What began in 1942 in an old schoolhouse in Oberiberg has grown into a modern Swiss plastics company with an excellent reputation. Over the years, Silac has remained true to its principles: reliable quality, continuous development and a strong focus on customer needs.

Today, the company is managed by the third generation of the family, while the fourth generation is already active in the business. This page looks back at some of the milestones that have shaped Silac over the past 80 years.

Leo Marti, founder of Brac AG, and his son-in-law and hotelier Carl Hubli established Silac as a subsidiary. The subsidiary was intended, on the one hand, to help fulfill the parent company’s orders and, on the other hand, to bring income to the Sihltal valley, where unemployment was rampant due to the absence of tourists and a decline in orders. It was a bold move, for it was 1942 and World War II was raging all around.

The ambitious family had already demonstrated its willingness to take risks with the successful Brac company, which had weathered the economic crisis following World War I well. Initially specializing in the manufacture and sale of watch components, Brac AG skillfully expanded its business after the war to include products made of thermosetting plastics and, later, even thermoplastics.

In the spring of 1942, Silac began production in an old schoolhouse in Oberiberg with a dozen workers, and because imports of buttons from abroad had been halted, sales were secured for the time being. Just two years after its founding, the company needed more space for production and moved to the idyllic town of Euthal. At first, one floor in the former Benzinger AG office building was sufficient. Soon afterward, however, space became tight again, and “Knöpfli” relocated its headquarters to a former military barracks next to the schoolhouse.

After the war years, Silac continued to grow and became an important employer in the region. At times, the company employed almost 100 people.

Apprenticeship training also became an important part of the company. Silac began training young professionals early on and has continued this tradition ever since.

The company recognized the potential of well-trained employees early on and, from the very beginning, made a point of recruiting young people as well. As early as 1960, the first mechanical engineering apprentices were accepted into the company. This was an important and logical step toward ensuring consistent quality. Apprenticeship training remains a key principle of the company’s philosophy to this day. A great deal of time and energy is invested in providing exemplary apprenticeship training. Silac is proud to train not only future production mechanics but also plastics technologists, polymechanics, and business administrators.

In 1973, Silac AG separated from its parent company, Brac AG, and struck out on its own. Just three years later, the company’s founder, Carl Hubli, died at the age of 74. His son-in-law, Herbert Birchler, a manufacturer from Uznach, became the new managing director.

Under the second generation, the family-owned business evolved into a smaller but innovative company with an excellent reputation. Mr. Birchler deliberately focused on technology. He skillfully invested in more modern machinery to keep pace with the competition. While the push toward automation meant that less manual labor was required, leading to a reduction in the number of employees, However, the modernization was necessary to ensure the company’s long-term survival and, with it, the preservation of jobs. After all, Silac was of immense importance as an employer, especially for this region with a relatively weak economic structure.

Thanks to the loyalty of its long-time employees, the company was able to build a loyal customer base. This positive development once again led to cramped working conditions, which hindered efficient manufacturing processes. Silac took the leap forward and began planning a completely new facility. In 1990, the long-awaited move to the new facility at its current headquarters in Euthal took place.

In 1998, Peter Birchler joined the family business. It’s a decision he has never regretted, and a stroke of luck for Herbert Birchler, as he points out: “It’s wonderful that Silac AG can remain a family business. My wife and I have devoted a large part of our lives and a great deal of passion to this company. Now my son, Peter Birchler, can lead Silac into the future.”

The managing director, who was 27 at the time, skillfully set the course for the company and developed Silac into a modern, high-tech operation that, despite international price pressure, continued to deliberately prioritize Swiss quality. Peter Birchler was—and remains—convinced that Silac wins over its customers with speed, flexibility, and quality. With a focus on always guaranteeing the highest quality to its customers, Silac—unlike many other injection molding companies—still operates its own toolmaking department today. Here, specially trained polymechanics build injection molds with exact dimensions and precision. For, like his predecessors, Peter Birchler knows that people are the driving force behind Silac’s success. A strong pool of young talent and motivated, highly qualified employees are the be-all and end-all.

The year 2020 marked another milestone in the history of Silac AG: the expansion of the company’s facility. With approximately^{3,000 square meters of production space} , the company is well-equipped for the future. The new manufacturing facility is equipped with state-of-the-art, fully automated production lines. Here, high-quality plastic solutions are manufactured for the food industry under the highest hygiene standards.

“The successful FSSC 22000 certification, the continuous expansion of our technology and printing services, and the innovative use of bio-based plastics are further milestones in Silac AG’s 80-year success story. With Luca and Olivier Birchler, the fourth generation is already active in the company. “I am very happy that we can continue the family tradition with them,” said Managing Director Peter Birchler.