A legacy built on innovation and spirit of entrepreneurship

In 1946 a young couple of entrepreneurs, Fernand and Alice Habegger registered their company, Habasit, in Basel, Switzerland, setting our story in motion. They saw a need for high-quality, synthetic power transmission and conveyor belts in the belting industry, which would be easier and safer to assemble on machines. Over seventy years later we are still inspired by their originality and relentless pursuit of perfection.
Our ceaselessly innovative approach makes us anticipate tomorrow with curiosity and eagerness to continue delivering improvements to our customers’ processes. Today, Habasit’s customers receive the highest quality products and comprehensive, tailor-made solutions, made possible by over 3.500 employees and our service and distribution partners in more than 70 countries worldwide.
2010 - 2020

New alignment - market orientation

Habasit continues international growth and expands expertise and competencies to serve the needs of customers' processes.

2010

2010: Acquisition of Italian gear motor manufacturer Rossi Motoriduttori, Modena.

2011 - 2012

2011: Introduction of the Habasit Green Concept: respect for the Earth, nature, and resources, compels us to increase eco-friendly products, production processes, and operations.

 

2012: Habasit wins the International FoodTec Award 2012 in Silver fort the HyCLEAN plastic modular belt type M5060 and M5065 with sprocket and CIP system (Cleaning-In-Place).

2013 - 2014

2013: Acquisition of Tasman Belting, long-term partner of Habasit in Australia and New Zealand.


2014: Complete take-over of the Indo-Swiss company Habasit-Iakoka in Coimbatore, India.

2015 - 2016

2015: Acquisition of Schermer Transportbanden. Based in Schaijk, Netherlands, the company is a specialized producer of high-performance seamless belts and world's most renowned and dedicated supplier for rotary molding as well as for cable pulling, steel wrapping, and other demanding applications.

 

2016: Incorporation of affiliate in Brazil.
Joint venture with Rocua Internacional S.A., Mexico.

2018

2018: Acquisition of NGI Holding A/S

2019

2019: Habasit acquired Namil Belt Industrial Co., Ltd. and Korea Belt Services in South Korea. 

Namil Belt Industrial Co., Ltd. was established in 1978 and has a strong reputation in the Korean market built on a commitment to quality of products, service as well as application and fabrication know-how.

1990 - 2009

Optimization phase - scientific and professional stabilization

During the optimization phase, Habasit developed and strengthened the international sales network and took a focus on ecology and the protection of the environment.
The highlights in product and technological developments were the extension of the production width and development of melting calender and coating machine. 

1994 -1995

1994: Incorporation of affiliate in Taiwan

 

1995: Acquisition of Italian conveyor belt manufacturer Cobelt S.r.l., of Valdengo, near Biella.

1996

Habasit enters into a joint venture with Indian spindle tape manufacturer Iakoka, of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

 

Acquisition of US seamless belt manufacturer ABT Inc., of Middletown, Connecticut.

 

Acquisition of Swiss weaving company Haener AG, of Brislach, (Basel Land), enabling in-house production of high-tech fabrics.

1997 - 1998

1997: Acquisition of US belt manufacturer Globe International Inc., of Buffalo, New York.

1998: Acquisition of Italian mold manufacturer and injection-molding company Plastomeccanica S.p.A., of Vittorio, Veneto

2001 - 2004

2001: Acquisition of UK conveyor belt manufacturer Charles Walker Ltd, of Bingley

2004: Joint venture with Italian gear motor manufacturer Rossi Motoriduttori, Modena

2006 - 2008

2006: Acquisition of US modular and spiral belt manufacturer KVP Inc., Reading, Pennsylvania

 

2007: Inauguration of the Modular Belt Innovation Center at Reinach, Switzerland (application and test center).

 

2008: Incorporation of affiliate in Turkey.

1966 - 1989

Consolidation phase - worldwide expansion

1967 - 1969

1967: Habasit opens affiliated companies in Canada, Austria, Sweden, and the USA.


