We write history

The history of the Kuratle Group began in 1955, when Alfred Kuratle founded the first Kuratle company in Laufenburg. His son George took over the company in the 1990s and put it on a growth path with pioneering decisions. Through expansion and strategic mergers, the Kuratle Group developed into a provider of solutions all-around timber in trade, production and logistics – and is now also active internationally.

Year

1955

From retail...

On 1 April, Alfred Kuratle founds a retail company in Laufenburg. Its activities are focussed on trading in logs, sawn timber and parquet flooring.

Year

1974

George Kuratle joins the family business.

Year

1982

Kuratle AG takes over the former Thermopal AG site and founds Kuralit AG. In the same year, George acquired shares in Kuralit AG and thus took a financial stake in Familien AG for the first time.

Year

1991

George Kuratle sold Gottfried Lauprecht GmbH, which he had acquired in 1987. With the resulting sales proceeds, he ultimately acquired the share packages of Kuralit AG and Kuratle AG and became their owner.

Year

1994

Commissioning of the newly built wood-based materials centre (HWZ AG) in Leibstadt.

Year

1999

Foundation of Holzwerkstoff Holding AG (HWH AG) Leibstadt to integrate the two companies Kuratle AG, Leibstadt & Laufenburg and Jaecker AG, Rümlang with the branches in Oensingen and Zug.

Year

2001

  • Parquet Durrer AG, Alpnach becomes a new member of Holzwerkstoff Holding AG.
  • Opening of the large floor exhibitions parquetorama and parquetina.
  • The company name Kuratle & Jaecker AG is standardised at all regional locations.
  • Acquisition of a ROBERTA covering press at the WORKY processing centre in Leibstadt.

Year

2009

  • Foundation of HWZ International AG, Alpnach Dorf
  • Opening of the large-scale permanent exhibition in the Bauarena Volketswil ZH.
  • Roger Kuratle joins the family business.

Year

2010

  • Foundation of HWZ International SA (Pty). Ltd. Camps Bay, Cape Town ZA
  • Organisation of the 1st Wood Conference in Cape Town, ZA.
  • Fabian Kuratle joins the family business.
  • ERP changeover to SAP

Year

2012

Opening of the permanent exhibition "Do something with wood" in the Umwelt Arena in Spreitenbach.

Year

2014

...to the group of companies...

Takeover of HIAG Handel AG and its merger with Kuratle & Jaecker AG.

Year

2015

  • Commissioning of the KURATLE ACADEMY training centre.
  • Organisation of the timber industry's first own trade fair (Impuls) at the UWA in Spreitenbach.

Year

2017

  • Anniversary 15 years of DIY-WOOD AG
  • Awarded 3rd place PRIX SVC Northwestern Switzerland

Year

2018

  • Anniversary 10 years of BUZ AG
  • Honoured with the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 award / 1st place in the Family Business category

Year

2019

  • Anniversary 15 years Meier Logistik AG
  • Anniversary 10 years of HWZI Alpnach AG
  • George Kuratle celebrates his 45th anniversary with the company.
  • Roger Kuratle becomes a member of the Executive Board as his designated successor.

Year

2020

  • George Kuratle hands over operational management to his children Corinne, Fabian and Roger Kuratle. From now on, he oversees the company's fortunes as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
  • Kuratle & Jaecker AG 65th anniversary
  • Merger of LEUBA & MICHEL SA on 1 January 2020 with 3 locations in western Switzerland.
  • Foundation of Wilma Vertriebs AG (now Wilma AG), Niederbipp

Year

2021

2020 - 2025

  • Expansion of joinery + engineering
  • Expansion of prefabrication
  • Expansion of logistics
  • Integration of all companies for complete solutions

Year

2025

...to the Ecosystem

Anniversary 70 years Kuratle Group

Outlook for the future

The Kuratle Group is continuing its family history. The third generation is already established in the company. In January 2020, Roger Kuratle took over from his father as CEO of the Kuratle Group. Together with his sister Corinne and brother Fabian, he continues to run the family business in the spirit of his father and continues to place the customer at the centre of the company's development.

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