History

Peter Emil Huber-Werdmüller founds the Werkzeug- und Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon (renamed Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon MFO in 1886). A 150-year success story begins with technology at its core.

Swiss Machine Tool Factory Oerlikon (SWO) is founded as the direct predecessor of Oerlikon-Bührle AG. From 1929 onwards, Emil Georg Bührle is the main shareholder of Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon (WO).

In September, Swiss machine tool manufacturer Oerlikon (SWO) is founded in Zurich-Oerlikon with 150 employees.

Max Ulrich Schoop from Zurich invents thermal spraying, the application of metals under high heat for protective coatings.​

In doing so, he laid the technical foundations for thick-film coating and thus for the successful history of Oerlikon Metco.

Martin Othmar Winterhalter develops Gideon Sundbäck's patented zipper further for mass production and founds the company ri-ri (Rille und Rippe).

Magdeburger Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik acquires Swiss machine tool manufacturer Oerlikon (SWO).

In 1924, the new owner sends his authorized signatory Emil Georg Bührle to Switzerland to serve as managing director of SWO.

Acquisition of the patent for manufacturing the Becker cannon through the takeover of Maschinenbau AG Seebach (Semag).

Over the following decades, the Becker cannon is sold worldwide and becomes a mainstay of the business.

Emil Georg Bührle becomes majority shareholder of SWO.

Rea Axline founds the Metallizing Engineering Company in New Jersey (USA). A few years later, this became METCO.

The successful thermal spraying company was acquired by Sulzer in 1994. In 2014, OC Oerlikon took over the company from Sulzer.

METCO introduces the first industrially manufactured wire spray gun.​

With the support of Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein and Swiss industrialist Emil Georg Bührle, Professor Max Auwärter founds the Gerätebauanstalt Balzers. In 1976, Balzers AG is integrated into the Oerlikon Group.

This is how the success story of Oerlikon Balzers' thin-film coating began in 1946, a surface technology without which large parts of global industry would today have to produce in a significantly more expensive, energy- and resource-intensive manner – not to mention the many functionalities that would not exist in numerous products without thin-film coating.

Entry into the vacuum business.

Oerlikon-Bührle invested early on in this pioneering technology, which forms an essential basis for thin-film coating (PVD/CVD).

Entry into the European space industry.

The launch of the ESRO-1 research satellite, equipped with Oerlikon components, penetrates a market that remains lucrative to this day.

Balzers coatings help NASA land on the moon.

The Liechtenstein flag flew to the moon and can now be viewed in the museum, together with some moon rock. Image Copyright: Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum

Oerlikon-Bührle Holding listed on the stock exchange.

With more than 100 member companies, the Group was consolidated under the Oerlikon-Bührle Holding (OBH) umbrella and entered the market with a capital stock of CHF 590 million.

Balzers decides to develop scratch-proof gold-coloured PVD coatings for the watch industry

• PVD technology

Integration of Balzers AG into Oerlikon-Bührle.

The record-breaking BALINIT coating is launched on the market.

Following successful tests in 1977, development and market launch of BALINIT A began a year later. This highly versatile wear protection coating based on titanium nitride significantly reduces abrasive and adhesive wear in many different areas of application.

• BALINIT A

Oerlikon Space lifts off.

Launch of the first European booster rocket, Ariane 4. The rocket features a payload fairing made of compound material from Oerlikon Space. Ever since, all Ariane rockets have been fitted with Oerlikon Space payload fairings. The business area was sold to RUAG in 2009.

Oerlikon-Bührle acquires the Leybold Group, specializing in vacuum technology, and merges it with Balzers to form Balzers & Leybold, the thin film technology leader.

Following a restructuring centered on technology, the company operated under the name 'Unaxis'.

In 2006, the company was renamed “OC Oerlikon” with five divisions.

Realignment of the Unaxis Group structure.

