| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Chemical Industry |
| Founded | 1910, Switzerland |
| Founder(s) | Kaspar Winkler |
| Headquarters | Baar, Zug, Switzerland |
| Area served | Fully owned subsidiaries in over 70 countries |
| Key people | Jan Jenisch (CEO) Walter Grüebler (President of the Board) |
| Revenue | US$ 4,7 billion (2010) |
| Net income | US$ 332.8 million (2010) |
| Employees | 13 482 (2010) |
| Divisions | Construction Industry |
| Website | sika.com |
Contents |
Sika AG is a company headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. The company operates in two business areas:
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Sika has today subsidiaries in 74 countries and employs 13.482 employees (2010) and achieved annual sales of CHF 4.4 billion (2010). Besides the brand Sika, more than 600 brands are in use including Sikaflex®, Sika ViscoCrete® and SikaBond®. Sika AG is the legal entity for the holding company, which includes the Sika organisations worldwide, Sika Technology AG (Research and Development) and Sika Services AG (Corporate functions supporting the all organizations worldwide).
Sika is active in processing materials used in sealing, bonding, damping, reinforcing and protecting load-bearing structures. Sika’s product range includes concrete admixtures, specialty mortars, sealants and adhesives, damping and reinforcing materials, structural strengthening systems, industrial flooring as well as roofing and waterproofing systems. Sika’s adhesive solutions replace older technologies such as bolting, riveting and welding.
| Competencies | |
|---|---|
| Sealing/Bonding | Reduction of the infiltration of gases and liquids through
Resistance to temperature fluctuations, aging and vibration for
Coverage of permanent, elastic and structurally continuous connection of different materials. The processes are used to bond
|
| Damping | Reduction of vibration of all frequencies in fixed and moving objects as
|
| Reinforcing | Improvement of the resistance to static and dynamic loads. Applications range from
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Winkler’s first inventions were agents to protect and clean granite (Conservado, Purigo) and a waterproofing agent for mortars. This waterproofing agent named Sika-1 is still sold today. His construction chemicals were not successful especially not during World War I.
In Southern Germany a subsidiary with its own, small-scale manufacturing facility was founded. Leadership capacity and connections were insufficient for determined expansion. By hiring a Director for Foreign Operations who cared about the Sika operations, more subsidiaries were founded in England, Italy, and France.
The Swiss Federal Railways ran successful trials using Sika to waterproof the tunnels of the Gotthard section. This became necessary so that electric trains could be used as well. The Swiss National Railways waterproofed 67 tunnels with Sika during the following years, which was Sika’s breakthrough, as it represented Sika’s first big reference project, a true landmark.
Before World War II Fritz Schenker, Winkler’s son-in-law pushed the expansion in Europe, North- and South America and in Asia.
Romuald Burkardtook over the leadership of the group of companies which by 1968 had become a single integral corporate structure with Sika Finanz AG. Subsequently, Sika was listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange.
1990s were not an easy decade for Sika AG. The solution to survive the difficult times was achieved by withdrawing from less lucrative, non-core businesses, such as the building of robots used to restore sewer lines. Sika also abandoned the manufacture of road building products. Sika cam close to selling its sealing membranes business to Sarnafil.
Sika summarizes its core competencies as follows: sealing, bonding, damping, reinforcing and protecting.
The Dubai Metro’s first line was inaugurated. The second line is scheduled to begin by operating in 2011. There are 58.7km of overground track in tunnels clad with 53000 prefabricated tubbing elements.
Worldwide celebrations at the different subsidiaries with the attendance of the owner family, active and retired Senior Managers, and others. On the threshold of its 100-year anniversary, Sika starts running the platform Sika Experiences which promotes internships and enables students and young professionals insights into this industry.
Paul Hälg, CEO of the Dätwyler Gruppe, is nominated as president of the Board of Directors of Sika AG. Jan Jenisch has been nominated to take over the CEO position from Ernst Bärtschi upon his retirement on January 1, 2012.
Numerous acquisitions and growth complicate to keep track of the Sika group. More concise and clear information had become necessary. The name Sika Finanz AG leads to a continuous misunderstanding, getting continuously mixed up with a financial institute.
Negatively, these adaptions cut the cord that had been holding together the headquarters and the group. Sika Switzerland AG became a regular subsidiary without any special functions..
Sika Taiwan is suspected of failing to inform the Taipei City Government of a product recall in January by the manufacturer’s US Sika USA in 2002. As a consequence Walter Grüebler (CEO between 2000 and 2004) decided that Sika subsidiaries have to pay superfluous resources to the holding company.
A newly developed flooring product was not performing as expected and created a massive claim avalange in Germany in 1990. Besides the image damage Sika was confronted with an avalange of claims for millions of Swiss Francs. This triggered the introduction of a structured development and roll-out process.