Can you believe it? This year Digmesa already had its 40th anniversary. On May 5, 2023 Digmesa held an open house with a crowd of guests to celebrate the company's success.
In the past 40 years Digmesa has reached some milestones and experienced many unforgettable moments. Read about what exactly.
1 Digmesas management at the groundbreaking ceremony
2 CEO Stefan Schneider and founder Heinz Plüss at the construction site
3 Celebrating the completion of the expansion
4 Our 40th anniversary celebration
Celebration - 2018-2023
In 2019, the groundbreaking ceremony for our new building took place. We had planned this on the one hand to expand, but also to spatially connect the two sister companies Digmesa and Digmesa Polyform.Two years later, in 2021, the expansion of the building was completed and Digmesa AG was now locally joined with Digmesa Polyform AG.
Arriving in 2023, we celebrate our 40th anniversary and look back on our entire history. In May, we also celebrated the housewarming in the new building as well as its anniversary with family, friends, customers and partners. To conclude the celebrations, we took a short trip to Amsterdam in June this year together with all employees.
We are incredibly happy about the last four decades and are excited about what the future holds. Without our employees, partners, customers, family and friends, Digmesa AG would not be the company it is today.
Changes – 2013-2018
In 2013 the Digmesa Systems Holding AG acquired the Polyform Kopp AG and subsequently renamed it to Digmesa Polyform AG. Still today, Digmesa Polyform AG is our sister company. Digmesa Polyform AG manufactures high-precision plastic parts. We are supplied with these and can manufacture our flowmeters from them. Through the takeover we could secure our production and internalize processes. Just one year later, we founded the Digmesa US Corporation. This enabled us to expand our business to America and contest the market there.
After 34 years, Heinz Plüss decided to retire from the operational business in 2017. He handed over the management to Stefan Schneider, who had already worked at Digmesa AG as head of development for 15 years.
In the same year, we also received an environmental certification according to ISO 14001. At the end of this era, we had 110'000'000 flowmeters total sales and reached an annual turnover of 20 million.
1 Information on the takeover of the Polyform Kopp AG
2 Digmesa Polyform AG's production hall today
3 Our first ISO 14001 certificate issued in 2017
1 Trip to Paris
2 Digmesa in Paris
3 Exhibition stand at the HOST Milano in 2009
A quarter century – 2007-2012
Together with customers, partners and employees, Digmesa AG, already celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008. In addition, the entire company traveled to Paris to celebrate the success together. It was a blast! We visited tourist attractions and had a lot of laughs looking back at the past.
That same year, more space had to be created: A 3rd floor was added to the company building, which had been built 10 years earlier.
We also started participating in more trade fairs such as Drinktec, HOST, and BrauBeviale.
In 2010, the Heinz Plüss Foundation was finally founded by Heinz Plüss, to which all shares of Digmesa were transferred. This ensures that his life's work is preserved and that the personal values are kept maintained in the management and operation of the company. Digmesas core values to this day are integrity, reliability, commitment and courage.
Solidity – 2001-2006
After 20 years in business, Digmesa started being solid in the market. Over time we became an integral part of the industry. And we kept going!
We produced more and more flowmeters for our growing range of customers. Some of which are now our cherished longtime business partners! In order to meet all our customers' needs, we implemented the first FHKSC automatic production machine in 2001. Thus, our FHKSC could be produced and delivered in even larger quantities and shorter waiting times. We also created a new online presence with a brand new website, so we stayed up-to-date.
Later in this era we even reached the mark of 10'000'000 total flowmeters sold. At the time of the foundation it would have been incredibly hard to believe we would ever reach this goal! We were filled with immense pride.
In 2004 the Digmesa Systems Holding AG was founded and the future was planned.
1 Closeup of the FHKSC automatic production machine
2 FHKSC automatic production machine
3 FHKSC flowmeter
4 Our website in 2001
1 New company building at Keltenstrasse 31, Ipsach
2 Article in the local newspaper
3 Workstations in the new building
4 Article in the local newspaper
5 Heinz Plus during the setup
Growth – 1995-2000
During this time period, Digmesa grew a lot.
In 1995 we optimized our organisation by introducing a first ERP-system into our workflows: this helped us make processes more efficiently.
3 years later, in 1988, we built a new company building and moved into it. Ever since then the Digmesa AG is located at Keltenstrasse 31 in Ipsach. In this new company building 30 workstations were created. In addition, we have also established a new sales offices in Ticino in the same year.
At the same time, we introduced lead-free brass in our production and therefore were able to create our first flowmeter with NSF approval. A year later we also received a ISO 9001 certification. A further accomplishment was the launch of a new flowmeter for household coffee machines.
Our sales were boosted and we were able to strengthen our positioning in the market. Digmesa had even bigger visions for the future.
Innovation and improvement – 1989-1994
After the first flowmeters were launched, Digmesa's top priority was to continuously improve its products and to optimize its production processes.
We have tried different variants of our flowmeters. For this purpose, we experimented with different components: We have tested various nozzles, O-rings or materials. Even today, we regularly tinker with new and more efficient solutions for our products in order to provide our customers with the most ideal results.
In 1990, Digmesa was able put the first rotary transfer machine into operation so that our popular FH Flowmeter could be produced even more efficiently.
1 Rotary transfer machine for the FH
2 Closeup of the rotary transfer machine
1 Heinz Plüss, Founder of Digmesa AG
2 The first location of the Digmesa AG: Diamantstrasse 14-16 in Biel
3 Indoor space at the Diamantstrasse
3 The first developed Flowmeter: FH
4 Patent for flow measurement
5 An old exhibition stand
The first steps – 1983-1988
In 1983 Digmesa's journey began: Heinz Plüss founded the Digmesa AG. Years earlier, in his garage in Schönbühl, he had been working on the idea of digitally measuring and dosing the amount of coffee. With the founding of the company, a great dream came true.
At that time, Digmesa AG was located at Diamantstrasse 14-16, in the center of Biel. Shortly after the foundation the first flowmeters could be sold. The very first flowmeter developed was our FH flowmeter, which is still being produced today.
Only a year later, in 1984, we were granted our first patent in the field of flow measurement and could also develop the first flowmeter made of plastic. Futhermore, we presented the world's first flowmeter for the measurement of beer, which is certified according to the German Purity Law.
Later, in 1988, we were able to establish our first own development department. This is still in operation today and consists of 6 employees. With the development department we were able to produce optimized flowmeters in the future and to develop continuously.
In the first years we also attended the first trade fairs and we have made a place for ourselves in the constantly growing market.
Do you want to know how the story continues? A new era is covered every month.
Sign up to our newsletter if you don't want to miss it.
