Schmidheiny (family)

The Schmidheiny family dynasty is an entrepreneurial family that, having come from the tailoring trade, has developed into a widely diversified provider in various industries within a few generations . In addition to basic materials such as bricks and concrete , precision mechanics as well as trade, services and financial investments from the tertiary sector are now part of the core business. The origin of the family from Balgach in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen can be traced back to the 17th century.

The beginnings

Jacob Schmidheiny I.

→ Main article : Jacob Schmidheiny (entrepreneur, 1838)

Jacob Schmidheiny (originally Ja k ob Schmidhein i ) was born as the son of the village tailor Hansjakob Schmidheini von Balgach and Katharina, nee. Nüesch, born on June 25, 1838. He was a frail child and had to work hard early on. At the age of five he became infected with smallpox , which initially made him an invalid and could only walk with pain. At the age of 15, Jacob Schmidheiny completed his training as a silk weaver in Teufen. At the age of 22 Schmidheiny began to work in the silk weaving mill in Sorntal (municipalities of Waldkirch and Niederbüren ). After he was not promoted several times because colleagues with better education were preferred to him, he made up for the missed education, which his parents could not afford, at the age of 25. His goal was to become a manufacturer. After Schmidheiny was promoted, but was only able to work with pain, he had an operation and then took a cure.

Promotion to entrepreneur and lord of the castle

At the age of 27, Jacob Schmidheiny bought the vacant pottery on the country road between Balgach and Rebstein and began a career as a weaving entrepreneur. He quickly made a name for himself and was able to deliver fabrics to nearby southern Bavaria. On January 7th, 1867, at the age of 28, he was able to purchase Heerbrugg Castle from Prof. Karl Völker (* 1796, German émigré from Eisenach) for a deposit of CHF 1000 , which Karl Völker only operated as an agricultural research institute. The castle also had a small brick factory which Karl Völker had built in 1856. The brick factory laid the foundation stone for numerous companies, including Holcim Ltd., the world's second largest cement producer.

Basic industries

Brick production

The furnace in the small brickworks at the foot of Heerbrugg Castle was still there from the previous owner, Karl Völker, and was replaced by a more modern round furnace a year later. In 1874 Schmidheiny bought the burned down Moser brickworks in Espenmoos, which he machined from 1876. In the 1880s, he introduced hydropower to his plant in Heerbrugg to improve production costs . After buying some springs and building a reservoir 380 meters higher, he conducted the water to his work in tubes. On a visit to Westphalia , Schmidheiny taught a production process that, omitting a few work steps, nevertheless successfully guaranteed high-quality brick production and which he then introduced into himself. He also developed the extruded interlocking tile method, in which the incessantly flowing, shaped brick mass only had to be cut and fired immediately, a technique that now enabled 600 to 800 bricks per hour. Between 1870 and 1900 he increased the annual production from 250,000 to 25 million pieces. Of his other inventions, the multiple pan mill is worth mentioning, in which several rolls lying one above the other could produce the desired raw mass in one operation. This machine experienced a veritable triumphant advance through Europe. The Berliner Tonindustrie-Zeitung said that this invention "represents an important advance for our brickworks with their extremely diverse raw materials". During this time he worked with the Adolf Bühler foundry and machine factory in Uzwil , which had just passed from Adolf Bühler senior to his eldest son Gustav Adolf Bühler . From 1903 Jacob Schmidheiny also served as President of the Association of Swiss Brickworkers.

In the mid-1880s, Schmidheiny and the Berneck merchant C. Anton Lutz (1852–1925) tackled the construction of an overland tram, which began operating as the Rheintalische Trassenbahnen in 1897 . In addition to his function as a concessionaire, he was chairman of the board of directors of the company Elektro Strassenbahn Altstätten-Berneck (ABB), and was its vice- chairman in the last two years of his life. Despite enormous effort, he confessed after almost 20 years of planning and construction: “The construction of the tram made me more annoyed than happy. Nevertheless, I have never regretted having worked so hard for this very useful work. ”In addition to this non-professional activity, Jacob Schmidheiny has taken on numerous other commitments and honorary positions. Particular mention should be made of the community, school and church council activities in Balgach as well as his membership in the St. Gallen cantonal parliament from 1891 until his death in 1905 .

