Gurit Freienbach in the late 1960s. Source (All Images) | Gurit AG
Gurit
(Zurich, Switzerland), celebrating 190 years, looks back at its journey from serving the textiles industry, to its current work in composite materials.
In 1835, Georg Philipp Heberlein founded a small textile finishing business in Wattwil, Switzerland. What was originally a craft business grew into an industrial operation, starting with the use of synthetic dyes, then a garment dyeing plant in 1897, followed by a printing plant in 1916. Over the years, generations of the Heberlein family have pioneered advancements in synthetic fibers and textile machinery, establishing a strong reputation in a burgeoning industry in Eastern Switzerland.
In 1929, the company expanded into rubber and synthetic foam manufacturing with the creation of Gurit, a Heberlein-owned company, in Richterswil, Switzerland. Gurit was named after “Gummiwerk Richterswil” (Richterswil rubber factory). This new company laid the foundation for what would become a significant transformation for the business.
The textile and plastics divisions developed independently through the mid-1960s, both driven however by materials innovation. After World War 2, as natural fibers were in short supply, demand for artificial alternatives surged. Heberlein modernized and expanded its dyeing facilities, but it was the invention and patenting of Helanca — a method for adding stretch to synthetic fibers — that fueled major growth. By the late 1960s, the Wattwil plant employed more than 2,500 people, with the entire Heberlein Group employing over 5,000. However, a global synthetic fiber crisis in the 1970s led to the collapse of the textile division. Major restructuring followed, with the Helanca brand eventually sold to Saurer and the textile business gradually wound down.
Gurit, the plastics division, had a slow start in the 1930s, but flourished after World War 2. By 1960, it employed some 700 people, producing plastic goods of all kinds, from raincoats to vinyl flooring. In the mid-60s, the Gurit Essex division was added (a joint venture between Gurit and Essex Chemical and then Dow Chemical), followed by the acquisition of Coltane (specializing in dental products), the founding of Gurit Schaumstoff and acquisition of the film manufacturer, Worbla. By the late 1960s, Gurit had outgrown its original site in Richterswil and expanded to Freienbach.
In 1984, following the growth of the Gurit division and its future, an unusual step was taken to create the company Gurit-Heberlein, with the subsidiary becoming the parent company, paving the way for new investment and a new path to success.
In partnership with Essex Chemical, Gurit helped transform the automotive industry and became, what it says was the largest European supplier of automotive adhesives, sealants and body engineered systems for the automotive OEM and aftermarket at the time. As the global car market evolved, Gurit sold its stake to Dow Chemical in 2000. This enabled the company to focus on healthcare and composite materials. The cash injection enabled the well-executed closure of the struggling textiles business, with a further 13 years needed to complete the thorough demolition, cleanup and sale of the land.
The 2000s marked a period of strategic growth. Gurit acquired materials manufacturers specializing in aerospace, marine, wind energy and other high-performance sectors, bringing depth of expertise and breadth of experience in materials such as prepregs, epoxies, core materials, engineering services, tooling and kitting. These acquisitions strengthened the company’s position in performance materials. In 2006, Gurit listed the healthcare division, Medisize, as an independent company on the SIX Swiss Exchange, with Gurit Holding AG’s sole focus now advanced composite materials. Further, in 2024, Gurit sharpened its focus, responding to challenging market conditions by rightsizing its business and divesting selected product lines.
Today, as Gurit celebrates nearly two decades of performance materials, the company says it continues to push the boundaries of innovation in advanced composites. Committed to sustainability and forward-thinking solutions, Gurit partner with clients in the wind, marine, transportation, construction and other sectors to shape a smarter, more sustainable future.
