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The Kaba Story - Milestones 

in PDF-format 

Year                 

Key Events 

  

1862 

Establishment of the locksmith shop and cash register factory at Stampfenbachstrasse 40–42 in Zurich. Owner: Franz Bauer (1839–1908). 

  
1913

Start of steel furniture fabrication. 

  
1915

After failed geographic and product-related diversification: acquisition of Bauer AG by Leo Bodmer, Chief Executive Officer of Brown Boveri & Cie. 

  
1918

Acquisition of a knitting mill in Wetzikon. Transformation of premises into a lock-making factory. 

  
1934

Patent application and manufacture of Kaba (KAssenBAuer) security cylinder. 

  
1968

Founding of first production and sales companies abroad: Eggenburg/Lower Austria.
New factory for bank equipment built in Rümlang. 

  
1974

New factory for locking systems built in Wetzikon. First joint venture in Japan. 

  
1978

Acquisition of Lori Corporation in Southington (Connecticut, USA). 

  
1984

Market launch of Kaba Nova, the world’s first mechatronic locking system. 

  
1986

First Kaba-owned company in Germany. 

  
1987

Acquisition of the Swiss office furniture factory Ruchser + Aubry AG in Bremgarten. 

  
1988

Initial approaches towards the current strategy and vision. Creation of the three-circle motif and product integration strategy.
Acquisition of 49% of Benzing Zeit + Daten GmbH in Villingen-Schwenningen (Germany). 

  
1990

Acquisition of 74% of Gallenschütz Sicherheitstechnik GmbH in Bühl (Germany).
Business interest in Benzing Zeit + Daten GmbH in Villingen-Schwenningen (Germany) increased to 72%. 

  
1990 to 1993

Sale of office furniture operations to Bigla AG and discontinuation of office furniture production in Bremgarten and Rümlang as part of the focus on the Total Access strategy; Bremgarten property is leased to third parties; site concentration in Rümlang and partial lease of Rümlang factory premises to third parties. 

  
1995

Company renamed to Kaba Holding AG: focus on Kaba as an umbrella brand. Every company integrates the Kaba element into its name.
Kaba registered shares are listed on the Zurich stock exchange. 

  
1996

Acquisition of 100% of Gilgen AG door and gate automation in Schwarzenburg. 

  
1997

Acquisition and integration of the Grundmann Schliesstechnik group in Herzogenburg (Austria) with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and Sweden.
Acquisition and integration of Payens Haussmann B.V. in Nijmegen, Netherlands, as well as of Payens in Nijmegen, Netherlands, as well as of Payens in Turnhout, Belgium. Payens Haussmann is the distributor of Benzing and Gallenschütz products in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Introduction of the unified registered share at CHF 40 nominal value. 

  
1999

Acquisition of three companies from the Stratagem building products division and of Adtek Ltd effective on 1 July 1999 . 

  
2000

Kaba Gilgen AG wins the CHF 120 million contract for platform screen doors for MTR Hong Kong. Installation 2001/2002 to 2006.
Sale of operationally unnecessary property by Kaba Gilgen at Geroldswil (Canton Zurich). 

  
2001

Through the acquisition of Unican Security Systems Ltd., Montreal, Kaba becomes 

  • N° 1 in key blanks, key encoding machines and transponder keys (Ilco and Silca)
  • N° 1 in high-security vault and container locks (Ilco, Kaba Mas, Kaba Mauer and Paxos)
  • N° 1 in electronic access solutions in Europe
  • N° 2 in locking systems
  • N° 2 in security and automatic doors
  • N° 3 in hotel lock systems
  • N° 3 in Total Access.
2002

Integration of former Unican on track. More than 80 Value Driver Initiatives to increase free cash flow and EBITDA. 

  
2003

Restructuring of door facilities in Stockport, England. 

  
2005

Rudolf Weber appointed CEO of the Kaba Group as of mid-2006. Board of Directors announces its intention to nominate the current CEO, Ulrich Graf, as its Chairman after the General Meeting in 2006. 

  
2006

Rudolf Weber takes over as new CEO of the Kaba Group effective on 1 July.
Acquisition and integration of the Chinese Wah Yuet Group as a strong foothold for further expansion in Asia Pacific.
Acquisition and integration of the American Computerized Security Systems Inc (CSS) with its world-renowned brands Saflok and La Gard.
Joint Venture between the Kaba affiliate Silca with Tuff Engineering Inc, a branch of the Indian industry conglomerate Minda Group: Minda Silca Engineering Ltd.
Ulrich Graf elected as Chairman of the Board at the Annual General Meeting.
Acquisition and integration of H. Cillekens Zn. B.V, a longtime distribution partner of the Italian-based Silca in the important Dutch market. 

  
2007

Further joint venture with the Indian Minda Group: Dorset Kaba Security Systems Pvt. Ltd.