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Our History and Milestones Passion for surface solutions: from our beginnings in 1946 until today

1946 - 2021: From an idea to a global technology leader.

For 75 years, Oerlikon Balzers has stood for pioneering developments and global technology leadership in thin-film coatings. We live our passion for surface solutions with a unique combination of sustainability, innovative drive, entrepreneurial spirit and tradition. This benefits our customers – and our environment – yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Explore 75 years of Oerlikon Balzers

Balzers' first PVD hard coating for tools, BALINIT® A, was officially "born" on September 1st 1978. Since then, Oerlikon Balzers has been an unprecedented success story, ranging from pioneering the world of coatings to being a market leader.

Explore 75 years of Oerlikon Balzers

Historical milestones

  1. With the support of Prince Franz Josef II and Swiss industrialist Emil Georg Bührle, Professor Max Auwärter founded Gerätebauanstalt Balzers

  2. Introduction of the BALINIT® C (WC/C) carbon coating

  3. Technological breakthrough with proprietary and patented P3e™ technology which allows deposition of hard aluminium-oxide coatings at coating temperatures clearly below 600°C

  4. Launch of BALINIT FORMERA / FORMERA PLUS – the coating solution for AHSS forming applications

  5. 75 years of Oerlikon Balzers: endless passion for sustainable surface solutions

  6. The "Smooth Revolution" celebrates its anniversary: The first BALIQ coatings were introduced 10 years ago

Timeline

Timeline filter

  1. 1940
  2. 1941
  3. 1942
  4. 1943
  5. 1944
  6. 1945
  7. 1946
  8. 1947
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  36. 1975
  37. 1976
  38. 1977
  39. 1978
  40. 1979
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  70. 2009
  71. 2010
  72. 2011
  73. 2012
  74. 2013 2013 2 Events
  75. 2014
  76. 2015 2015 3 Events
  77. 2016 2016 4 Events
  78. 2017 2017 10 Events
  79. 2018 2018 10 Events
  80. 2019 2019 17 Events
  81. 2020 2020 11 Events
  82. 2021 2021 10 Events
  83. 2022 2022 5 Events
  84. 2023 2023 6 Events

Oerlikon Balzers expands service offerings in the US with largest customer centre in the western USA

The new coating centre is the largest in the western USA and is equipped with the latest coating technology, allowing Oerlikon Balzers to supply coating services for the precision components industry and for cutting, plastic/aluminium injection and metal forming tools.

Oerlikon Balzers further expands coating operations in Asia with first customer centre in Vietnam

The new coating centre in Bac Ninh, north east of the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, is an important milestone in the company’s expansion strategy in Asia and will create new opportunities for Oerlikon Balzers to offer its high-quality and well-established coating services in Vietnam’s emerging economy.

Oerlikon Balzers introduces BALINIT DURANA, a versatile coating for demanding machining applications.

The combination of AlTiN-based and TiSiXN layers gives BALINIT DURANA a high degree of ductility and superior abrasive wear resistance even at extreme service temperatures. A tailored coating structure and its properties reduce abrasive wear. Customers benefit from a significant increase in performance and above-average tool life of their cutting tools.

Oerlikon Balzers introduces its new BALDIA portfolio of high-quality diamond coatings

Diamond provides special properties: it is extremely wear-resistant due to its unsurpassed hardness, offers thermal conductivity and is chemically inert, making it the best choice for machining highly abrasive base materials. The diamond coatings from the BALDIA portfolio improve cutting performance and allow parts to be manufactured with tightest tolerances for the best possible finishing accuracy.

Oerlikon Balzers opens new regrinding centre in Russia to expand its range of services for cutting tools

Oerlikon Balzers opened a new regrinding centre in Moscow in response to the demand from global and local customers for reconditioning services for their high-end cutting tools, including re-coating and delivery. With the new centre in Russia, Oerlikon Balzers now operates reconditioning service centres in 18 countries in Europe, North and South America and Asia.

Oerlikon acquires Coeurdor to expand into the growing luxury goods market

Oerlikon announces the successful acquisition of Coeurdor, a leading full-service provider of components for the fast-growing luxury goods industry. Coeurdor is a well-established brand and full service provider for the design, manufacturing and coating of metallic components to world-leading luxury brands. Coeurdor’s accessories form parts of leather bags, belts, watches and other luxury goods.

Oerlikon Balzers signed a ten-year contract with MTU Aero Engines to coat next generation aero engine components to improve efficiency

With this long-term agreement, Oerlikon Balzers takes another major step forward in supplying advanced surface technologies and coatings for the aerospace industry. MTU Aero Engines, Germany’s leading aero engine manufacturer, will profit from the industrialisation, know-how and expertise of a leading supplier of thin-film physical vapour deposition (PVD) and its equipment portfolio by enabling the delivery of consistent and repeatable product quality in a short period of time.

75 years of Oerlikon Balzers: endless passion for sustainable surface solutions

Oerlikon Balzers celebrates its 75th birthday. In 1946, Professor Max Auwärter had an idea for how to make the then largely unknown vacuum thin-film technology usable on an industrial scale. Since the 1980s, the Liechtenstein-based company has taken his idea and focused on its passion for sustainable innovations which significantly improve the performance and service life of tools and precision components in a wide range of industries.

Oerlikon Balzers at EMO 2021: Maximum productivity with sustainable coating solutions

Oerlikon Balzers has showcased its latest coating and equipment developments and digital services at EMO in Milan from 4 to 9 October 2021. These latest innovations give customers extended tool service life, higher process reliability, increased productivity and a reduced environmental footprint, while significantly saving production costs.

Sustainable automotive production: Oerlikon Balzers’ coating solutions contribute to innovative plastics concept award for premium car manufacturer

Oerlikon Balzers supplied coating equipment and solutions for the metallisation of plastic parts to the BMW Group Plant Landshut. The ePD technology developed by Oerlikon Balzers enables innovative functions and designs, and complies with REACH environmental regulations. In September, the BMW Group won the Grand Award for its innovative plastics concept of its all new full-electric compact SUV, the BMW iX. Both the sustainable sensor-transparent coatings and the coatings for the moulding tools from Oerlikon Balzers for the production of the newly designed kidney grille contributed to the award.

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Contact

Oerlikon Balzers Coating AG; Iramali 18, 9496 Balzers, Liechtenstein

© Copyright 2024 OC Oerlikon Management AG

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