1968: Founding of Habasit affiliates in Japan and Spain.


1969: Habasit sets up an affiliate in Argentina

1972 - 1978

1972: Habasit incorporates an affiliate in Brazil.


1974: New Habasit affiliate opens in Germany. 

In Reinach new building opens for larger production-width machinery.
 

1976: Incorporation of affiliate in Italy. 


1978: Incorporation of affiliate in France.




1980

Creation of “Art & Culture” working group to support employee identity and integration; awareness of work environment; and art, culture, family and leisure activities.

1981 - 1989

1981: Incorporation of affiliate in Norway.

1986: Incorporation of affiliates in Belgium and the Netherlands.

1989: Incorporation of affiliate in Singapore.

Inauguration of the world’s largest melting calender.

1946 - 1965

Pioneering phase - innovation and building up

At the beginning there was the product idea, issued from chance, intuition and observation of the shortcomings of the belt locks used in those times. 
The development began with PVC to which polyamide was added later. The difficulties related to these new synthetic materials (migration of softening agents, delamination, gluing, etc.) had to be mastered. The joining of the belt ends and the belt calculation were important factors in the sale of this new machine element.  

1946

Habasit Technical Office was founded by Fernand Habegger and Alice Fluck (later Mrs. Habegger) in Basel on March 1st 1946.

The first company offices were located at Freie Strasse 15, and a workshop at Obere Rebgasse 42. With its main focus on power transmission belts and conveyor belts, Habasit offers technical support and consulting, and sells machines, tools, and innovative technical products.

On June 29th, 1946 the Habasit trademark and first logo were registered.  

1951

The private company is converted into a stock corporation: Habasit-Werk AG.


A year earlier the company moved to a former soap factory at Bläsiring 86, Basel

1953

Habasit ventures into conveyor belt manufacturing, entering the spindle tape and machine tape market.

1959

Habasit starts the construction of new buildings for production and administration and successively relocates to Reinach, Basel-Land.

1961

Habasit raises funds from private investors to set up its own international sales organization on March 31st.

On 29th September the company name changed to Habasit AG.

1965

Incorporation of first foreign affiliate: Habasit (GB) Ltd., in the UK. 

Habasit AG becomes an affiliated company of Habasit Holding AG.

Habasit Stories

Latest Blog News
Habasit celebrates 75 years of keeping industries in motion News

Habasit celebrates 75 years

Habasit was founded in Basel, Switzerland, in 1946, by Fernand and Alice Habegger. Today, after 75 years of pioneering innovation and dedicated customer focus, the family firm’s network of long-term partnerships with customers, OEMs and distributors spans over 70 countries worldwide. Habasit’s high-quality materials, proven technologies, and engineering excellence deliver outstanding reliability and long lifetimes. Drawing on its specialists’ in-depth industry expertise, Habasit provides a broad range of customized belting solutions and technologies that cut maintenance costs, raise productivity and cost-efficiency, and save precious resources across a number of applications. Looking ahead to the next 75 years, Habasit will continue providing superior, sustainable and smart solutions to keep industries in motion.
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Power transmission belt – a product with a long history

Just like conveyor belts, the origins and history of power transmission belts are lost in the mists of time. While we believe that the Babylonians and Assyrians used chains and cups for water-drawing machines, the earliest mention of a mechanical belt drive with a pulley machine is in a Chinese text from 15 BCE.
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The history of the conveyor belt

Unlike the invention of the light bulb, the creation of the conveyor belt cannot be pinpointed to an exact date or even attributed to a specific inventor. The term “conveyor belt” stubbornly refuses to be narrowly defined. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, it is simply: “One of various devices that provide mechanized movement of material, as in a factory.” Or, to rephrase: “The technology of continuous transportation”.
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The story of Habasit

The legacy of Habasit is a story that won’t sit still. This seems fitting for a company committed to movement. Since the beginning of Habasit in Basel, Switzerland in 1946, the company has grown to become a global leader in the belting industry with over 3.700 employees working at more than 30 affiliated companies around the world.