Endress+Hauser celebrates 100 years of innovation: Honouring Dr. Georg H. Endress’ legacy

Dr. Georg H. Endress, co-founder of Endress+Hauser

Last year, the Swiss parent company of Endress+Hauser Canada Ltd. celebrated its 70th anniversary. Another recent milestone: Jan. 9 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of entrepreneur Dr. Georg H. Endress, the corporation’s co-founder. In his thriving family business, Dr. Endress’ legacy is still widely evident today.

Having shaped Endress+Hauser from humble roots into an international success story, Dr. Endress always took bold initiatives and moved things forward.

A leader in process-measurement technology

Dr. Endress was born in Freiburg, Germany and educated in Zagreb, Croatia and Basel, Switzerland. After completing an apprenticeship as a mechanic, he eventually found himself selling British-made capacitive moisture meters for his father’s Basel company. After visiting Fielden Electronics, the manufacturer of these devices, Endress developed a new kind of level-measuring device, but needed a plan to sell it in Germany.

He teamed up with German bank manager Ludwig Hauser to establish a new manufacturing company for selling electronic devices, L Hauser KG, on Feb. 1, 1953. Endress applied for his first patent only two years later, and the company began its first in-house production in rented premises in 1956. The firm expanded quickly, taking over several buildings with a mechanical workshop, electronics production, and more. Endress developed the business with a sharp eye on the market, while Hauser handled the finances.

Endress grew the company with minimal dependence on individual technologies, sectors, and areas and with a strong customer focus. He knew how to inspire skilled people in their fields for his projects, which helped develop the manufacturer into an international player. Training and education always remained a focus for him: he launched a trinational apprenticeship program and engineering-degree program.

By the time Dr. Endress handed the reins down to his son Klaus in 1995, his company had 4,300 employees globally and a turnover of 680 million Swiss francs. Among his awards were the German Federal Cross of Merit and an appointment as French Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur. Dr. Endress passed away in Dec. 2008, but Endress+Hauser carries on as a leader in process-measurement technology.

For more information, contact Endress+Hauser.

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