EFTEC AG
EFTEC Alias
Switzerland
EMS-GRIVORY
EMS-EFTEC
EMS-GRILTECH
Automotive
Electro & Electronic
Industry & Consumer goods
Optic
Packaging
Adhesives
Sealants
Coatings
Application equipment
Romanshorn, Eastern Switzerland
Company name
Group Parent Subsidiary Customer Supplier Alliance Bank Shareholder
EMS Group
Group company Parent Subsidiary Customer Supplier Alliance Bank, lending and credit Investment, equity and shareholders
Group Parent
EMS-EFTEC
Group company Parent Subsidiary Customer Supplier Alliance Bank, lending and credit Investment, equity and shareholders
Group
EMS-GRILTECH
Group company Parent Subsidiary Customer Supplier Alliance Bank, lending and credit Investment, equity and shareholders
Group
EMS-GRIVORY
Group company Parent Subsidiary Customer Supplier Alliance Bank, lending and credit Investment, equity and shareholders
Group

120 entries
DateDescription
1969 Dr. Christoph Blocher starts work as a student in the legal department of EMSER WERKE AG.
1970 Unprofitable production of Caprolactam, and with this the production of fertilisers, in Domat/Ems are stopped and both are purchased from external sources.
1972 Dr. Christoph Blocher is voted Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the EMSER WERKE AG.
1977 Inauguration of the sales company in Japan, now EMS-CHEMIE (Japan) Ltd., in Tokyo.
1978 The different EMS companies are completely consolidated under the roof of the Chemie Ems Holding AG.
1979 Foundation of the sales company Germany in Cologne, today EMS-CHEMIE (Deutschland) GmbH, Gross-Umstadt, and the sales company France in Paris, today EMS-CHEMIE (France) S.A., Boulogne.
1979 Purchase of a 40% share of the engineering company Karl Fischer Industrieanlagen GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
1979-02-23 On February 23, 1979 the founder Dr. Werner Oswald dies during a meeting.
1980 Dr. Christoph Blocher places focus on growth with engineering plastics and begins to phase-out textile fibers. Start of industrial-scale production of Grilesta® polyester resins in Domat/Ems for the manufacture of powder-coatings for coating metal.
1981 The Chemie Holding Ems AG is renamed EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG. The EMSER WERKE AG in Domat/Ems becomes the EMS-CHEMIE AG.
1982 With the foundation of EMS-AMERICAN GRILON Inc., EMS starts production of polyamide materials in Sumter / South Carolina (USA), today EMS-CHEMIE (North America) Inc.
1983 Dr Christoph Blocher receives the task from the founding family Oswald, of finding a purchaser and selling EMS within a few months. Lacking alternatives he decides to purchase the shares of the Oswald Holding AG and, therefore the majority vote of EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG himself.
1985 Purchase of the TOGO-Group based in Romanshorn (CH). The group, renamed EMS-TOGO, specialises in process materials for bonding, coating and sealing for the automotive industry worldwide.
1986 In order to satisfy increasing demand for fusible adhesive powder Griltex® for coating interlinings and in order to further safeguard EMS' position as market leader worldwide, a new cold grinding plant is opened in Domat/Ems.
1986 EMS-TOGO strengthens its market position in Europe and the USA through the takeover of the Caourep Company in Belgium and the construction of a second production site in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
1986 The EMS-participation in the Karl Fischer Industrieanlagen GmbH, Berlin, Germany is increased to 47%.
1987 Purchase of the SSF DOTTIKON AG, which primarily manufactures organic intermediate products and fine chemicals for the specialist chemical industry. This company is renamed EMS-DOTTIKON AG.
1988 EMS-TOGO opens a production site in Zaragoza, Spain in order to supply the Spanish automotive industry, today EFTEC S.A.
1988 EMS transfers sales of fertilisers to the LINTAFERT Company in Linz (Austria) and concentrates on the two business areas PERFORMANCE POLYMERS AND FINE CHEMICALS/ENGINEERING.
1990 Under the product name Primid®, EMS introduces a weathering-resistant hardener for powder-coatings, which is environmentally-compatible and protected by patents. EMS then goes on to become world market leader with this product. The construction of a new application development centre for engineering plastics in Domat/Ems forms a further milestone in the promotion of performance polymers, which helps EMS become unique in this field.
