Tornos AG

Tornos AG is a Swiss machine-tool manufacturer headquartered in Moutier, in the canton of Bern. Its business is centered on high-precision turning technology, especially automatic single-spindle and multispindle lathes, sliding-headstock machines, bar-feeding equipment and software used to program and manage machining operations. The company serves manufacturers and subcontractors whose production depends on repeatable machining of small, complex or high-volume components. Its principal application sectors include watchmaking, medical technology, automotive manufacturing, electronics and general industrial subcontracting. The industrial history behind Tornos reaches back to the development of automatic small-part machinery in Moutier during the late nineteenth century. In 1883, Nicolas Junker and Anselme Marchal established Junker et Cie, a business associated with automatic machinery and the growing need for screw and component production in the watchmaking industry. Junker also developed the Swiss-type lathe tradition in the region. Although the early enterprise encountered financial difficulties and eventually failed, its technical and industrial heritage formed part of the background from which Tornos emerged. Tornos was established in 1914 from the bankruptcy of Junker et Cie. During the following decades, it developed a range of automatic sliding-headstock and other automatic lathes. Models such as the Lambert, Walker and Tornos B1 reflected the company's focus on combining multiple tools with automated production. The business operated in a competitive local ecosystem that included Pétermann and Bechler, two other important Moutier-area manufacturers. Tornos later acquired Pétermann's factory, and in 1981 Tornos, Pétermann and Bechler were brought together under the Tornos-Bechler SA name. The company progressively incorporated numerical control and computer-assisted manufacturing. Its Elector 16, presented in 1978, was described as Tornos's first numerically controlled automatic sliding-headstock lathe. The Deco line, introduced in 1996, became an important stage in the company's development of advanced CNC turning equipment. In 2001, Tornos-Bechler SA was renamed Tornos SA, consolidating the historical Tornos, Pétermann and Bechler identities under one corporate name. Tornos became a publicly listed company in the same year. Expansion has included both acquisitions and international manufacturing. Tornos acquired a majority interest in the French manufacturer Wirth & Gruffat in 1989 and purchased Almac in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 2008. The company introduced the Multiswiss multispindle platform in 2012. In 2014, it adjusted its product strategy toward more affordable entry-level and mid-market machines, alongside its established premium Swiss production. Manufacturing facilities were subsequently developed in Xi'an, China, and Taichung, Taiwan. Swiss production in Moutier continued to focus on technically demanding single-spindle and multispindle products, including the Swissnano, Evodeco and Multiswiss families. Tornos has also reorganized its manufacturing footprint. The La Chaux-de-Fonds production site closed in 2021, while a production facility in Poland opened in 2022. As of the company's 2022 financial year, the group had 681 employees and consolidated sales of CHF 181.44 million, according to the cited Wikipedia account. On 7 December 2023, Tornos Holding AG merged with Starrag Group Holding AG to create Starrag Tornos Group AG. Tornos Holding AG, now within that group, was renamed Tornos AG. The Tornos brand therefore continues as the operating identity of a machine-tool business integrated into the Starrag Tornos group.