The Group’s portfolio now comprises five separate segments: Semiconductor Equipment with the divisions Wafer Processing (previously Semiconductors Front End), Assembly & Packaging (previously Semiconductors Back End) and Display Technology (previously Displays), Data Storage Solutions (previously Data Storage), Coating Services (previously Surface Technology), Vacuum Solutions (previously Leybold Vacuum) and Components and Special Systems with the divisions Optics and Space Technology (previously Contraves Space).

Reorganization of the company: integration and centralization of all segments.

After several turbulent years, the company experiences an upswing under new management. Its orientation undergoes a fundamental change. All business units are brought together under the umbrella of the company headquarters. The goal is to become “One Company.”

Renamed to OC Oerlikon Corporation AG, Pfäffikon.

Unaxis becomes OC Oerlikon. With this renaming, the company is acknowledging its history and its typically Swiss values: quality, reliability, precision, and innovative strength.

Takeover of Saurer AG.

Oerlikon acquires Saurer AG with two business divisions: Textile Machinery and Gears. This means the Oerlikon Group now comprises a total of five segments.

Renova becomes a new key investor.

The Renova Group takes over 45 percent of shares (as of end 2008) in Oerlikon, thus becoming the new principal investor.

Successful recapitalization.

By means of a capital writedown, capital increase, and issue of new shares, Oerlikon injects around CHF 1 billion of new capital into its business and thereby places its finances on a firm footing.

Opening of the Chinese headquarters and coating center in Suzhou.

Focus on growing and less cyclical manmade fibers market.

Oerlikon completed sale of its natural fibers and components businesses and will focus on the manmade fiber business. The Textile Segment is renamed the Manmade Fibers Segment.

Acquisition of Metco: The new Surface Solutions segment is created.

With the acquisition of Metco, Oerlikon is setting a course for growth. Oerlikon Balzers and Oerlikon Metco join forces to form the Surface Solutions segment.

Oerlikon strengthens its market access and service offering with the acquisition of Laser Cladding Services™.

Oerlikon acquires the business of Laser Cladding Services, LLC., in Houston, Texas, USA – a company specialized in laser cladding applications for the energy industry. The acquisition extends and improves the Surface Solutions Segment’s service offering in laser cladding and opens up access to key customers in the US energy sector.

Sale of the Advanced Technologies Segment to Evatec.

Oerlikon joins America Makes to grow additive manufacturing business.

Sale of the Vacuum Segment.

Oerlikon starts building a new facility for additively manufactured advanced components in the US.

Acquisition of Scoperta.

The California-based company is a leader in the computer-aided development of metal alloys.​

Market launch of a wide range of colors for the wear-resistant, extremely smooth, and dense BALIQ coating solution.

Oerlikon introduces its revolutionary thermal spray solution RotaPlasma HS1.

Oerlikon opens its Additive Manufacturing Technology & Innovation Center in Munich, Germany.

Oerlikon sells its Drive Systems segment​.

Acquisition of Crosslink's Thermal Insulation System (TIS) business.

With TIS's thermal and electrical insulation solutions, Oerlikon is further expanding its range of high-tech materials for use in critical areas such as electromobility.​

Acquisition of INglass (hot runner systems) to strengthen polymer processing business​.

Oerlikon acquires Coeurdor to expand into the growing luxury goods market​.

Purchase of Riri.

Expansion of leading position in coated metal accessories for the luxury fashion industry​.

Introduction of MultiCoat™5, the latest generation thermal spray controller platform.

UniCoat3 and MultiCoat5 offer customers outstanding performance for a wide range of thermal spraying applications thanks to data-driven efficiency.

• MultiCoat™

BALINIT ALCRONA EVO: The new generation of a globally established universal coating.

BALINIT® ALCRONA EVO is the successful evolution of the universal coating introduced in 2004. It is even more effective than its predecessor. The improved coating properties extend the service life of tools by more than 30%.

• BALINIT ALCRONA EVO
• Press Release

With the announcement of the divestment of Barmag, Oerlikon completes its transformation into a pure-play company, which began in 2015. As the global market leader, Oerlikon will focus in future on its business with coatings, high-tech materials, components, and additive manufacturing.