1991 With Grivory® GV, EMS launches a new generation of super-stiff polyamides, thus ringing in the era of metal replacement. EMS-TOGO takes over the DINOL-Group, manufacturer of automotive corrosion protection, from SANDOZ.
1992 EMS safeguards supply of the key raw material laurolactam for the production of Grilamid® PA12 by forming the production joint-venture EMS-UBE Ltd. in Japan. EMS-TOGO founds a joint venture in Mexico with the Placosa Company in order to supply the local automotive industry with process materials. This is today the Grupo Placosa EFTEC S.A. in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Together with customers, suppliers, employees and official representatives, EMS-CHEMIE AG celebrates its 50th anniversary as an independent Swiss company.
1993 The 750th invention since the founding of the company is registered by the EMS patent department for patent protection. EMS-PATVAG sells the first automotive airbag ignitors and rapidly becomes market leader in Europe in the following years.
1995 EMS becomes market leader for flexible glasses frames and sunglasses lenses with the transparent polyamide Grilamid® TR.
1995 EMS-TOGO expands its local presence in South-Eastern Asia (Singapore, Thailand, India) and China (Shanghai, Changchun), in order to supply the growing automotive industry with locally-produced process materials.
1996 During streamlining of the product assortment, EMS phases-out Grilesta® polyester resins for powder-coatings and sells the business to the UCB company in Belgium.
1997 Through a joint venture with H.B. Fuller Automotive USA, EMS-TOGO strengthens its worldwide activities with process materials for the automotive industry in the field of original equipment manufacture (OEM). The joint venture is named "EFTEC".
1998 EMS becomes market leader with Grilbond® bonding agent. This product guarantees reliable bonding of polyester fiber reinforcement and rubber in car tyres, drive belts and conveyor belts. The EMS-participation in the Karl Fischer Industrieanlagen GmbH, Berlin, Germany is increased to 90%.
1999 Take-over of the Karl Fischer Industrieanlagen GmbH, Berlin, Germany to 100% and, together with EMS-INVENTA AG, formation of the business unit INVENTA-FISCHER.
2007-04 The biomass power station TEGRA started operations with the second plant expansion in April and now provides EMS with a total of 100,000 tons of process steam per year. This means that EMS has already transferred 2/3 of steam production from fossil fuels to biomass power, and has reduced its CO2 emissions on the production site by two thirds! Construction work has already been started for the third plant expansion which will start operations in 2009.
2007-05-25 On May 25, 2007 construction of the EMS-PATVAG production plant in Brankovice (Czech Republic) started. Airbag igniters for the automotive industry will be manufactured here starting in early 2008.
2007-06-02 After 9 years, EMS-CHEMIE AG again stages an "Open Day" on Saturday, June 2, 2007. More than 13,000 visitors as well as numerous prominent guests enthusiastically tour the production site at Domat/Ems (Canton Grisons, Switzerland) and take part in various attractions.
2008-02-21 On February 21, 2008 the first EMS-PATVAG production plant for airbag ignitors is taken into operation in Brankovice (Czech Republic). As a consequence, all activities are transferred from Domat/Ems to Brankovice.
2008-03-04 Together with customers and representatives of local authorities, M. Martullo inaugurates two new plants for the manufacture of specialised polymer materials in Gross-Umstadt (Germany) on March 4, 2008. Products manufactured using this technology are received with great interest by customers.
2008-03-10 On March 10, 2008 construction is started on a production plant for EMS-GRIVORY speciality products in Suzhou (China).
2009 EMS takes over the technical fiber specialist Nexis Fibers GmbH in Neumünster (Germany) to strengthen the own worldwide business with polyamide-based speciality technical fibers.
2009 In the emerging market India, EMS-EFTEC opens a new production plant in Pune (state Maharashtra) to serve the local automotive with even more capacity.
2009-05-01 To improve the result situation and impact power in the market, the Business Units EMS-PRIMID and EMS-GRILTECH are merged from May 1, 2009 to form the Business Unit EMS-GRILTECH.
