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The Feintool success story
The history of Feintool - from a 3-man workshop
to a globally active Group



Year Milestone 
1959 Founding with 3 employees.
Supply of first Feintool fineblanking press. 
1960 Development of mechanical fineblanking press with Osterwalder. 
1963 First presentation of the fineblanking process in the USA. 
1964 Entry into Japanese market with the fineblanking process. 
1965 Development of hydraulic fineblanking presses with SMG/Schuler. 
1966 Production of the first combined tool (Patent Feintool Nr. 471 6477). 
1971 Founding of the first US subsidiary in White Plains, N.Y. 
1972 Commissioning of largest-yet fineblanking press: 14,000 kN total press force. 
1973 Founding of subsidiaries in the UK, France and Japan. 
1974 Founding of first German subsidiary, Promera Ettlingen. 
1975 Founding of the first USA Technology Center in Cincinnati. 
1980 Delivery of the 1000th fineblanking press. 
1984 Construction of the Japan Technology Center in Atsugi. 
1989 Feintool Cincinnati gains "Ford Quality Award Q1". 
1990 Feintool Lyss becomes first company in the field to be awarded SQS-certification to ISO 9001 and EN 29001. Acquisition of Baltec Group (radial riveting machines and automatic forming machines) in Pfäffikon (Switzerland) with subsidiaries in Reading (UK) and Pittsburg (USA). 
1992 Founding of joint venture company Promera Jena with Jenoptic AG in Jena, Germany. 
1995 Founding of SWISSTEC subsidiary, China. 
1996 Award of ISO 9001 to Promera Ettlingen and ISO 9002 to Promera Jena. 
1997 Payroll of Feintool Group exceeds 800. The parent company Feintool AG Lyss is reorganized into 4 independent firms: Feintool Technology Ltd. Lyss, Feintool Parts & Components AG Lyss, Feintool Research & Development AG, Feintool International Management AG. 
1998 Delivery of the 2000th Feintool fineblanking press.
Issue of 9000/VDA 6.1 quality assurance certificate to Lyss, Ettlingen and Jena companies.
Founding of Feintool Italia S.r.l.
Founding of Feintool Tennessee, Inc.
Feintool goes public. 
1999 Acquisition of Mühlemann AG, Biberist, Switzerland (leader in metal/plastic parts and components production.
Acquisition of Heinrich Schmid AG, Jona (Producer of Schmid/Hydrel fineblanking presses). Payroll of Feintool Group exceeds 1380. 
2000 Acquisition of IMA Automation GmbH, Amberg, Germany (leader in the engineering and construction of automation systems) and mhk Montagekomponenten GmbH, Amberg, Germany. Payroll of Feintool Group exceeds 1560. 
2001 Acqusition of Afag Group Aarberg and Huttwil (Switzerland), Berlin and Leonberg (Germany) and Canonsburg (USA). Leader in theor engineering and construction of automation systems and components.
Payroll of Feintool Group exceeds 1950. 
2004 Founding Feintool (Chongqing) Technology Co.,Ltd. Chongqing 
2005 Second Technology Center opens in Tokoname, Japan for Fineblanking/Forming. 
2006 Turn over about CHF 500 million 
2008 Founding Feintool Automation Hong Kong
Founding of joint venture with BorgWarner 

The Mühlemann story
The IMA story
The Afag story
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Feintool Group  Fineblanking Technology Division  Automation Division  System Parts Division  Plastic/Metal Components Division  Core Competencies 
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