on Badenerstrasse 571
Manual work department
Tacking boxes for pastries and bakery goods Inserting metal hook fasteners for printed matter and calendar envelopes
Cardboard eyelets for shopping bags and doc-ument mailers
Manual typesetting
The large original reels are slit with millimetre accuracy to obtain narrow rolls for the bagmaking machines and printing presses
Die-cutting of printed signatures Flat and gusset bag machine
Department with automatic paper and cardboard conversion machines
1949 TO 1952
Incorporation of Seetal AG envelope factory
1949Around 1950, Hans Schaller has plans for a new building on Heinrichstrasse in Zürich, and Heinrich Wipf decides to get into the booming envelope market. In 1949, he ac-quires 86% of the Emmishofen AG envelope factory in Kreuzlingen from the Landquart paper mill. By 1951, he owns 100%.
1951Heinrich Wipf buys the premises of Con-servenfabrik Seethal AG in Seon from Hero, a Lenzburg-based producer of canned foods. He then moves the machines from the Emmishofen envelope factory to the larger and more centrally located industrial property in Seon.
1952On 1 January 1952, Heinrich Wipf incorpo-rates the Seetal AG envelope factory in Seon. It manufactures envelopes and print- ed matter.
Pictures (from left)
Seethal canned goods factory in SeonEmmishofen envelope factoryWebbased bag machine
1955
Company excursion Wipf & Co. Papierwarenfabrik, Zürich
Newspaper article in “Der Leuefelder” on 9 June 1955
Heinrich Wipf, Sr., celebrated his 50th birthday amid his employees at the time
1958 TO 1962
Focus on primary packaging
1958Heinrich R. Wipf (3rd generation) joins the company after having studied at the Mu-nich University of Applied Sciences and following sojourns in France and the USA. During this period, Wipf AG is specialized mainly in processing paper and cardboard with flexographic and offset presses. The company produces flat and gusset bags, half-block and SOS bags, as well as paper plates and cardboard boxes.
In view of the growing popularity of self-service shopping and the emergence of supermarkets, the focus iof Wipf shifts to primary packaging with protective fun-ctions.
1962Specialization in flexible packaging. Launch of gravure printing and film lamination. Production of sealed pouches and of the first vacuum packages for coffee begins. Discontinuation of cardboard conversion and relocation of offset printing to Seetal Papier AG in Seon.
Pictures (from left)
Typical primary packagingInspection of pouches, packaging, cardboard itemsRetail store in Zürich
1962 TO 1970
Brisk growth phase in Seon
1962The Seetal AG envelope factory is renamed Seetal Papier AG, Seon. The following years are characterized by brisk economic growth and vigorous competition among the en-velope manufacturers.
Concurrently, Seetal Papier AG takes over offset printing from Wipf AG and now pro-duces printed matter. The buildings are enlarged in consecutive phases.
Pictures (from left)
Seetal Papier AG envelope factory in SeonDie-cutting machineOffset printing
1966 TO 1970
Relocation to new premises in Volketswil
1966Incorporation of Wipf Holding AG as the umbrella organization for Wipf AG and Seetal Papier AG.
1968/1969Planning and construction of a new green-field factory for Wipf AG due to insufficient space at the premises on Badenerstrasse.
1969Merger of competitors Frey & Wiederkehr and Schaller, forming Schaller Frewi AG, and relocation to the building of Mühle-bach Papier AG in Brugg.
1970The move to the new factory premises with latest-generation air conditioning equipment takes place in 1970. To prevent inter-ruptions in production, a new gravure press, a new W.&H. laminating machine, and a new roll slitter are commissioned in Volketswil. Thereafter, further machines are gradually transferred from Altstetten to Volketswil.
Pictures (from left)
New factory in Volketswil, 1970Various types of paper bags7-colour rotary gravure press
Milestones at Wipf AG
1970 to date
Executive Committee (from left, extruder in the background): Erwin Hollenstein, COO, Heinrich R. Wipf, Group CEO, Hans Keiser, Head of Finance and Accounting
THE 1970s
Development of WICOVALVE® valves
1971Launch of extrusion coating of paper, alu-minium, and polymer films (monofilms).