2010 EMS-CHEMIE (Korea) Ltd. is founded for stronger development of the Korean market.
2010 EMS-EFTEC Guangzhou is founded to cover the automotive industry in Southern China.
2010 EMS-EFTEC takes over the 20% participation of Nittoku and, therefore, complete control of EFTEC-Asia.
2010 Start-up of the new production site of EMS-GRIVORY in Suzhou (central China).
2010 EMS-EFTEC concentrates on direct supply to automotive manufacturers worldwide and sells its automotive repair business "EFTEC Aftermarket".
2010-03 In order to supply automotive customers in Latin America with process materials, EMS-EFTEC builds a production plant in Santana de Parnaiba, close to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Start-up of operations is planned for March 2010.
2011 EMS celebrates the company's 75-year anniversary.
2011 The company biography "Success as a Mission. EMS-CHEMIE: The history of an impossible company" by Karl Lüönd is published and available for purchase in bookstores (in German, French and English). This work reaches #1 on the Swiss list of best-selling non-fiction books.
2011 To celebrate the anniversary a public exhibition of the company's history is opened on the production site at Domat/Ems.
2011 To celebrate the 75-year anniversary different activities are organised throughout the world for EMS employees and their families. Among other things, employees at Swiss locations as well as those of Markdorf (South Germany) and Milan (Italy) are invited to a special performance by the Swiss National Circus Knie.
2011 EMS-CHEMIE: Supplier of the year. General Motors (the world’s second-largest automobile manufacturer), Bosch (the world’s largest independent automotive supplier) and Foxconn (the world’s largest manufacturer of electronic and computer components) recognise EMS as the “strategic supplier of the year”. Evaluation criteria are, in particular: innovative technology, above-average quality, excellent support during development, competitively-priced total solutions and delivery that exceeds expectations with regard to schedule and quality.
2011 At the beginning of September, EMS joined with selected long-standing customers from 21 countries and 5 continents to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary, with a train ride over the world-famous Albula Pass into Engadin, and a visit to the Federal Folk Music Festival in Chur.
2011 EMS-EFTEC again expands assembly capacity for EFTEC Engineering at the location in Markdorf (Germany).
2012 The anniversary exhibition celebrating 75 years of company history at the production site in Domat/Ems is extended provisionally until the end 2012 due to the very great interest shown.
2013 EMS-CHEMIE is awarded the title “Supplier of the Year” for the third time in series by General Motors (GM). Along with the excellent business relationship over many years, above all the innovative technology and rapid reaction time of EMS as development partner were praised.
2013 EMS-EFTEC takes over the 50% share of its Czech partner D PLAST in the joint venture D PLAST-EFTEC and, in this way, sole control of the EFTEC business in Central and Eastern Europe. With this take over, EMS-EFTEC further expands the business in the growth markets of Central and Eastern Europe and strengthens its market position as worldwide automotive supplier.
2013 EMS-EFTEC opens a new production location in Foshan (CN) to supply automotive manufacturers in South China.
2013 EMS-PATVAG is awarded the “Supplier Excellence Award” by Key Safety Systems (KSS), one of the world's leading manufacturers of automotive safety systems. Evaluation criteria: punctual delivery of perfect quality parts and provision of excellent technical support.
2013 Volkswagen names EMS “Top-150-Supplier of the VW Group worldwide”.
2013 Sales and development departments worldwide are re-organised and expanded according to customer segments. This is to ensure that customers worldwide receive quick support with competent solutions.
2013 10 apprentices from Switzerland are given the possibility of actively learning new things, both personally and professionally, in local work experience in 4 countries on 3 continents.
2013 The façade of Rhäzüns Castle looks as good as new after successful renovation work is completed.
2014 The exhibition, 'The unbelievable history of EMS-CHEMIE' was extended until the end of 2015 due to the unchanged, sustained flow of visitors (more than 20,000 visitors since is opening at the beginning of 2011).
2014 The exhibition “The unbelievable history of EMS-CHEMIE” is extended until the end of 2014 due to the continuing large number of interested visitors.
2015 For the fifth time in series, EMS-GRIVORY is again named 'Supplier of the Year' by General Motors (GM); this year specifically for the many years' of excellent business relations, the outstanding performance with regard to innovative technology, the permanent exchange of innovations and rapid reaction times as development partner.
