Arbonia

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Arbonia AG

logo
legal form Corporation
ISIN CH0110240600
founding 1874
Seat Arbon , SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland 
management Alexander von Witzleben ( Chairman of the Board of Directors and Delegate of the Board of Directors)
Number of employees 7956 (2019)
sales 1.4 billion CHF (2019)
Branch Building suppliers
Website www.arbonia.com

The Arbonia AG is a Swiss building suppliers. The head office is in Arbon , Switzerland . The company operates in the areas of heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology, sanitary, windows, and exterior and interior doors.

history

Beginnings of Forster and Arbonia

Arbonia Corporate Center in Arbon

In 1874, Franz Josef Forster opened the coppersmith Forster in Arbon . 30 years later, Karl Schnitzler founded a workshop for the production of oven attachments under the name Arbonia .

In 1915, Forster expanded its product range to include steel pipes. Seven years later, the company was incorporated into the newly founded Hermann Forster AG. In 1953, it began producing refrigerators and kitchens on the Novaseta site and in the early 1980s relocated production to new halls on the site on Lake Constance opposite the Seeparksaal.

In 1923 Karl Schnitzler's workshop was transferred to the newly named Arbonia AG (not identical to today's Arbonia AG). In 1958, master butcher Jakob Züllig acquired the majority of shares in this company.

In 1973, what was then Arbonia AG took over the majority of shares in Forster, whereupon the group was renamed the Arbonia Forster Group, or AFG for short . Years later, the company was first traded on the stock exchange under the name AFG Arbonia-Forster-Holding AG . In 1999, Prolux Heizkörper AG was taken over by AFG.

Diversification from 2000

The takeover of the Kermi Group (formerly Preussag subsidiary) took place in 2001. Two years later, the Züllig community of heirs sold the majority of the shares to Edgar Oehler . A series of company takeovers followed between 2004 and 2008: EgoKiefer AG (2004, windows and doors). In 2005, AFG bought Miele's kitchen division, including the trademark rights , for the first five years. As a result, Warendorfer Küchen GmbH was founded to operate this business area.

In 2006 the takeover of Schmidlin ASCO Swiss AG followed, in 2007 the takeover of STI Surface Technology, RWD Schlatter AG and Slovaktual sro. From 2006 to 2016 AFG sponsored the football stadium of FC St.Gallen and acquired in return the right to the name: AFG Arena .

In 2008, the AFG ASIA PACIFIC market area was founded and the current headquarters in Arbon , the AFG Corporate Center, were moved into.

At the Annual General Meeting on April 29, 2011, Edgar Oehler stepped down as Chairman of the Executive Board and Chairman of the Board of Directors; he remained a member of the board of directors and the majority shareholder.

Concentration on certain business areas from 2012 to 2014

On October 1, 2012, AFG announced that it would no longer be involved in premium kitchens “Made in Germany” as a result of a portfolio streamlining. Warendorfer Küchen GmbH was sold to the American investor CoBe Capital at the end of 2012.

In 2013, the cooling technology division was sold to the parent company of V-Zug AG , Metall Zug AG . The production remained in Arbon. On February 21, 2013 AFG Arbonia-Forster-Holding AG took over the Polish manufacturer of PVC windows, the Dobroplast company. The sale of the Forster Precision Steel Tubes business unit on August 9, 2013 represented a significant step in focusing on the core business related to “shell and space”.

On January 17, 2014, Forster steel kitchens and Piatti kitchens were sold to Alno from Pfullendorf . Edgar Oehler stepped down from the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting on April 25, 2014. On December 2, 2014, AFG announced the sale of the Surface Technology Division. The STI Surface Technologies International Holding AG went back to its founder Edgar Oehler, who brought it into his FFG Financing and Factorings AG. With this transaction, Edgar Oehler retired as AFG's largest shareholder. Artemis Holding AG of industrialist Michael Pieper became the new main shareholder with around 22% .

Restructuring from 2015

Since the Annual General Meeting on April 17, 2015, the new main shareholder Michael Pieper has been a member of the AFG Board of Directors. Alexander von Witzleben , Chairman of the Board of Directors of Feintool International Holding AG, also assumed the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of AFG. In July 2015, Alexander von Witzleben also took on the role of Chairman of the Management Board .

