Marked by decisive political, economic and social turning points in Switzerland, Polytype’s history mirrors the development of the Swiss precision industry. As an indirect offshoot of WIFAG, a Bern-based company specializing in newspaper printing machines, Polytype was born of several decisive factors that coincided in Fribourg in the 1950s-1960s. At that time, the Swiss peasantry, mostly made up of very small farms, was gradually renewing itself in the industrial sector.
This new workforce became workers to keep pace with and support the economic and social developments of the time, and joined Polytype, which was officially founded in 1962. The year in which the company marketed its first tube printing machine with its historic dry offset printing technology. The following year, Polytype strengthened its industrial position with the launch of an innovative cup printing machine.
In 1990, Polytype made a decisive move by acquiring American Production Machinery. This strategic move was made with a view to establishing a foothold in the American market, and at the same time opening the door to Latin America.
A strategy that paid off, as the group’s American entity, now known as Polytype America Corp, continues to reinforce the group’s controlled international reach.
Continuing its expansion strategy, this time in additional printing technologies, Polytype acquired the German company Mall + Herlan in 1995. This move enabled the company to benefit from additional know-how, particularly in the field of metal packaging.
The takeover also led to the creation of promising new synergies with its historic Fribourg site. The latter supplies its new German partner with certain units on its production lines. A synergy that underlines the organic and integrative nature of the Group’s commercial and technological development.
The 2000s marked a major milestone for Polytype with the establishment of Polytype Asia Pacific in Thailand in 2006. This expansion strengthened the company’s presence in Asia while optimizing key manufacturing and sourcing processes.
Today, Polytype benefits from a global footprint spanning Switzerland, the United States, and Asia, combining local expertise with an efficient international supply chain. This balanced approach supports competitiveness while ensuring sustainable and controlled growth.
If the industry of printing on tubes, cups and other containers remains for the moment firmly attached to historical industrial processes, such as dry offset printing, digital processes are developing in parallel. A slow evolution but which, gently but surely, should one day establish itself in the industry.
With this in mind, Polytype reinvests a significant portion of the profits it generates in research and development in the field of digital technologies. Enough, when it will prove necessary, to make a rapid strategic shift towards these new modes of production.
Polytype’s success is built not only on industrial and technological excellence, but also on a strong corporate culture founded on respect and trust. Established by Ursula Wirz after the Second World War, these values continue to guide the company today.
This commitment extends beyond business performance, reflected in the training of more than 1,100 apprentices since the 1960s, employee well-being initiatives, and progressive workplace practices. Among the first Swiss companies to introduce flexible working schedules based on trust, Polytype remains a major economic and social contributor in the region.
Welcome to a world of exciting possibilities at Polytype! We believe in fostering a dynamic and inclusive workplace where talent thrives, innovation sparks, and careers flourish.
Ready to get in touch? Whether you have questions, feedback, or partnership inquiries, we’re here to listen. Let’s start a conversation that leads to possibilities.
//polytype is the Swiss expert in conventional and digital packaging decoration, providing advanced printing and manufacturing solutions for packaging.