Discover our milestones
Discover our Historical milestones
150 years of pioneering spirit and innovation
Celebrating Oerlikon’s past, present and future.
When the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon (MFO) was founded in 1876 near Zurich, the electric revolution of industry was just starting. There were no power grids, no automobiles and no phones. In Oerlikon’s first factory, there were neither electrically powered machines nor was there electric lighting. But it was a decade of inventions. Soon, industrial mass production started. Within a single generation, people’s lives changed fundamentally and modern economies emerged.
With the founding of the MFO, Peter Emil Huber-Werdmueller was in tune with the spirit of the times. His vision was to manufacture machinery for industrial mass production. He brought with him his expertise in mechanical engineering with a strong focus on innovation, quality and precision. This foundation had been laid early in his life through his father’s mechanical textile factory. At the very core of the young company was deep competence in metal treatment and materials science. This became the cornerstone of a successful corporate history that continues to this day.
Over time, Oerlikon would go through a long period of rapid change, often reflecting broader developments in society and technology. From 1906 onwards, the company operated under the name Schweizerische Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon (SWO). Its portfolio included machinery and defense technology. Gradually, a broad conglomerate emerged.
Under the name of Oerlikon-Bührle, companies specializing in surface coatings, insurance, aircraft, defense, shipping, banking and even shoemaking as well as a real estate portfolio were brought together. Towards the end of the 20th century, a turbulent phase of consolidation and strategic realignment followed, leading to the company’s transformation into a technology group.
As Oerlikon celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026, the company stands at a defining moment in its history. Building on a long tradition of reinvention, Oerlikon has sharpened its focus and today is a global leader in surface technologies and advanced materials.
Oerlikon offers the broadest technology toolbox in its industry, the highest R&D spend, the industry’s only digital hub and a unique business model that combines high-tech materials, components, equipment and nearly 200 coating service centers around the world. This clear focus on surface technologies is the result of decades of transformation and forms the foundation for future growth.
For many people today, there is hardly a day without Oerlikon, as our technologies are integral parts of products and services that almost everyone encounters in different moments of everyday life. For example, the cars we drive and the planes we travel on rely on our ultrathin coatings. These coatings can be as thin as a fraction of a human hair – yet harder than steel. They make metals more durable and heat resistant, allowing the use of lightweight materials or acting as thermal barriers.
Whether for cars or aircraft turbines, Oerlikon’s solutions optimize these industries by increasing efficiency, enabling the use of lighter components capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and ultimately contributing to safer travel.
And our impact goes well beyond the final product as we also coat millions of tools used to manufacture those cars, planes and many other products. Our coatings increase durability, efficiency and sustainability by extending the life expectancy of these tools by up to a factor of 160.
From the bottom of the ocean to outer space, we develop coatings and technologies that have one thing in common: they are all based on a deep understanding of metal treatments and materials science and Oerlikon’s shared passion to make our customers’ products better.