In 1907, after Jacob's death, the two sons Ernst I and Jacob II shared the company, which they renamed Jacob Schmidheiny Sons . Before that, her father had to urgently warn her not to enter the brick business at all. From 1912, when the Zürcher Ziegeleien and Aargauische Portlandcenmentfabrik Holderbank-Wildegg were established , the brothers parted ways. In 1925, Ernst finally parted ways with the brickworks.

Cement industry

Father Jacob had already acquired and bequeathed a stake in a cement works in Unterterzen , son Ernst founded the Rheintalische Cementfabrik Rüthi in his home canton in Rüthi in 1906 . The transition to the "building material of the 20th century" is thanks to Jacob's first-born Ernst (* 1871), who initially entered his father's business, but set his own accents right from the start. This included the young lieutenant colonel's early stays in Italy and England for several years . Like his father, he was also involved in charitable tasks, such as initially with the Balgach voluntary fire brigade in the local council, from 1905 in the Sankt Gallen cantonal council, and from 1911 to 1919 in the national council . He was also an advocate of hydropower and was of the opinion that it belonged in the public sector , which had to protect the respective mutual interests. In 1905, Ernst became Vice President of the administrative commission of the canton's own electrical power supply Bodensee-Thurtal and in 1914 of the St. Gallisch-Appenzellische Kraftwerke (SAK) .

Mexican cement sack.

Accordingly, his fame and interests developed in this direction. In 1912 he was appointed to the board of directors of Motor AG for applied electricity and a year later of Glarner Columbus AG, which merged in 1923. The latter had a strong South America branch. Both companies were very active in hydropower plant construction . With the successful cartelization of the EG Portland cooperative in 1910, Ernst sets an example of how the young, but strongly price warring business must function.

A contact with the Zurich university professor Ludwig von Tetmajer , who came from Hungary and who initiated the later Federal Materials Testing Institute after the Münchenstein railway accident , brought Schmidheiny to the knowledge that the Portland stone - or its rock powder - originally produced in Portland, England , was an important one Building material should be. The Aargau Portland cement factory Holderbank-Wildegg was founded in Holderbank in Aargau in 1912 and has been operating under the name Holcim since May 2001 and is now the largest building materials dealer in the world with production in 50 countries.

ENCI near Maastricht.

Internationalization took place in the 1920s. The first cement factory was built south of Paris in 1922, and in the mid-1920s Ernst expanded to the Middle East: There he built the modern cement factory in Tura , Egypt in 1929 , which is still one of the largest companies in Egypt today . This was followed by the partial acquisition of a factory in Belgium with Ciments d'Obourg and the Eerste Nederlandsche Cement Industrie (ENCI) in the Netherlands, as well as other plants. During the Second World War , Ernst I's two sons Ernst (* 1902) and Max (* 1908) divided Switzerland into two hemispheres in order to be prepared for a possible division of the country. Max stayed in Eastern Switzerland and cooperated with the Germans, Ernst II went to Western Switzerland and worked with the Allies . During this time, diversification into southern Africa began, and a little later to North and South America, with the aim of minimizing the global market risk. Max's sons Thomas (* 1945) and Stephan (* 1947) finally separated the cement and cement business .

Immediately after the Second World War , the company began to expand to America, from the 1970s to the Middle and Far East; India only followed in 2005, Australia in 2009.

Diversifications

With the majority of shares in the machine and turbine construction company Escher Wyss AG in Zurich in 1937, Sulzer AG since 1969 , Jacob II entered broad-based entrepreneurship. A large number of other companies followed, in which majority stakes were acquired or management positions were achieved: BBC , today ABB , SMH ( Swatch Group ), Wild Heerbrugg , today Leica Geosystems and Leica Microsystems , the measuring instrument manufacturer Landis + Gyr and the airline Swiss .