2015-02-10 On February 10, 2015 the parliament and government of the Canton Grisons visit EMS-CHEMIE in Domat/Ems. During a tour of the production site, 29 apprentices present their 14 professions. Guests are able to try their hand at practical tasks and gain an insight into the variety of vocational training today and the EMS training programme.
2015-08 Based on the pleasing development of net sales volumes, EMS invests an additional CHF 35 million in capacity expansion at the production site in Domat/Ems. The first plant is already to start operation at the end of August 2015.
2015-08-14 On August 14, EMS-EFTEC opens an EFTEC Engineering production location in Shanghai (China) for manufacture and supply of fully automated application units to the Asian automotive industry.
2015-10-18 Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, CEO and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG, is elected on October 18, 2015, by citizens of the Grisons as member of the National Council, the large house of Swiss parliament, as representative of the Swiss People's Party (SVP).
2015-11-10 EMS-GRIVORY Asia opens an application development centre on November 10, 2015 at the Suzhou location in China. With state-of-the-art polymer processing equipment, a material testing laboratory and a colour laboratory, this will provide technical application support for local customers.
2016 Following the start-up of the new production plant for specialty polymers at Domat/Ems (Switzerland) at the beginning of the year, a further capacity expansion for polymer materials was completed in June.
2016 EMS-CHEMIE receives the 'GM Supplier of the Year' award from General Motors for the sixth time in series. Decisive for this coveted award were the long-standing innovative and reliable supplier relationship as well as the high quality levels and rapid reaction time of EMS-CHEMIE.
2016 EMS-EFTEC Thailand receives the 'Consumable Material Supplier of the year 2015: Excellent Continuous Improvement Award' from Mercedes-Benz. Evaluation criterion was the excellent contribution towards improvement of quality, supply and cost-efficiency.
2016 EMS-GRIVORY receives the '2016 Supplier Passion for Performance Award' from Cooper Standard, one of the worldwide leading part and system suppliers to the automotive industry, for innovative product ideas and top quality.
2016-01-15 On January 15, 2016, the EMSORAMA, the first Science Center in the Grisons is opened at the production site in Domat/Ems to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the company. The EMSORAMA is open to the public free of charge for group visits, allowing fascinating phenomena from nature and technology to be experienced (www.emsorama.ch). After six months, more than 3,800 enthusiastic guests have already visited the EMSORAMA.
2016-06 Following the start-up of the new production plant for specialty polymers at Domat/Ems (Switzerland) at the beginning of the year, a further capacity expansion for polymer materials was completed in June.
2016-07-08 On July 8, the official ground-breaking ceremony for a new EMS-EFTEC production site in Changshu (China) took place. With this site EMS-EFTEC will further strengthen its market position in the growing Chinese market.
2016-10-28 On October 31, the new EMS-EFTEC site was inaugurated at Changshu in China. This is the largest production site in the world so far and will strengthen EFTEC's already leading market position in the Chinese automotive market.
2017 EMS-CHEMIE was able to accept the 'Supplier of the Year Award' for the seventh time in series from General Motors. A special mention was made of the permanent excellent performance, pioneering technology and outstanding exchange of innovation.
2017 Continental awarded EMS-GRIVORY the title 'Premium Supplier' as an important strategic supplier and in recognition of the high quality and innovative strength.
2017 The international Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) presented EMS with the 'European Plastics Innovation Award'.
2017 Samvardhana Motherson Reflectec (SMR) awarded EMS the 'Long-Term Supplier Excellence Award'.
2017 The Chinese automotive manufacturer Chery named EMS a Preferred Partner.
2017 EMS received the 'Regional Supplier Quality Achievement Certificate' from Nissan North America.
2017-07 It was possible to demonstrate in public the successful cooperation between Belimo, Wild & Küpfer and EMS at the site of Wild & Küpfer in July 2017.
2017-08-12 The Annual General Meeting of the EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG was held on August 12, 2017 at the production site in Domat/Ems (Switzerland) with 2,329 shareholders and guests – a new record number of participants.