Tornos's history is rooted in the industrial development of Moutier and the region's nineteenth-century watchmaking economy. Small precision parts, screws and watch components created demand for machines capable of producing repeatable components at scale. In 1883, Nicolas Junker and Anselme Marchal founded Junker et Cie. Junker manufactured automatic machinery and helped advance the Swiss-type lathe tradition associated with Moutier. The early business later experienced financial problems, and its collapse provided the institutional background for the establishment of Tornos in 1914. During the interwar period, Tornos developed automatic sliding-headstock machines equipped with several tools and counter-drilling capabilities. The Lambert machine appeared in 1925, the Walker in 1930 and the Tornos B1 in 1930. These products reflected the company's specialization in automated machining of small parts, particularly for watchmaking and related precision industries. Tornos operated alongside other Moutier manufacturers, notably Pétermann and Bechler, whose products addressed similar markets. The company's portfolio continued to evolve after the Second World War. The Pétermann No. 0 was introduced in 1935, while the Tornos R7, a six-toolholder automatic lathe, was marketed as a limited series in 1959. In 1971, Tornos took over Pétermann's factory. The transition from mechanically controlled automation to numerical control began with the Elector 16, presented in 1978 as Tornos's first numerically controlled automatic sliding-headstock lathe. Corporate consolidation followed. In 1981, Tornos, Pétermann and Bechler were combined under the Tornos-Bechler SA name. Tornos-Bechler acquired a majority shareholding in the French machine-tool company Wirth & Gruffat in 1989. In 1996, it introduced the Deco turning-machine line, a significant development in its CNC and automated turning portfolio. In 2001, the company changed its name to Tornos SA, bringing the three historical identities under a single corporate designation, and it was listed on the stock exchange that year. Tornos expanded further through acquisition and product development. It acquired Almac, a machine manufacturer based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, in 2008. In 2012, the company launched Multiswiss, a multispindle platform intended to combine high productivity with the flexibility associated with CNC machining. A strategic shift in 2014 placed greater emphasis on affordable entry-level and mid-price machines. This was accompanied by the development of production facilities in Xi'an, China, and Taichung, Taiwan. The Asian sites focused on lower-cost machine segments, while Moutier remained associated with more advanced Swiss-built single-spindle and multispindle products. The company added models to the Multiswiss range in 2016. It later adjusted its industrial footprint by closing the La Chaux-de-Fonds production site in 2021 and opening a Polish production facility in 2022. Its manufacturing and sales structure extended across Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia, with production sites in Moutier, Xi'an and Taichung described in the cited reference. A major corporate change occurred on 7 December 2023, when Tornos Holding AG merged with Starrag Group Holding AG. The transaction created Starrag Tornos Group AG. Tornos Holding AG became a subsidiary of the new group and was renamed Tornos AG. The brand thus retained its identity while becoming part of a broader industrial group. The company's documented 2022 financial-year profile included 681 employees and consolidated sales of CHF 181.44 million.

1. 2023Integration into Starrag Tornos Group

   Tornos Holding AG merges with Starrag Group Holding AG on 7 December, forming Starrag Tornos Group AG; the subsidiary is renamed Tornos AG.

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2. 2022Polish production facility opens

   Tornos opens a production facility in Poland.

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3. 2021La Chaux-de-Fonds site closes

   The company's production site in La Chaux-de-Fonds is closed.

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4. 2016Multiswiss range expansion

   Tornos adds three models to its Multiswiss multispindle turning-machine program.

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5. 2014Shift toward more affordable machines

   The company changes its product strategy to place greater emphasis on entry-level and mid-price machines and develops production capacity in China and Taiwan.

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6. 2012Multiswiss launch

   Tornos launches the Multiswiss multispindle turning-machine platform.

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7. 2008Almac acquisition

   Tornos acquires Almac, a machine manufacturer based in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

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8. 2001Name change and stock-market listing

   Tornos-Bechler SA is renamed Tornos SA, and the company is listed on the stock exchange.

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9. 1996Deco product line

   Tornos-Bechler launches its Deco turning-machine line.

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10. 1989Wirth & Gruffat acquisition

    Tornos-Bechler acquires a majority shareholding in the French company Wirth & Gruffat.

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11. 1981Tornos-Bechler SA is formed

    Tornos, Pétermann and Bechler are brought together under the Tornos-Bechler SA name.

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12. 1978Elector 16 numerical-control machine

    Tornos presents the Elector 16, identified as its first numerically controlled automatic sliding-headstock lathe.

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13. 1971Pétermann factory acquisition

    Tornos takes over Pétermann's factory, strengthening its position in the regional automatic-machine industry.

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14. 1930Walker and Tornos B1 models

    The company develops the Walker and Tornos B1 automatic-lathe models.

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15. 1925Lambert automatic lathe

    Tornos develops the Lambert automatic sliding-headstock lathe with three tools.

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16. 1914Tornos is established

    Tornos emerges from the bankruptcy of Junker et Cie and begins manufacturing automatic lathes in competition with other Moutier-area producers.

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17. 1883Junker et Cie is founded

    Nicolas Junker and Anselme Marchal establish Junker et Cie, an important predecessor in the region's automatic-lathe industry.

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18. 1880Early Moutier small-parts machinery

    The industrial history later associated with Tornos begins with the manufacture of machines for small parts used by the watchmaking industry in Moutier.

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A Swiss precision-machine-tool brand combining long-standing watchmaking and small-component machining expertise with CNC automation, multispindle production and internationally distributed manufacturing. Its portfolio spans premium Swiss-built systems and more affordable entry-level and mid-market machines produced in Asia.

