Swissmetal Industries SA

Swissmetal Industries SA is a Swiss industrial company specializing in the production of copper alloys and semi-finished products. Its origins trace back to 1855, when the Bueche, Boillat & Cie brass foundry and rolling mill was established in Reconvilier, in the Bernese Jura. Over the following decades, the company expanded its metallurgical operations, and in 1895 the Schweizerische Metallwerke AG Dornach was founded. The company has since become a specialist in free-machining copper alloys, producing wires, rods, profiles, and strips for a wide range of demanding industrial applications. The company's product portfolio includes more than 80 copper alloys: pure and low-alloyed coppers, leaded and lead-free brasses, special brasses, nickel silvers (copper-zinc-nickel), bronzes (copper-tin), and cupro-aluminium. These materials are supplied as wire and bar (round, square, etc.) as well as solid and hollow profiles. Swissmetal's products serve sectors including connectors (automotive, aerospace, medical, military), precision turning, architecture, luxury goods, writing instruments (pen tips), watchmaking, and power generation. Swissmetal has undergone several ownership changes. In 2004 it was acquired by a financial group led by Martin Hellweg, who restructured the company but faced social conflicts at the Reconvilier site. In 2013 the business was taken over by the Chinese investor Baoshida. In 2019, a group of Swiss private investors known as the "Swiss Team" acquired the business, taking over all personnel at both sites. The headquarters remained in Reconvilier (Canton of Berne) with a branch in Dornach (Canton of Solothurn). At the end of 2025, Swissmetal consolidated its industrial operations by closing the Dornach site and centralizing all activities at its Reconvilier facility, reinforcing its long-term industrial focus in the Bernese Jura. Today, Swissmetal Industries SA operates as a private company, employing around 160 people across its Swiss sites prior to the 2025 consolidation. It continues to position itself as a quality leader in free-machining copper alloys, maintaining a strong reputation for Swiss precision and metallurgical expertise.

The history of Swissmetal Industries SA begins in the mid-19th century in the Bernese Jura. In 1850, a watch-blank factory was owned by four partners: Guillaume-Olivier Bueche, a landowner in Pontenet; Emmanuel-Aimé Tièche, a physician in Reconvilier; Edouard Boillat-Bueche, a merchant in Reconvilier; and Ernest Kraft, a hotelier in Malleray. In 1851, under the name Bueche, Boillat & Cie, they obtained authorization from the Moutier Prefecture to build a watchmaking establishment in Reconvilier. The venture grew rapidly despite competition in the Jura Arc. The raw material, brass, was sourced from the French Haut-Rhin, which was not nearby at the time. This prompted the four manufacturers to study the creation of a brass foundry near their watch-blank factory. The rolling mill with foundry Bueche, Boillat & Cie was established in 1855 in Reconvilier, considered the first brass foundry in Switzerland. In 1895, Schweizerische Metallwerke AG Dornach was founded. A 500-tonne Krupp press was acquired in 1910, enabling the production of wire and bars by hot extrusion. In 1917, Édouard Boillat, son of the founder, sold his company to a group of French-speaking Swiss industrialists: the watch factory Ébauches de Fontainemelon, the sewing machine manufacturer Edouard Dubied & Cie in Couvet, and the electrical equipment company Gardy in Geneva. The company then took the name Fonderie Boillat S.A. In 1930, coke-fired pot furnaces were replaced by low-frequency electric furnaces. From 1950, Swissmetal Boillat developed alloys for the ballpoint pen tip sector. In 1960, after an incident at the UN General Assembly in New York where Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld broke his gavel, the Boillat foundry offered him a new brass hammer of its manufacture. From 1970, Swissmetal Boillat developed alloys for the connector industry. In 1986, the UMS Usines Métallurgiques Suisses S.A. group was founded by Werner K. Rey (Omni Holding SA), annexing his Selve factory in Thun. In 1987, the company took the name Swissmetal Boillat SA. UMS Swiss Metal Works Holding was created in 1989, and the Selve site closed. In 2004, the company was acquired by the financial group led by Martin Hellweg (co-founder of the turnaround firm Ally Management Group). He managed to restructure the company's accounts but faced social conflicts at the Reconvilier site. The following year, management announced the decision to cease foundry activities in Reconvilier and relocate them to Dornach (SO), while investing in the Reconvilier site to strengthen Boillat. In February 2006, the group acquired Busch-Jaeger Metallwerke GmbH. On 6 July 2006, Swissmetal moved its headquarters from the city of Berne to Dornach. In 2008, a new extrusion press was presented at the Dornach site; at full capacity, it could replace five outdated presses. In 2013, Swissmetal was acquired by the Chinese group Baoshida. In 2019, the group was bought by two Swiss shareholders and chaired by an industrialist, taking over all personnel at both sites. The headquarters of Swissmetal Industries SA remained in Reconvilier (Canton of Berne) with a branch in Dornach (Canton of Solothurn). At the end of 2025, Swissmetal consolidated its industrial operations by closing the Dornach site and centralizing all activities at its Reconvilier facility, strengthening efficiency and reinforcing its long-term industrial focus in the Bernese Jura.

