How did it all start?
It was that one Schneider Johann Nepomuk Reithoffer, who laid the foundation for today’s company in 1824 with his patent for waterproof fabrics. In 1852 the first European factory for… rubber products. The name Semperit first appeared in 1902 and became synonymous with rubber from Austria. To Hochblüte At the beginning of the 1970s, Semperit was the second largest private industrial group.
A turning point came in 1985, when the company became seriously in deficit Tire division was sold to Conti. But Semperit reinvented itself, focused on internationalization, new business areas and production in Asia. The medical sector, which is booming during the corona pandemic Surgical and protective gloves was sold to a Thai competitor last year. A small part is currently still manufactured in Lower Austria.
What is Semperit doing today?
“Almost every person in Austria or Europe comes into contact with one of our products every day,” says Haider proudly and offers a travel story for a better understanding. “If you travel to Carinthia to ski and go to the train station in Vienna, use ours Handrails at the escalators. Get on the train, you will go through our Door dampers not trapped. Then drive quietly through the tunnel because one of our products is lying under the rails. In the ski area you will see a snow plow hydraulic hoses from us, the Cable car rings are also from us. And when you put on your skis, there are foils from us on them.”
Semperit is Europe’s number 1 for ski films. The portfolio further includes: Industrial and beverage hoses, Seals for facades, windows and doors as well conveyor belts for mines, mining or steel industries. The Rico company from Thalheim near Wels, which was taken over last year, produces parts Liquid silicone. These can be found in the Thermomix as well as in hearing aids and baby pacifiers. “There is also a high probability that there is a part of our silicone in shower heads,” adds Haider.
What does the future look like?
“We will be with ours remain core business and continue to focus on elastomers for industrial customers and silicones,” says Haider. “We have the technology to turn it into many new products.” The portfolio and customer base are already well balanced, so that economic weaknesses such as those currently occurring in Europe can be easily weathered. “We are better positioned than ever.” He expects this to happen especially in the USA and Asia a lot of growth. The future will take place without CEO Haider. At the end of March he will hand over the scepter to his successor Manfred Stanek.