Adolf Bühler also Adolf Bühler-Naef[1] (/bɒɒhlər/ boo-hler August 11, 1822 - October 20, 1896) was a Swiss industrialist and philanthropist. In 1860, Bühler founded an iron foundry, bearing his name, which would evolve into Bühler Group, a leading technology concern with over 140 locations worldwide.[2] He is the patriarch of the Bühler family which has an estimated net worth of CHF 3.5-4 billions (2022).[3][4]
Adolf Bühler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Adolf Bühler August 11, 1822 |
| Died | October 22, 1896 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Occupation(s) | Industrialist, iron founder, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founding and leading Bühler Group |
| Spouse |
Maria Seline Naef
(m. 1868; died 1896) |
| Children | 5, including Adolf Jr. |
Early life and education edit
Bühler was born August 11, 1822, in Feldbach, Switzerland the fifth of fifteen children born to Hans Caspar Bühler. His parents were wealthy and owned a large farm, a mill and a fruit press business.[5] In 1842, he completed an apprenticeship in the iron foundry of Caspar Aeppli in Rapperswil and with Sulzer in Winterthur.[6] After his apprenticeship he gained experience abroad while working in Graz, Trieste, Venice and Milan.[7]
Career edit
When Bühler returned to Switzerland, he already had plans to start his own iron foundry and was looking for opportunities to build. Through the station manager of the Flawil station, he received the tip that there was a plot for sale in the hamlet of Gupfen (which would later become Uzwil) directly on the Uze river which would be optimal for energy production. Also there was a direct train connection through the St. Gall-Appenzell Railway which had been founded three years prior in 1857.
There was also a huge advantage and potential clients of the St. Gallen embroidery industry. There were two larger manufacturing companies which would subsequently become clients of Bühler. On February 10, 1860, he opened his iron foundry under his own name and with two employees. His first client were the Benninger Brothers (manufacturers of textile manufacturing machinery) who also sold him land for his foundry location.[8][9]
Personal life edit
In 1868, Bühler married Maria Seline Naef, who was 22 years his junior. She was the only daughter of the mayor of Herisau Abraham Naef. Her grandfather was Mathias Naef, textile manufacturer in Uzwil. They had five sons;
- Gustav Adolf Bühler Jr. (October 10, 1869 - March 19, 1939), who would also service in the Grand Council of St. Gallen[10]
- Robert Bühler (1872-1916)[11]
- Otto Bühler (December 5, 1874 - August 12, 1946), an attorney[12]
- Friedrich Theodor Bühler (1877-1915)[13]
- Walter Bühler (1888-1969)[14]
Adolf Bühler died unexpectedly on October 20, 1896, from a cardiac paralysis. At the time of his death the Bühler company employed over 600 people and had subsidiaries in several foreign countries.[15]
References edit
- ^ "Base de données des élites suisses | Bühler-Naef, Adolf (1822 - 1896)". www2.unil.ch. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Bühler feiert 150-Jahr-Jubiläum". St. Galler Tagblatt (in German). 2010-02-10. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ Hochreutener, Luca (2022-11-24). "Das sind die sechs reichsten Ostschweizerinnen und Ostschweizer 2022". St. Galler Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Bilanz 300 Reichste 2022: Familie Bühler | BILANZ". Handelszeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Bühler, Adolf". hls-dhs-dss.ch (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Pfleghard & Haefeli" (PDF). danielwalser.com (in German).
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF) (in German). 2013-05-27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-27. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Bühler Group | Über uns". www.buhlergroup.com (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Bühler (Familie, ZH, Hombrechtikon)". hls-dhs-dss.ch (in German). Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Base de données des élites suisses | Bühler-Forter, Adolf (1869 - 1939)". www2.unil.ch. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Base de données des élites suisses | Bühler, Robert (1872 - 1916)". www2.unil.ch. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Base de données des élites suisses | Bühler, Otto (1874 - 1946)". www2.unil.ch. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Base de données des élites suisses | Bühler, Friedrich Theodor (1877 - 1915)". www2.unil.ch. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ "Base de données des élites suisses | Bühler, Walter (1888 - 1969)". www2.unil.ch. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
- ^ NZZ am Sonntag: Kein Brot ohne Bühler, 15. April 2012, S. 38ff (in German)