In August 2015, the Board of Directors decided to relocate production plants to other European countries due to the strong competitive pressure. The east German window manufacturer Wertbau GmbH and the Italian Bloxer Ronchi were also acquired in August. As part of a capital increase to strengthen its financial strength, Artemis Beteiligungen I AG reaffirmed its commitment and increased its equity stake to almost 28% by the end of the year.

On July 1, 2016, AFG took over the Koralle Group, which is active in the sanitary sector, from Geberit AG. It complements its product range and expands its position in the core markets of Switzerland, Germany and Austria. On September 15, 2016, AFG announced the takeover of Looser Holding, which is also active in construction supplies . As part of this merger, AFG Arbonia-Forster-Holding AG was renamed Arbonia AG .

In 2017, Arbonia sold the coatings business from Looser as part of several transactions as well as the Industrial Services division, also from Looser.

In December 2017, Arbonia sold the Profile Systems business unit, which formed the origins of the company in 1874, to the Belgian Reynaers Group.

On May 17, 2018, Arbonia took over the Belgian Vasco Group with the brands Vasco, Superia and Brugman, which is active in the field of design and panel radiators.

Key figures

In 2017, the group of companies generated sales of 1378.5 million Swiss francs (including discontinued operations) with an average of 8,100 employees. The group is represented in more than 70 countries with its own sales companies, agencies and partners. The shares of Arbonia are on the Swiss Exchange since 1988 SIX Swiss Exchange listed .

Areas of activity

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology
  • Kermi
  • Arbonia
  • Vasco
  • Superia
  • Brugman
  • Sabiana
  • Prolux
Sanitary
  • Kermi
  • coral
  • Baduscho
Windows and outside doors
inner doors
  • Prüm
  • Guarantor
  • Invado
  • RWD Schlatter
  • TPO

Web links

Commons : Arbonia  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry in the commercial register of the Canton of Thurgau
  2. ↑ a b Arbonia: Annual Report 2019. (pdf) Accessed on May 23, 2020 .
  3. ↑ AFG media release of February 6, 2013: AFG sells refrigeration technology business to V-Zug , accessed on March 19, 2018
  4. ↑ V-Zug press release from February 6, 2013: Metall Zug Group takes over the refrigeration equipment business from AFG Arbonia-Forster-Holding AG , accessed on March 19, 2018
  5. ↑ Tagblatt online from February 7, 2013: “The best solution for us” , accessed on March 19, 2018
  6. ↑ Tagblatt online from January 17, 2014: AFG sells Piatti and Forster kitchens , accessed on March 19, 2018
  7. ↑ AFG media release from April 25, 2014: General assembly of AFG Arbonia-Forster-Holding AG approves all motions , accessed on March 19, 2018
  8. ↑ AFG media release of December 2, 2014: AFG completes strategic realignment , accessed on March 19, 2018
  9. ↑ AFG media release of April 17, 2015: Acceptance of all proposals of the Board of Directors at the ordinary general meeting of AFG Arbonia-Forster-Holding AG , accessed on March 19, 2018
  10. ↑ AFG media release of June 30, 2015: Change in management at AFG Arbonia-Forster-Holding AG , accessed on March 19, 2018
  11. ↑ AFG press release of June 29, 2016: AFG adds to the building technology division's portfolio , accessed on March 19, 2018
  12. ↑ AFG media release from September 15, 2016: AFG and Looser aim to merge to become a leading European building supplier , accessed on March 19, 2018
  13. ^ Message from Radio FM1 of December 13, 2016: AFG becomes Arbonia , accessed on March 19, 2018
  14. ↑ Arbonia media release dated November 14, 2017: Arbonia sells Industrial Services Division to Paragon Partners , accessed on March 19, 2018
  15. ↑ Arbonia media release of December 15, 2017: Arbonia sells Forster Profilsysteme to the Belgian Reynaers Group , accessed on March 19, 2018
  16. ↑ Arbonia media release from May 17, 2018: Arbonia acquires the Belgian Vasco Group, the market leader for radiators in Benelux , accessed on July 19, 2018

Coordinates: 47 ° 31 '17.4 "  N , 9 ° 24' 25.8"  E ; CH1903:  748,250  /  265276