In brief

For over 200 years, we have been producing high-quality cotton yarns. In 2016, we were the last cotton mill in Switzerland to close down. With this development project for our historic buildings, we are opening a new chapter and continue our industrial history. We offer attractive residential and commercial premises on the former spinning mill site and at other properties.

Team

Martin Kägi

Managing Director

kaegi@hermann-buehler.ch

+41 52 234 14 40

Jürgen Schreyer

Accounting and Administration

schreyer@hermann-buehler.ch

+41 52 234 14 41

 

Liborio Trubia

Property Maintenance and Power Station Management

liborio.trubia@gmx.ch

+41 79 431 06 52

 

 

Governing Board

Beat Denzler

Chairman

 

Christina Frehner-Bühler

Deputy chairwoman

 

Martin Kägi

Delegate

 

Caspar Jenny

Member

 

Walter Muhmenthaler

Member

 

Christian Hasler

Secretary

 

 

Management

The property is managed by vivo immobilien

Eric Allmendinger

eal@vivoimmobilien.ch

+41 52 202 21 12

Susanne Meierhofer

sme@vivoimmobilien.ch

+41 52 202 21 13

 

Our properties

Bühler-Areal

  • Address: Bühler-Areal 1–43, Winterthur Sennhof
  • Apartments: 89
  • Commercial Space: 15’000 m2
  • Character: in the midst of green spaces, historical-industrial atmosphere, just minutes from the city

 

Leimeneggstrasse

  • Address: Leimeneggstrasse 37–41, Winterthur
  • Apartments: 6
  • Character: modern living in the sunny Rychenberg district

 

Wolferhaus

  • Address: Tösstalstr. 352, Winterthur Sennhof
  • Commercial space, offices: 230 m2
  • Character: the charming home for your SME

We produce climate-friendly and renewable energy through three hydropower plants. The total output is 850 kW which, with an annual energy production of 3,000,000 kWh, supplies approximately 700 households with electricity.

 

The photovoltaic installation on the roof of the «Factory”, one of the largest of the entire region, produces 530’000 kWh of renewable energy annually. Tenants benefit of low-cost, CO2 neutral electricity.
 
Photovoltaic installation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orknhr1bJqA

 

Our history

Third and fourth generations: the families of Hermann Bühler-Weber and Carl Bühler-Blumer

1812

During the time of Napoleon and Goethe, the wainwright and carpenter Johann Jakob Bühler expands his workshop in Freudwil and is soon operating a Spindelfabric, which he runs with a single horse. He soon expands his business and builds the “upper factory” in 1832. The machines are driven by hydropower from the Töss River.
1859/60 His son Johann Heinrich Bühler runs the spinning mill operations as the second generation. He expands and builds the first factory at today’s location in Sennhof. His three sons Adolf, Hermann and Carl Bühler take over the company after his death.
1875 The new Töss Valley Railway begins operations and becomes an important lifeline for local textile companies.
1892

In Hermann Bühler-Sulzer, the fourth generation takes over the management of the company. Together with his brother Richard Bühler, he masters the years of the First World War.
1931

As a result of great difficulties arising from the Great Depression, Hermann Bühler-Krayer and Victor Bühler (5th generation) transform the company into the stock corporation Hermann Bühler AG.
1939–45

During the Second World War, the business has to be cut back and Hermann Bühler AG takes part in the cultivation of the Swiss version of Victory Gardens.
1948

After the war, the mill is able to massively expand capacity and there is a shortage of labour. Hermann’s brother Victor Bühler brings Italian workers to Sennhof for the first time.
1957 Under the management of Hermann Bühler-Müller (6th generation), the company rises to the top of the European spinning industry. He concentrates production on the Bühler-Areal in Sennhof and introduces three-shift operations.
1986 After the sudden death of Hermann Bühler, Hans-Ulrich Müller takes over the management of the company. He consistently focuses on globalisation in sales and production and promotes product diversification.
1995 Hermann Bühler AG expands to the US, founding the subsidiary Buhler Quality Yarns in Georgia.
2000 With Martin Kägi as CEO, the seventh generation takes over the management of the company. Kägi expands the business to Asia and develops new specialties, thus mastering the challenges of the following global financial and economic crises.
2012

Hermann Bühler AG celebrates its 200th anniversary. However, increasing competition from low-wage countries and the pressure of the strong Swiss franc have been challenging the company’s management for many years. The prospects are unfavourable. Nevertheless, everything is being done to keep the company on course.
2016 Switzerland’s last spinning mill is forced to close in October 2016. The spinning mill in the US is sold.
As of 2017 The conversion of the Bühler-Areal is planned and implemented step by step. An architectural competition guarantees careful handling of the conversion of the oldest spinning mill, the preservation of the historic building and the high-quality development of the site. The Bühler-Areal is guided towards its new purpose.