1972Development of retortable laminates.
1975The oil crisis stunts the rapid growth of the economy and the packaging industry. The brisk growth of the “Golden Sixties” is over. In this year, the company is hit with a revenue slump of 20%. Difficult years of consolidation follow an intensive investment phase. The production of shopping bags and paper pouches is discontinued.
1976Development of and patent registration for WICOVALVE® aroma-protection and pres-sure-relief valves and introduction of blown film extrusion.
1978Commissioning of first solvent-free lami-nation system. Increased specialization in laminates.
Pictures (from left)
The Executive Committee at the timePaper and plastic bag samplesValve production
THE 1980s
Added lamination and stand-up pouch capacity
1980Increase of WICOVALVE® aroma-protection and pressure-relief valves production vol-umes.
1986Introduction of blown film coextrusion for the manufacture of premium polyethylene lamination films. The department for sealed speciality pouches is enlarged in the same year.
1988Commissioning of first triplex lamination machine and enlargement of extrusion and lamination facilities.
1989Installation of first Japanese machine for the production of retortable side-sealed and stand-up pouches.
Pictures (from left)
Triplex lamination machineFinished side-sealed pouchesBlown film coextrusion
THE 1990s
Capacity expansion abroad
1991The Wipf Group acquires Paka Verpack- ungen GmbH, later Wipf Austria GmbH, in Marchtrenk, Austria, to strengthen its Euro- pean market position. The first side-sealed pouches are manufactured in the same year and commissioning of an 8-colour flexographic press.
1993Commissioning of a further extrusion ma-chine for PE films.
1995The Wipf Group establishes its Flexible Packaging Division. Wipf AG and Wipf Austria GmbH develop a joint strategy.
Wipf Austria GmbH introduces lamination technology.
1998Capacity expansion in stand-up pouch pro- duction and transition to SAP (group-wide).
1999Valve production capacity expansion. Christian Wipf (4th generation) takes over the Wipf Group from his father.
Pictures (from left)
Various stand-up pouches8-colour flexographic pressWipf Austria GmbH factory in Marchtrenk, Austria
2000 TO 2011
Investments and repositioning
2002New building for pouchmaking unit.
2003Installation of a new regenerative incinerator with thermal oil and hot water heating system.
2005Commissioning of a new 10-colour gravure press with washing stations. Addition of an 18-metre high cylinder storage facility.
2009Installation of a second 10-colour gravure press.
2010Repatriation of Austrian plant assets to Switzerland and stronger focus on Volkets- wil site.
2011New corporate identity and redesign of company logo.
Pictures (from left)
Redesign of company logo and new corporate identity10-colour gravure pressLid film for Dolce Gusto capsules
2012 TO DATE
The digital printing era begins
2012Commissioning of first HP Indigo WS6600 digital press.
2013Incorporation of subsidiary: Wipf Doypak A.Ş. in Turkey
2013Installation of a lacquering and primering system.
2014Commissioning of second HP Indigo 20000 digital press.
Pictures (from left)
HP Indigo WS6600 digital pressPouchmaking unitDigitally printed samples
Milestones at Elco AG
1970 to date
THE 1970s
Expansion of envelope operations and launch of mailer production
1974Seetal Papier AG introduces web offset printing. A new envelope production facility is built. Commissioning of first web enve- lope machines and start of production with the first web offset press.
1975Schaller Frewi and Seetal Papier invest in direct marketing and commission a sheet-fed press and an inkjet press. The two companies become competitors.
1976Schaller Frewi AG launches the Optifix ad-hesive-flap line in the market.
1977Seetal Papier AG acquires Rüegg & Co., a Bern-based envelope maker founded in the 19th century, and relocates production to Seon a few years later. Launch of web mailer production and computer-controlled inkjet addressing.