• Automatic single-spindle sliding-headstock lathesTurning machines

  These machines automate the production of small and precision components by combining a sliding headstock with multiple tool positions and computer-controlled machining operations. They are associated with applications requiring tight repeatability and efficient production of complex parts, including watch components, medical parts, electronics components and automotive items. Tornos's Swiss production base in Moutier is associated with advanced machines in this category.

• MultiswissMultispindle turning machines2012

  Multiswiss is Tornos's multispindle turning-machine platform, launched in 2012 and expanded with additional models in 2016. The product family is designed for high-productivity automated machining while retaining CNC-based control and the ability to produce complex small components. It is aimed at industrial users and subcontractors seeking higher throughput in sectors such as automotive, medical technology, electronics and precision engineering.

• EvodecoSliding-headstock turning machines

  Evodeco is identified in the reference material as one of Tornos's Swiss-produced single-spindle sliding-headstock product families. It represents the company's focus on sophisticated automated turning for small, technically demanding components, with applications across precision subcontracting and industries that require consistent dimensional control and multi-operation machining.

• SwissnanoSmall-part machining systems

  Swissnano is a Tornos product family for microtechnology and small-part applications. It belongs to the company's Swiss-built range and is positioned for precise, automated production where component size, repeatability and process efficiency are important. The reference associates it with the Moutier manufacturing base and the company's continuing specialization in Swiss-type machining.

• TisisMachining software

  Tisis is Tornos's communication and programming software for its machine tools. It supports the preparation and management of machining programs and connects software workflows with automated turning equipment. The system is part of Tornos's broader offering of peripheral and digital tools intended to improve setup, programming and production management for industrial users.

• Bar feeders and bar millsPeripheral systems

  Tornos supplies bar mills, bar feeders and related peripheral systems for automated machining lines. These products support the continuous delivery and handling of raw bar stock, helping users integrate material supply with automatic turning operations. They are particularly relevant to high-volume production of small components and to microtechnology applications where unattended or minimally attended machining is valuable.

• 2023Merge with Starrag Group Holding AGM&A

  Tornos Holding AG and Starrag Group Holding AG combined their corporate structures to create a larger industrial group.

  What changed. On 7 December 2023, the companies merged to form Starrag Tornos Group AG. Tornos Holding AG became a subsidiary and was renamed Tornos AG.

  Aftermath. Tornos continued as a brand and operating company within Starrag Tornos Group AG rather than as an independent listed holding company.

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• 2021Close the La Chaux-de-Fonds production siteStrategy

  Tornos reorganized its production footprint after operating manufacturing locations in Switzerland and abroad.

  What changed. The company closed its production site in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

  Aftermath. The closure was followed by the opening of a production facility in Poland in 2022, while production continued at the documented sites in Moutier, Xi'an and Taichung.

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• 2014Move toward entry-level and mid-price machinesStrategy

  Tornos had historically been associated with high-priced Swiss machine tools. In 2014, it reassessed its product strategy in response to the need to address a broader range of industrial customers and price points.

  What changed. The company shifted greater strategic attention toward more affordable entry-level and mid-market machines and established production facilities in Xi'an, China, and Taichung, Taiwan.

  Aftermath. The product and manufacturing structure became more segmented: Asian sites produced entry-level and mid-price machines, while Moutier continued to manufacture technically demanding Swiss-built single-spindle and multispindle equipment.

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• 2023Tornos Holding AG merges with Starrag Group Holding AG

  On 7 December 2023, Tornos Holding AG merged with Starrag Group Holding AG, creating Starrag Tornos Group AG. Tornos Holding AG subsequently became a subsidiary of the new group and was renamed Tornos AG.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2022Tornos opens a production facility in Poland

  Tornos expanded its manufacturing footprint with the opening of a production facility in Poland.

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• 2021Tornos closes its La Chaux-de-Fonds production site

  The company's production site in La Chaux-de-Fonds was closed as part of the reorganization of its manufacturing network.

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• 2012Tornos introduces the Multiswiss platform

  Tornos launched the Multiswiss multispindle turning-machine platform, extending its product range for automated, high-productivity component manufacturing.

  Product launchProduct generation
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1. Tornos AG