Over the years, the Zurich brickworks have devoted themselves to more and more business areas and developed into a listed holding company: The portfolio includes systems for sheet metal processing, systems for glass processing, foam, sporting goods with the Mammut Sports Group , graphic coatings and real estate. For this reason , the company renamed itself Conzzeta for its 100th anniversary . As a member of the Board of Directors, Thomas Schmidheiny also holds over 70% of the shares in the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz Group .

Asbestos judgment

In mid-November 2014 the Italian Court of Cassation annulled the lower court judgment in the asbestos case at the request of the public prosecutor and declared the allegations to be statute-barred . The Genoese company, founded in 1906 and represented by Stephan Schmidheiny in court, came into the possession of the Schmidheinys through a capital increase in 1973 and was placed under forced administration in 1984 due to the poor economic situation. Stephan, grandson of Ernst (* 1871), stood before the court. He worked all his life to prevent and eliminate the damage caused by this toxin. From the beginning of his activity in this area, in 1976, Stephan has worked to reduce environmental and hazard pollution. His exit from the Eternit business in the mid-1980s kept him busy for 35 years.

Works

• Charles O. Holliday, Stephan Schmidheiny, Philip Watts: Walking the talk: the business case for sustainable development. World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Greenleaf Publishing Sheffield 2002, ISBN 1-57675-234-8 .

family tree

Jacob Schmidheiny I. (* 1838 † 1905)

Elise Schmidheiny b. Merchant

Vera Schmidheiny b. Sexton

Ernst Schmidheiny I (* 1871 † 1935)

Jacob Schmidheiny II.

Fanny Schmidheiny-Alder

Vera-Lydia (* 1897 † 1981)

Marie-Luise (* 1900 † 1981)

Ernst Schmidheiny II. (* 1902 † 1985)

Max Schmidheiny (* 1908 † 1991)

Nelly-Helen Schmidheiny

Peter Schmidheiny (1908-2001)

Marianne Schmidheiny

Ursula Schmidheiny

Adda Marietta Schmidheiny (* 1944)

Thomas Schmidheiny (* 1945)

Stephan Schmidheiny (* 1947)

Alexander Schmidheiny (* 1951 † 1992)

  Note: Information is based on reference

Foundations

• Alexander Schmidheiny Foundation in Balgach, Foundation, CHE-110.395.953 (EHRA-Id: 328353.)

  c / o Secretariat Schmidheiny, Schlossstrasse 211, 9435 Heerbrugg

  In memory of Alexander Schmidheiny, the foundation supports and promotes people and institutions active in the cultural, social or ecological fields as well as individual events, initiatives or projects in these areas.

• Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation in Holderbank (AG), Foundation, CHE-107.533.114 (EHRA-Id: 291725.)

  c / o Holderbank Management & Beratung AG, Building No. 291, 5113 Holderbank

  Promotion of interest in and understanding of economic relationships, especially among young people.

• Fondation Ernst et Lucie Schmidheiny in Genève, Foundation, CHE-101.869.604 (EHRA-Id: 291726.)

  Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, 1205 Genève

  contribuer d'une façon générale à l'essor de l'Université de Genève par le versement d'allocations aux fins ci-après; a). acquisition d'appareils scientifiques en vue d'améliorer l'équipement des cliniques et des laboratoires de recherches; b). lancement ou soutien d'actions et d'études spéciales organisées dans les différentes facultés; c). soutien d'études et de travaux entrepris par le corps professoral ou des étudiants méritants.

• Jakob Schmidheiny'scher Fund for the promotion of professional further education in Balgach, Foundation, CHE-101.801.405 (EHRA-Id: 291729.)

  c / o Polymeca AG, Heinrich-Wild-Strasse, 9435 Heerbrugg

  Facilitation of vocational training and promotion of further training for young people of both sexes who are suitable for this in character and disposition and whose parents are financially unable to bear these costs or for whom the assumption of these costs is very much in relation to income and assets would mean great stress. The purpose of the foundation extends to all areas of activity and should also include an academic or artistic career.