2018 The International Society of Plastics Engineers presented EMS-CHEMIE with three SPE Awards for innovative applications for the automotive industry. The prize winners were development of a turbo actuator, an innovative car door handle and a revolutionary sport seat shell made of high-performance polymers.
2018 EMS was named 'Zero Fault Quality Supplier' by Toyota Kirloskar Motor in India.
2018 The leading automotive supplier SMR awarded EMS their supplier prize for the second time.
2018 The Chinese glasses manufacturer Wenzhou Guanhao Glasses Co. Ltd., specialising in children's glasses, honoured EMS with the Premium Service Provider Award.
2018 The ITRON Company, active in the field of sanitary fittings, awarded EMS the 'Global Supplier Excellence Award'.
2018 Investments were made in a new dispersion plant for EMS-GRILTECH at the production site in Domat/Ems (Switzerland).
2018 Both the polymerisation and compounding plants of EMS-GRIVORY were expanded.
2018 EMS implemented 470 measures improving efficiency in fields such as process-optimisation, automation and inventory management.
2018-08-11 A total of 2,458 shareholders and guests created a new record number of participants again at the Annual General Meeting on August 11, 2018.
2019 The second-largest global automotive supplier, Continental, presented the Business Unit EMS-GRIVORY with the award as 'Supplier of the Year 2019'.
2019 EMS-CHEMIE was awarded the Swiss National Education Prize.
2019 EMS-CHEMIE was nominated as one of the best apprentice training companies in Switzerland by the organization 'A Great Place to Work'.
2019 The Society of Plastic Engineers presented EMS-CHEMIE with three SPE awards for innovative applications in the automotive industry.
2019 With around 2,600 shareholders and guests, the annual general meeting again exceeded the figures of previous years.
2019 In addition, the Open Day on the production site at Domat/Ems was an enormous success. Around 14,000 visitors were able to gain insights into the fascinating world of specialty polymers.
2019 Start-up of a plant with a completely new production process allowed energy savings of 50% to be achieved.
2019 An increased concentration on high-performance polymers was achieved with the sale of EMS-PATVAG.
2019 That EMS also works successfully with market leaders in the cosmetic sector was demonstrated impressively to the public in summer of 2019.
2020 2020 was characterised by the COVID-19 crisis. Already at an early stage, EMS implemented comprehensive measures and protective concepts at all locations worldwide to protect employees as well as customers from COVID-19 and to secure delivery reliability at all times. In addition, EMS was involved in sourcing of hygiene masks. Hairdressers in Switzerland profited in particular from this special initiative, allowing them to become the first business sector to reopen their premises. EMS also supplied hospitals with free protective glasses and supplied Switzerland via the retail trade with protective masks, which were otherwise not available.
2020 During the Corona pandemic, EMS polymers fulfilled essential and even life‑saving tasks in numerous applications. Components made of Grilamid, for example, were installed in respirators. Due to growing demand for Grivory high‑performance polymers, used among other things for metal replacement in automotive applications to achieve weight savings and reduced CO2 emissions, capacity was further increased with a new production line.
2020 EMS realised an innovative packaging process under an inert gas atmosphere for use in the food industry. In addition, EMS developed an innovative polymerisation process, which reduces energy consumption by 50%.
2020 The EMS Group and all its locations have been CO2 neutral since 2020.
2021 The investment program, announced in 2021, with more than CHF 300 million towards increased capacity and energy efficiency at the main production site in Domat/Ems (Switzerland).
2021 EMS also improved continually throughout 2021 in the field of environmental protection and sustainability. The business model with weight‑saving system solutions resulted in a reduction of CO2 emissions by 35,000 tons per year. Since 2001, EMS has achieved 50% energy savings through the implementation of 345 individual projects and has set itself additional energy‑saving targets for the coming years.
2021 EMS also received the Ringier Technology Innovation Award 2021 for a new, innovative and high‑quality high performance polymer.
2022 EMS realized new energy and cost-saving products and solutions with customers. Sustainable CO₂ savings were achieved, lighter parts were developed, weight-saving process materials were applied and processing temperatures were lowered. New groundbreaking "low and no bake" materials for corrosion protection of car bodies opened up opportunities for car manufacturers to achieve huge energy savings. New ultra-lightweight process materials for underbody protection provided 25% weight reduction, reduced energy consumption and lowered CO₂ emissions per vehicle.