Pictures (from left)
Envelope production at Seetal Papier AG in SeonPOLAR trimmerWarehouse in Seon
THE 1980s
Investment in envelopes, Direct Marketing, and photo mailers
1982The first continuous-feed mailer machine represents a further investment in the direct marketing business.
1986Holzstoff AG sells Schaller Frewi AG to Biber Holding AG.
1989Seetal Papier AG commissions a varia- ble-format web offset press for printing mailers, high-quality campaign elements, photo wallets, and teaser envelopes.
Pictures (from left)
Continuous-feed mailer machineDirect marketing productsPhoto wallets
THE 1990s
Merger forms Seetal Schaller AG
1991Christian Wipf (4th generation), son of Heinrich R. Wipf, joins Seetal Papier AG as a member of the Executive Committee. He had completed his studies in business administration and worked for Philips in Zürich and Canada for nine years.
1994Biber Holding AG sells Schaller Frewi AG to Seetal Papier AG. The companies merge to form Seetal Schaller AG with headquar-ters in Brugg. Administration, sales, enve- lope production, and direct marketing are concentrated at the facilities in Brugg.
Offset printing and some warehousing operations remain in Seon. A high-perfor-mance envelope production line is estab-lished.
1995 Incorporation of Seetal Schaller GmbH in Marchtrenk to market the photo pocket envelopes manufactured by Wipf Austria GmbH.
1999Installation of a web offset press at Seetal Schaller GmbH in Marchtrenk for pre prin-ting the photo pocket envelopes.
Pictures (from left)
Image campaign of Seetal Schaller AGSeetal Schaller factory in BruggReelstand envelope production in Brugg
2000 TO 2007
Promotion of the ELCO brand
2000Production at the Seon site is discontinued. The offset presses are purchased by print-ing house partners. All photo packaging unit operations are transferred to Brugg. The board of directors of Seetal Schaller AG decides to sell the property in Seon.
2005Investments in a tray erector, an envelope machine with automatic boxing, and a fully automated palletizer in Brugg.
2006Acquisition of Elco Papier AG in Allschwil and Wikon by Seetal Schaller AG and merger to form Seetal Elco AG in Brugg. Concurrent promotion of the ELCO brand. The new ELCO line includes Ordo organ- izers, exercise booklets, as well as writing pads and notepads.
Pictures (from left)
Fully automated web envelope production in BruggDevelopment of the ELCO brandElco property in Wikon
2010 TO 2011
Logistics initiative in Brugg
2010Commissioning of the fully automatic high-bay warehouse with rack space for over 15,000 pallets. New storage and retrieval capabilities. The warehouse design is a benchmark for Europe and has significantly improved productivity.
2011Change of company name to Elco AG. The brand logo becomes the company logo. Elco wins the ISPA Award for the most innovative product: “ELCO Proclima”. In the same year, the company acquires the direct marketing activities of the Swiss- printers Group.
Pictures (from left)
Modern logistics department in BruggFully automatic high-bay warehouse for over 15,000 palletsNew paper roll warehouse
2012 BIS 2013
Incorporation of Swiss Direct Marketing AG and more proactive positioning of the ELCO brand
2012 The Direct Marketing Division is transformed into Swiss Direct Marketing AG, a legally independent company.
2012Swiss Direct Marketing AG in Brugg broadens its competencies in the Swiss direkt marketing market by acquiring Con-zett+Walter AG. ELCO Creative Kids wins the Creative Impulse innovation prize for 2012 as the “most creative product of the year”.
2013Swiss Direct Marketing AG invests in a Canon Océ ColorStream digital press (4 colours, inkjet) at the end of the year.
Pictures (from left)
ELCO POS at Manor in GenevaWebsite mysdm.chCanon Océ ColorStream digital press
Wipf Group management (from left): Hans-Jörg Aerni, head of Envelopes, Stationery & Direct Marketing Division (ESD), Bernhard Feusi, CFO (ESD), Werner Werder, CFO of Flexible Packaging Division (FP division), Christian Wipf, CEO Wipf Group, Hans-Rudolf Schafflützel, head of FP division
2013 TO DATE
Promotion of B2C and online business
2013Elco goes online with the B2C Shop myelco.ch and the ELCO postcard app.