• Max Schmidheiny Foundation at the University of St. Gallen in St. Gallen, Foundation, +++, (CHE-101.953.771) (EHRA-Id: 398684.)

  Dufourstrasse 83, 9000 St. Gallen

  Promotion of particularly valuable endeavors to maintain and further develop the free economic and social order, in particular initiatives to secure individual freedom, individual responsibility and guarantee social security.

• Max Schmidheiny Foundation in favor of the University of St. Gallen and its institutes in St. Gallen, Foundation, CHE-109.569.749 (EHRA-Id: 276269.)

  c / o University of St. Gallen, Dufourstrasse 50, 9000 St. Gallen

  Creation of a center for advanced training courses at the University of St. Gallen and its institutes as well as construction of buildings for research purposes. The foundation can also facilitate the construction or acquisition of other buildings and facilities that serve the university and are intended exclusively for charitable purposes.

• Schmidheiny Foundation for Youth Work and Health Care in Balgach, Foundation, CHE-109.427.575 (EHRA-Id: 291731.)

  Schlossstrasse 211, 9435 Heerbrugg

  Supporting projects, events, individuals or institutions in the field of cultural or social youth work, promoting preventive and curative control of respiratory diseases, be it by supporting specialist organizations active in this area or needy individuals in the Rhine Valley and the rest of Eastern Switzerland.

• Thomas Schmidheiny Art Collection Foundation in Rapperswil-Jona, Foundation, CHE-110.404.492 (EHRA-Id: 417506.)

  c / o Thomas Schmidheiny, Zürcherstrasse 156, 8645 Jona

  To make the collection of works of art owned by the founder, in particular works by the Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler, available to the interested public at home and abroad. This is intended to promote understanding for European art in general and for the works of Ferdinand Hodler in particular among the public. It will manage the works summarized in the aforementioned private collection, d. H. finance all expenses related to the maintenance, professional care and maintenance of these works, the preparation and implementation of exhibitions, the creation of catalogs and publications, etc. It can buy and sell works by Ferdinand Hodler as well as other works of art. It will support scientific research on European art of the 19th and 20th centuries, in particular the life and work of Ferdinand Hodler, and promote all measures that contribute to deepening the understanding of this at the national level and in the international environment.

Source: Federal Office for the Commercial Register

See also

• Daros Latinamerica Collection
• Heerbrugg Castle
• Leica Geosystems
• Wild Heerbrugg AG
• Holcim

literature

• Jakob Brüschweiler-Wilhelm: From farmer's boy to big industrialist: Cantonal Councilor Jakob Schmidheiny. 2nd Edition. Friedrich Reinhardt, Basel, 1908.
• Jakob Bösch: Three Schmidheiny: Jacob Schmidheiny, Ernst Schmidheiny, Jacob Schmidheiny. (= Swiss pioneers in business and technology. Volume 32). Association for Economic History Studies, Zurich 1979.
• Hans O. Staub: From Schmidheiny to Schmidheiny. (= Swiss pioneers in business and technology. Volume 61). Association for Economic History Studies, Zurich 1994, ISBN 3-909059-07-4 .
• René Lüchinger, Ueli Burkhard: Stephan Schmidheiny. Its a long road to self. Heir, entrepreneur, philanthropist. Stämpfli-Verlag, Bern 2010, ISBN 978-3-7272-1302-1 .
• o.A .: Engineer Jacob Schmidheiny in Heerbrugg. Series special issue: Der Neumüller. Works newspaper of Escher Wyss Maschinenfabriken AG (1941–1982); Vol. 5, No. 5 Escher Wyss Maschinenfabrik, Zurich 1945.
• Markus Städeli, Charlotte Jacquemart: Holcim. Schmidheiny family, empire made of clay, sand and stone. In: Swiss economic dynasties. Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Zurich 2013, ISBN 978-3-03823-795-2 , pp. 227-239.
• Jost Schmid, Schmidheiny family, Balgach , in: Association for the history of the Rhine Valley (ed.): Rheintaler Köpfe. Historical-biographical portraits from five centuries. Rheintaler Druckerei und Verlag AG, Berneck 2004, ISBN 3-033-00265-X , pp. 316–322.
• Marcel Baumgartner, Ferdinand Hodler, University of St. Gallen: Ferdinand Hodler: Thomas Schmidheiny Collection; (on the occasion of the exhibition Ferdinand Hodler - Thomas Schmidheiny Collection, University of St. Gallen (HSG) May 8 to June 20, 1998) (=  Catalogs of Swiss Museums and Collections . Volume 15 ). Swiss Institute for Art Research , Zurich 1998, ISBN 3-908184-88-6 , p. 103 .
• Marcel Baumgartner; University (Sankt Gallen): Ferdinand Hodler: Max Schmidheiny Collection (=  catalogs of Swiss museums and collections . Volume 11 ). Swiss Institute for Art Research, Zurich 1989, p. 120 .