• 2025

  Swissmetal consolidates operations by closing Dornach site and centralizing at Reconvilier.

• 2019

  Swiss Team of Swiss investors acquires the business, taking over all personnel at both sites.

• 2013

  Swissmetal acquired by Chinese group Baoshida.

• 2008

  New extrusion press presented at Dornach site.

• 2006

  Acquisition of Busch-Jaeger Metallwerke GmbH; headquarters moved from Berne to Dornach.

• 2005

  Management announces decision to cease foundry activities in Reconvilier and relocate to Dornach.

• 2004

  Company acquired by financial group led by Martin Hellweg.

• 1989

  UMS Swiss Metal Works Holding created; Selve site closes.

• 1987

  Company renamed Swissmetal Boillat SA.

• 1986

  UMS Usines Métallurgiques Suisses S.A. group founded by Werner K. Rey.

• 1970

  Swissmetal Boillat develops alloys for the connector industry.

• 1960

  Boillat foundry offers a brass hammer to UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld after his gavel broke.

• 1950

  Swissmetal Boillat develops alloys for the ballpoint pen tip sector.

• 1930

  Coke-fired pot furnaces replaced by low-frequency electric furnaces.

• 1917

  Édouard Boillat sells the company to a group of Swiss industrialists; renamed Fonderie Boillat S.A.

• 1910

  Acquisition of a 500-tonne Krupp press for hot extrusion of wire and bars.

• 1895

  Schweizerische Metallwerke AG Dornach founded.

• 1855

  Bueche, Boillat & Cie rolling mill with foundry established in Reconvilier, the first brass foundry in Switzerland.

Quality leader in Swiss-made copper alloys and semi-finished products for demanding industrial applications.

• Free-machining brasses

  Leaded and lead-free brasses for precision machining and automatic turning.

• Low-alloyed coppers

  Copper alloys such as CuTeP, CuNiPb1P, CuPb1P for electrical and electronic applications.

• Free-machining bronzes

  Bronzes like CuSn4Pb4Zn4 and CuSn5 for various industrial uses.

• Machinable nickel silvers

  Copper-nickel-zinc alloys for connectors and precision components.

• Wire and rods

  Round, square, and other profiles produced by hot extrusion and cold forming.

• Profiles

  Solid and hollow profiles for architectural and industrial applications.

1. 1Swissmetal Industries SA - Official Website - Homepageswissmetal.com
2. 2The Swissmetal Industries company history - Since 1855swissmetal.com
3. 3The Swissmetal Industries company history - Since 1855swissmetal.com
4. 4Brass Bars for Precision Machining & Automatic Turning Swissmetal Industries SA Industriesswissmetal.com
5. 5Swissmetal Industries SAwikidata.org
6. 6Swissmetalfr.wikipedia.org