Franke Water Systems AG, KWC
| Franke Water Systems AG, KWC
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| legal form | Corporation |
| founding | 1874 |
| Seat | Unterkulm , Switzerland |
| Number of employees | 300 |
| sales | 120 million CHF |
| Branch | Sanitary engineering |
| Website | www.kwc.ch |
The Franke Water Systems AG, KWC is a Swiss manufacturer of sanitary fittings with an international focus. The company, founded by Adolf Karrer in 1874, has its headquarters and only production site in Unterkulm (Switzerland). Faucets for kitchens and bathrooms, thermostats, showers and shower systems are developed and manufactured. The products are used in the private residential sector as well as in the commercial sector with catering kitchens, hotels, public buildings, hospitals and homes. KWC fittings are exported to around 50 countries. The company has 352 employees.
history
In 1874, Adolf Karrer laid the foundation stone for KWC AG by founding a company to manufacture mechanical music boxes. The company began producing fittings in 1896 and trading as Karrer and Weber Armaturenfabrik from 1902. In 1919 the family stock company Karrer, Weber & Cie. founded and the KWC brand was born. 1984 HANSA Metallwerke AG Stuttgart becomes the majority shareholder of the previous family business, the company name Aktiengesellschaft Karrer, Weber & Cie. was officially replaced by the already established short form KWC AG. In 2010, IK Investment Partners acquired the Hansa Group with the Hansa and KWC brands. On June 3, 2013, after approval by the competition authorities , Franke Holding fully took over the Swiss fittings manufacturer KWC, based in Unterkulm, Switzerland.
In 1911 the luxury hotel Negresco in Nice was equipped with K + W fittings, as was the luxury hotel Ritz in Paris. In the 1990s, KWC founded subsidiaries in Germany, France, Italy and the USA. In 2012 KWC fittings were exported to 50 countries. With a market share of 40%, KWC claims to be the leading fittings brand in Switzerland.
Products
KWC has been concentrating on the development and manufacture of fittings since the beginning of the 20th century. The first chrome-plated fittings were delivered in 1934, and in 1938 the low-noise PAX fittings and refrigeration fittings were launched. In 1945 KWC launched the NEO fittings, a novelty with an inclined top part with a non-rising stem.
In 1954 KWC applied for a patent for the neoperl lamp, and in 1959 marketing was transferred to the Neoperl company. In 1957 KWC invented the first single-hole kitchen mixer with a pull-out spray.
The KWC DOMO line came onto the market in 1982 and is constantly being further developed. In 1997 KWC TRONIC presented the first automatic mixer with infrared technology; In 1999, stainless steel fittings were first manufactured with KWC technology (KWC DOMO INOX for kitchen and bathroom). In 2002 KWC SODA was the first mixer with integrated soda water dispensing directly from the cold water network. In 2005 KWC EVE, the first kitchen mixer with integrated LUMINAQUA LED light technology, received the red dot design award and other design prizes. In 2010, economical and ecological faucet concepts such as KWC AVA "coolfix - smart energy saver" and KWC thermostat technology were presented, as well as the electronics-based KWC USO (2010) and KWC ONO touch light PRO (2011), one of the first faucets with a control element detached from the faucet body . This was followed by KWC SIN for the kitchen (premiered in 2011 at the ISH in Frankfurt) and Showerculture (2012) with a new generation of overhead and hand showers, shower systems and thermostat technology for the bathroom.
design
KWC fittings have received international design awards. KWC has been working closely with NOA, Aachen (D), in the design area since 2007.
- 2005 Design Award 2006 and Product Design Award 2006 for KWC EVE, the first kitchen faucet with LED lighting technology.
- 2008 Red Dot Design Award for KWC ONO lightpin
- 2009 Design Plus Award, Architecture + Technology design award for KWC ONO highflex
- 2011 Innovation award for modernizing houses for KWC AVA "coolfix - smart energy saver"
- 2011 Design Plus Award for KWC SIN highflex
KWC production
KWC fittings have been manufactured at the headquarters in Unterkulm, Switzerland, since 1896. KWC introduced die casting technology in 1919 ; In 1957 a hot pressing plant and a light metal foundry were put into operation. In 1963 the company integrated an automatic electroplating system with ion exchange to neutralize the washing water. In 1978, the first low-pressure die casting system developed by KWC itself is installed here.
KWC subsequently exported systems to Germany, and in 1987 the first low-pressure die casting systems were delivered to China. KWC continued to invest heavily in the production facilities in Unterkulm. After the commissioning of a new parts production facility, the electroplating plant was modernized, and the SQS company certifications were carried out in parallel.
KWC Museum Armaturama
The company history of KWC is presented at the headquarters in Unterkulm in a building from the early days on an area of 400 m². The museum combines information technology with exhibits from the KWC archives. It shows how water was once used and gives an insight into the company's milestones.