2022 EMS high-performance polymers also provided a decisive contribution to CO₂-neutral energy generation: practical "plug-and-play" connectors for solar modules eliminated the need for torque tools during assembly - and yet they are strictly leak-proof even under extreme weather conditions. Valves made of EMS special polymers control distribution and circulation of water in heat pump systems with absolute reliability thanks to its dimensional stability and hydrolysis resistance.
2022 Innovative EMS products received prestigious prizes again in 2022. The international Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) awarded EMS three first places in the "SPE-Automotive Awards" for challenging components, consisting of an innovative center console support structure for electric vehicles of Seat, a challenging electro-pneumatic brake module for trucks and an electric water pump for electric vehicles of Mercedes.
2022 The investment program, announced in 2021, with more than CHF 300 million towards increased capacity and energy efficiency at the main production site in Domat/Ems (Switzerland), continues to be implemented as planned. As a consequence new lower energy consuming production processes, which are not only more economical but also more sustainable, have been developed.
2023 EMS resolutely continued to focus on broad market development with specialty products and innovation. Together with its customers, EMS successfully realized numerous products and system solutions allowing energy and cost savings to be achieved, including many new applications in the strongly growing segment of electric vehicles, for cabling as well as charging, cooling and battery systems. Planned new business was also realized successfully in other industrial sectors.
2023 The Zhejiang Jubei Group awarded EMS with a prize after 10 years successful partnership for filter cups and housings as well as drinking water systems.
2023 Fujitech, with whom EMS also has been working successfully for over ten years, presented EMS with their "Excellent Supplier Award 2023".
2023 ARaymond, a leading supplier of fastening technology, in particularly for electrical cars, awarded EMS the title of "Strategic Partner 2023".
2023-10-22 Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Board of Directors of EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG, was re-elected to the National Council of Swiss Parliament for a further four years on October 22, 2023.
2024 The geopolitical situation is pressurizing the consumer mood and persistent inflation is causing higher manufacturing costs. Customers, therefore, are looking for total cost savings. The sales offensive launched in the previous year with a massive expansion of sales and technical development in Asia, America and Europe is proving to be successful. New business is compensating for the weak economy. EMS' pioneering role with regard to sustainability has been expanded: Based on the CO2 neutrality (Scope 1 and Scope 2), and certified as per ISO 14001, EcoVadis Gold and International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC), numerous projects were implemented together with customers. EMS innovations received renowned awards for their top performance in product quality. Long-standing customer Toyota presented EMS with the "Achievement Award Quality 2024". In addition, the international Society of Plastics Engineers awarded its 22nd SPE Automotive Award to three EMS applications: A battery management module, a high-voltage plug for electric cars and a diesel fuel return line for trucks.
2025 Worldwide trade barriers, tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty unsettled companies and consumers in 2025; industrial activity noticeably cooled down. During this turbulent period, the Swiss Franc strengthened in its role as safe haven. Thanks to early structuring of its own supply chains, own production facilities in the USA and US tariff exemptions for specialties however, EMS was not significantly affected by these developments. EMS successfully continued its sales offensive with expansion of technical sales and development in Asia, America and Europe, and realized high-margin, innovative new business. Local development partnerships, cost discipline and proactively modified supply chains enabled EMS to reduce total costs, energy consumption, weight and CO₂ emissions for its customers. With the complete take-over of the shares in EFTEC China previously held by Huayi, and the development of revolutionary process technology, EMS-EFTEC now covers the world's largest automotive market in China even more comprehensively, resulting in sustainable income growth. In 2025, EMS continued to further drive forward the development of new, high-performance applications, providing clear stimulus for innovation and quality. In recognition of its innovative strength, the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) honored EMS on October 6, 2025 with five awards, including the "Grand Award 2025." With these new developments, EMS is opening up numerous new growth areas, for example in robotics. High-performance components, which are particularly lightweight, robust and dimensionally stable are being developed in collaboration with technology leaders.
+ Loaded when opened
2026-09-21 18:05 (Model: ggml-org/gpt-oss-20b )
↑