swell

• Max Schmidheiny Foundation (VIAF ID: 160828346 (corporate body))
• Adda Marietta Schmidheiny Foundation: Pagig, National Library V GR 12452

Individual evidence

1. ↑ HISTORY / Chronology of Heerbrugg Castle. hydroelectra.ch, accessed on December 30, 2013 . 
2. ↑ Empire made of clay, sand and stone. (PDF) (No longer available online.) NZZ on Sunday, July 29, 2012, archived from the original on September 24, 2015 ; accessed on January 14, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
3. ^ ^{A b} Michael Zollinger: Jacob Schmidheiny (1838–1905): From the pox child to the brick king. (PDF) (No longer available online.) Handelszeitung, July 25, 2006, archived from the original on October 13, 2014 ; Retrieved December 23, 2013 . 
4. ↑ A professor with ideas. (No longer available online.) ProHeerbrugg, archived from the original on December 30, 2013 ; accessed on December 30, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
5. ↑ HISTORY / History of Heerbrugg. hydroelectra.ch, accessed on December 30, 2013 . 
6. ↑ Jakob Brüschweiler-Wilhelm: From farmer boy to large industrialist: Cantonal Councilor Jakob Schmidheiny. 2nd Edition. Friedrich Reinhardt, Basel, 1908.
7. ↑ ^{a b} Jakob Bösch: Three Schmidheiny: Jacob Schmidheiny, Ernst Schmidheiny, Jacob Schmidheiny. (= Swiss pioneers in business and technology. Volume 32). Association for Economic History Studies, Zurich 1979.
8. ↑ A. Heer: Biographical data from the area of ​​local and regional traffic in the Rhine Valley. March 31, 2003.
9. ↑ Concrete Marketing Germany
10. ↑ ^{a b} website of Holcim.com , history
11. ↑ Annual Report 2013, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz AG, Bad Ragaz , April 2014, p. 25
12. ^ Andrea Spalinger: Eternit trial: acquittal for Stephan Schmidheiny. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung from November 19, 2014
13. ↑ Nikos Tzermias: Asbestos trial in Turin. Schmidheiny sentenced to 18 years in prison. Rome 4th June 2013.
14. ↑ HISTORY / Schmidheiny and the castle. (No longer available online.) Peter von Rotz, archived from the original on January 3, 2014 ; accessed on January 2, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
15. ↑ Central company index (Zefix) . zefix.ch. Retrieved October 21, 2019.

Web links

Commons : Art Collection Thomas Schmidheiny  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• NZZ Libro: Swiss economic dynasties from November 21, 2012
• The Bund: The original Schmidheiny article from April 8, 2014
• The Bund: Schmidheiny family suffers from the effects of asbestos Article of June 21, 2013
• Watson: How Holcim from Holderbank conquered the world Article of April 7, 2014
• Schmidheiny family on dachziegelarchiv.de
• HISTORY / Schmidheiny and the castle on hydroelectra.ch