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Rychiger Celebrates 100th Anniversary
Rychiger’s FS960 high performance fill and seal machine.
Swiss-based Rychiger AG celebrates its 100th anniversary with expansion and a nostalgic review of its engineering accomplishments.
Visionary founder Rudolf Rychiger demonstrated a range of skills at heavy machinery manufacturer K+W. In 1918, these skills led to the design of the first coiling machine for cardboard tubes for packaging biscuits and a reel machine for round and semi-circular processed cheese boxes.
His son Hans, who took over the company in 1953, focused mainly on a few specialized, complex machines, including its first filling and sealing machines for aluminium portion packaging. Alupak sterilizable and peelable aluminium cups for long-life products such as coffee, cream, and meat products prove to be “unstoppable” success, according to the company. Third-generation Peter Rychiger took over in 1969 and in 1977 managing the company as a family-owned business prior to its acquisition by Spega SA, Fribourg in 2001. Axel Förster led the company through a management buyout in 2007 and remains proprietor and managing director.
The company today employs 300, mainly in Switzerland in a facility spanning 25,063 m2, soon to be joined by a new production hall measuring 1,525 m2 for the company’s healthcare segment to occupy in 2019.
Lines include coffee and tea capsule machines with up to 12-tracks and output of 2,000 capsules per minute; diagnostic and medical technology equipment for the healthcare industry; and retortable packaging used in the food and pet food industry.
Learn more: www.rychiger.com