A single brand under one roof

Of course, the famous architect David Chipperfield is right when he says: 'The difference between good and bad architecture is the time you spend on it.' But what if there were a way to save time without sacrificing the highest standards of quality?

It is surely no coincidence that in the land of clocks, of all places, two companies rich in tradition are now working together under one roof and one brand to make the work of architects, planners and builders easier and to simplify their planning processes. As a comprehensive bathroom supplier, LAUFEN combines the expertise, high-quality products and centuries of experience of its sister companies Keramik Laufen and Similor.

The ceramics manufacturer and the fittings manufacturer can both look back on long histories with numerous parallels. Over the course of 130 years, Keramik Laufen has developed from a brick and tile factory into one of the world's leading manufacturers of highest-quality sanitary ceramics.

Equally impressive is Similor's story, which began all the way back in 1846 when Henri Jean Charles Kugler opened a small foundry atelier in Lausanne, producing brass products and oil and petroleum lamps. Eight years later, he founded the Kugler company, eventually becoming the first Swiss firm to enter the fledgling business of water and gas fittings.

As sister companies within the Roca Group, the two companies have continued to prove themselves as visionaries in the industry, a fact embodied in the LAUFEN Forum exhibition building in Laufen in the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft, which first opened in 2009.

The merger of well known Similor brands like arwa, Similor Kugler and Sanimatic with LAUFEN allows for continued optimisation in the development and production of perfectly coordinated collections for bathrooms, high-quality kitchen fittings as well as durable elements for public spaces.

The familiar names and reliable values remain unchanged in tribute to the preferences of its loyal clients around the world. What also remain are the brands' wide breadth of offerings – comprehensive designs, finishes and innovative solutions. The prime purpose of the merger, however, is optimisation, both internally and externally.

‘This strategic decision strengthens our position as a Swiss, full-range bathroom supplier,’ explains Klaus Schneider, Managing Director of Keramik Laufen AG and Similor AG: ‘The unified brand identity simplifies our customer approach and the clarity of our large assortment of fittings.’

This new focus, which will also benefit the international market, is supported by investments made by this future-oriented company. This includes its own PVD coating plant in order to be able to offer more capacity when it comes to the emerging trend of coloured fittings.

As of now, the wafer-thin, crystalline layer that refines metallic surfaces can be created by Laufen in numerous colours and in high-gloss, silk-matt or brushed looks, and the new facility – which cost a cool 2.2 million Swiss francs – will be able to facilitate increasing customer demand.

The heart of the company continues to beat in its namesake town of Laufen. In addition to the production facilities for ceramics and fittings, the training centre and the LAUFEN Forum exhibition are located in Basel-Landschaft. Here, the Swiss company combines history and the future to continue the story – as the reliable premium brand LAUFEN. The basis remains the combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern production facilities, local culture and a cosmopolitan outlook, sustainability and vision.

© Architonic