The website is redesigned and the URL changed to elcoswitzerland.ch.
Pictures (from left)
Current Wipf Group managementB2C shop myelco.chELCO postcard app and personalised SDM landing page
1914 TO 2014
100 years Wipf GroupHistory across 4 generations
1914On 1 January 1914, Heinrich Wipf acquires the mechanical paper bag production facility founded in 1882 by Carl Lüdin in the centre of Zürich.
1952Expansion into envelope production and incorporation of Seetal Papier AG in Seon.
1962Wipf AG: Launch of gravure printing and film lamination. First vacuum packs for coffee are manufactured.
1966Incorporation of Wipf Holding AG.
1969Frey, Wiederkehr & Co. AG and Schaller & Co. AG merge to form Schaller Frewi AG in Brugg. 1970Wipf AG and Wipf Holding AG relocate from Zürich to the new plant in Volketswil.
1976Wipf AG: Development and start of production of WICOVALVE® aroma-protection/pressure-relief valves.
1977Seetal Papier AG: Launch of direct marketing activities.
1988Wipf AG: Expansion of production hall for extrusion and lamination department.
1991Expansion into the EU. The Wipf Group acquires Paka Ver-packungen GmbH in Marchtrenk, Austria. The company is later renamed Wipf Austria GmbH.
1992Seetal Papier AG: Invention of two-way envelope for voters (patent for double codability). 1994Acquisition of Schaller Frewi AG by Seetal Papier AG and merger to form Seetal Schaller AG in Brugg.
1998Group-wide transition of IT to SAP software.
2002New building constructed for pouch production of Wipf AG.
2003Installation of a new regenerative incinerator with thermal oil and hot water heating system. 2005Wipf AG: Expansion of printing capacity with a new latest-generation gravure press with washing stations and a fully automated cylinder management system.
2006Acquisition of Elco Papier AG by Seetal Schaller AG and merger to form Seetal Elco AG in Brugg.
2009Installation of a second 10-colour gravure press at Wipf AG.
2010Repatriation of the plant assets of Wipf Austria GmbH to Switzerland and stronger focus on Volketswil site.
2010Seetal Elco AG: Commissioning of the fully automatic high-bay warehouse for over 15,000 pallets.
2011Seetal Elco AG changes its name to Elco AG. The brand logo becomes the company logo.
2011Wipf AG adopts a new corporate identity and redesigns the company logo.
2012Incorporation of Swiss Direct Marketing AG in Brugg.
2012PE film production of Wipf AG is outsourced.
2012The Direct Marketing Division of Elco AG is transformed into Swiss Direct Marketing AG, a legally independent company. It acquires the staff and technical competencies of Conzett+Walter AG.
2012Wipf AG: Launch of digital printing for flexible packaging.
2013Wipf AG: Incorporation of subsidiary Wipf Doypak A.Ş. in Turkey.
2013The Wipf Group develops business outside Europe and incorporates Wipf Asia Pacific Limited with headquarters in Hong Kong.
2013Christian H. Wipf is appointed chair man of the board and CEO of Wipf Holding AG. 2013Wipf AG: Installation of a lacquering and primering system.
2013 Swiss Direct Marketing AG invests in a Canon Océ ColorStream digital press.
2013/2014Elco AG launches the first postcard app as well as the online shop myelco.ch and the website elcoswitzerland.ch. 2014Wipf AG: Commissioning of second HP Indigo 20000 digital press.
2014The Wipf Group turns 100 on 1 January 2014.
ImagesWipf Holding AG, Switzerland
TextWipf Holding AG, Switzerland
Design & concept Wipf Holding AG, Switzerland
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Wipf Holding AGIndustriestrasse 29PO Box 2358604 VolketswilSwitzerland
Phone +41 44 947 22 20Fax +41 44 947 22 26
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