The world's smallest cam switch
History of Kraus & Naimer
Since the Beginning of 1907, Kraus & Naimer's Strategy has been Innovation and Customer Service.
Today, Kraus & Naimer employs some 900 people worldwide and manufactures around 4.3 Million switches per annum. The world's smallest cam switch has been designed according to the motto "We made it better, now let's make it even better".
Kraus & Naimer's global leadership is based on our products delivering the highest possible technical standard, uncompromising quality and our international presence. Qualified engineering and customer support consultancy, local stock and on-site assembly facilities guarantee quick and competent service.
Expansion
Between 1968 and 1970 an additional production facility was built in Weikersdorf, some 40 miles south of Vienna, and in 1989/1990 a state-of-the-art assembly facility was added; in 2013 the facility was roughly doubled in size.
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 Weikersdorf |
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| Since 1960, six more manufacturing sites were built around the world: |
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Kraus & Naimer Produktion GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany, est'd 1962 |
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Kraus & Naimer Production Ltd., Shannon, Ireland, 1973-2013 |
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Kraus & Naimer Production Ltd., Wellington, New Zealand, est'd 1978 |
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Kraus & Naimer Ind. e Com. Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil, est'd 1979 |
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Kraus & Naimer Production Inc., |
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Kraus & Naimer Kft., Pereszteg, Ungarn, est'd 2000 |
Foundation
Kraus & Naimer was founded in 1907, the first workshop being set up in the basement of the building in Wattgasse 53, Vienna. Electricity had just started to conquer the world, but switchgear as we know it today did not yet exist.
Lorenz Naimer, the founder and financier, and his partner Franz Kraus, enthusiastically launched the experiment to manufacture special electrical devices.
Established 1907
 Wattgasse 53 |
 World War ll |
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 Mr. Lorenz Naimer |
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By the early thirties, Kraus & Naimer had grown to 50 employees. In 1945, during the last days of World War II, the factory took a bomb hit in an air-raid and was heavily damaged. Mrs. Kraus perished in the shelter of the house.
Hubert Laurenz Naimer – The Pioneer
In 1946, Hubert Laurenz Naimer returned from war captivity to Vienna. A year later, after the death of his father, he had to quit his university studies in Graz to concentrate fully on rebuilding the company.
Thanks to his extraordinary abilities, the first modular cam switch was introduced shortly after and a global production and distribution network set up. After 57 years of hard and successful work, he passed away at the age of 82 on September 12, 2004.
Technical Innovation – Our Recipe for Success
Kraus & Naimer has pioneered many new developments. By the end of the twenties, we had already started to use the new material "Bakelite". The new "Bakelite switch" became known and accepted in the industry.
Modern tooling machines were bought in difficult economic and political situations.
The first modularly designed cam switch was introduced as early as 1949 and revolutionized switchgear technology, its characteristics influencing all subsequent designs.
Over the years, Kraus & Naimer has evolved as the undisputed market leader for cam switches and has established the standards for switch disconnectors. Based on numerous patents, the existing product line encompasses the global market place and offers technically and economically optimized solutions for virtually every application imaginable.
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Mr. Hubert Laurenz Naimer
Bakelite switch
1949 - Cam switch