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The Wernli Group – A family-run company with a rich tradition

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The Wernli Group is a Swiss family business with headquarters in Rothrist, Aargau. Managed by the owner and independent since its foundation in 1932, we develop and produce medical and technical textiles. With competence, passion and worldwide presence.

We are committed to the European production location. A competitive advantage that is gaining importance continuously. Short transportation routes and supply chains are decisive success factors in today's geopolitical environment.

The origin of the Wernli Group lies with Wernli AG Rothrist, founded in 1932. Wernli AG, together with the subsidiaries BLN Qualitex and Wero Swiss Med Kft. in Hungary founded in 2017, form the current Wernli Group.

Established in 2017, the plant in Hungary is a high-performance production facility for dressing materials. Significant investment steps followed in the past years. Meanwhile, we are also the only bandage clip manufacturer in Europe. Sales and industry partners appreciate our high-quality, white and colored clips as single products or in rolls. 

The hygiene mask production set up in 2020 contributes to the security of supply in Switzerland and is sustainably utilized irrespective of the pandemic. We also develop and produce technical textiles for our subsidiariy BLN Qualitex in Rothrist. Hard-wearing belts and edging tapes, as well as special products for sports, work safety and the industry, are proof of our textile expertise.

Intro

Wernli Group

European manufacturer with a worldwide presence

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Wernli AG
Rothrist - CH

At our headquarters in Rothrist, we have been producing since 1932 sophisticated elastic bandages, bandage clips, surgical face masks and technical textiles on an area of 2,600 m2. Development, sales and administration are also located at the Wernli Group headquarters.

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Wero Swiss Med Kft.
Hajdúböszörmény - HU

The plant in Eastern Hungary near Debrecen is in the center of a medical textile industry rich in tradition. On a area of 4,000 m2, over 100 employees operate an efficient warping and weaving department as well as several finishing machines.

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Wero Swiss Americas, Inc. Christiansburg, VA - USA

The sales team in the United States began operations in 2015 and focuses on sales and marketing activities in the United States and Canada as well as in selected Latin American countries.  

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FACTS AND FIGURES

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Tons of yarn

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Meters of textile

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Surgical face masks

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Bandage clips

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Employees

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Production space

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HISTORY OF THE WERNLI GROUP

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1932

Company founded in Aarau

In the wake of the World War I, founder Jakob Wernli, like many other people, became unemployed. And so, at the age of 48, he decided to start his own business and employ the knowledge he had gained in the textile industry. He acquired a wooden tape loom, set it up in a living room in Aarau, Switzerland and used it to produce the first Wernli bandages.

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1941

Relocation to Rothrist

In 1941, Jakob Wernli moved all his looms into the old cotton mill in Rothrist, Gländ. By then, the factory had been empty for some time. The building was run-down, the turbine for hydroelectric power was worn out, and the walls were in need of renovation. Meanwhile, the small ribbon weaving mill has long since become a highly modern company that sells its products in all possible variations all over the world.

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1978

Successful product development

Wernli AG became known primarily for its colored dressings, which were presented for the first time at a medical trade fair in Zurich in 1978 and are now used worldwide. Since then, Wernli AG has developed very successfully. The fundamental reason for this has been the high quality of the products and many innovations. In addition to the colored dressings, Wernli AG is known for its cohesive and adhesive elasticated bandages. These products, together with the compression bandages, are the main product groups.

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2009

Takeover by Felix Schönle

Until 2009, the company was managed by Bernhard Wernli, the third generation of the family. Within the Wernli family, a succession was not possible and Bernhard Wernli decided to sell his company to Felix Schönle. Since then, the company has been managed by the new owners.

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2010

Launch of the «Wero Swiss» brand

Since 2010, the Wernli AG products have been sold not only as a private label but also very successfully under the company's own brand Wero Swiss®.

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2012

Founding of subsidiary WeroClip AG

In autumn 2012, the subsidiary, WeroClip AG, was founded. It took over five production lines from the company Johann Schwab Metallwarenfabrik GmbH in Hersbruck, Germany for the production of bandage clips.

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2015

Partnership with BLN Qualitex AG

In July 2015, Wernli AG entered into a partnership with BLN Qualitex AG. At the same time, BLN Qualitex AG took over the production of technical textile trimming ribbons from Kyburz & Co., Erlinsbach. All BLN Qualitex AG products are manufactured by Wernli AG and BLN Qualitex AG focuses on marketing its products.

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2015

Founding of Wero Swiss
Americas, Inc.

In 2015, sales activities overseas were intensified with the founding of the subsidiary Wero Swiss Americas, Inc. in Jupiter FL, USA. The focus is on servicing the North and Latin American markets.

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2017

Founding of Wero Swiss Med Kft.

In 2017, a new production site was opened in eastern Hungary under the company name Wero Swiss Med Kft. Since its foundation, the production facility in Hajdúböszörmény has been continuously expanded every year, so that since 2021 the largest part of the Wernli Group’s dressing material production is now located in Hungary. 

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2020

Establishment of own mask production

Driven by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, mask production with an extensive machinery was set up in Switzerland within a few months. Since then, the Wernli Group has been manufacturing Type II surgical face masks using exclusively European raw materials. At peak times, the company employed over 300 people and was thus able to contribute to Switzerland’s security of supply.