History

Sefar History
The family-owned company Sefar looks back on a 190-year-old, eventful history.
1830 – The start
H. Bodmer hires Pierre A. Dufour to start producing silk bolting cloth for the sieving of flour.
In 1833 P.A. Dufour starts his own company in Thal (Dufour & Co). First business trip of P.A. Dufour to the United States in 1835.
In the next decades, the company employs up to 700 weavers.
1842 – Turning point
Death of Pierre A. Dufour. His wife Anna Joséphine Dufour-Onofrio takes over the leadership of Dufour & Co.
1850 to 1899 – Boom years
Rival weaving firms are being founded in Zurich and Eastern Switzerland.
1900 – First subsidiary
First subsidiary of Dufour & Co. founded in New York.
1907 – A wise step
Union between 6 Swiss manufacturers, grouping into one company and operating in two entities:
Schweiz. Seidengazefabrik, Thal (SST)
Schweiz. Seidengazefabrik, Zürich (SSZ)
1911 – Expansion of production
Weaving plant (Fabrique Lyonnaise de Soies à Bluter) opened in France.
1912 – Strong group complete
Züricher Beuteltuchfabrik (ZBF) joins the union. The union dominates the world market for silk bolting cloth.
Although a single legal entity, SSZ, SST and ZBF operate separately on the market.
1930 – Quantum leap 1
Hand-operated looms are gradually replaced by mechanical weaving machines.
1950 – Quantum leap 2
Synthetic yarn replaces silk.
1965 – Monofilaments in filtration
Silk has been continuously replaced by synthetic yarn.
Introduction of synthetic monofilament mesh for filtration applications.
1995 – Market orientation
SST, SSZ and ZBF merge to form Sefar, subdivided into 2 divisions:
Screen Printing & Filtration
The name Sefar derives from 'SEiden-FAbrikanten Réunion'.
The presence in Asia Pacific is being reinforced with subsidiaries in Thailand and Singapore.
1997 – Production in Asia
Weaving plant opened in Kabinburi / Thailand.
1998 ff. – Growth continues
Worldwide expansion by acquiring local distributors and by establishing subsidiaries.
Today – More production yet
Weaving plant opened in Sighisoara, Romania.
Expansion of weaving plant in Kabinburi, Thailand.