About Afag

Simple. Reliable. Innovative. A team to get excited about.

As a leading provider, Afag has been developing and producing components for assembly automation in the areas of feeding, handling and solutions for more than 65 years. Afag has made it its target to use state-of-the-art technologies and innovative solutions to meet the high demands of the global automation industry. Thousands of handling modules as well as feeding and transport systems sold by Afag represent the very good quality and reliability of our products.

We have more than 300 employees in our subsidiaries in Switzerland, Germany, China and the USA. There, we produce solutions that are used in all producing industries: From automotive to consumer goods, food, machines, medicine, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to the watchmaking industry.

Thanks to our sales partners in more than 30 countries, our customers around the world can enjoy professional consulting, planning and service.

Our Vision

Afag is the international specialist for high-quality automation components, sub-systems and services. Responsibility, partnership, movement and simplicity define our actions. We are proud when we succeed in providing sustaining benefits for our customers and the industry.

History

Started in 1956 Afag has become a truly global company.

Acquisition by Emerson Electric Co., Saint Louis Missouri, United States.

Sale transport systems

The Transport Systems business unit with the Linear Transfer System (LTS) and Linear Transport Module (LTM) product groups was sold to ID: Industrial Dynamics GmbH from Lößnitz, Germany, on 01 April 2023.

Official opening new building Afag Automation AG in Zell (LU)

New joint organization: Afag Engineering GmbH

The three Afag business units Afag Hardt GmbH, TBK GmbH and Technisches Büro Pöhler GmbH merge to become Afag Engineering GmbH.
The teams at the locations are the point of contact for all matters relating to handling systems, solutions and construction services.

eps becomes Afag Hardt GmbH

eps GmbH has been part of the Afag Group since 2013. As of January 1 2019, this affiliation will also be visible to the outside world: eps GmbH is changing its name to Afag Hardt GmbH.

TBK and TBP design offices expand the range of products on offer

With the acquisition of the design offices TBK GmbH and TBP GmbH, Afag is expanding its product range. The automation specialist can now also offer engineering services.

60 years of Afag Automation AG I 20 years of eps automation

eps GmbH celebrates its 20th anniversary, Afag Automation AG its 60th.

25 years of feeding technology in Amberg

In 2014, Afag celebrates 25 years of feeding technology in Amberg.

Cooperation with eps

As of 1 July 2013, eps GmbH was merged with the Swiss company Afag, known for quality and high precision, under the umbrella of the Afag Holding.

Acquisition by the Schaeff Group

In 2011, Feintool AG was restructured. As a consequence of this, the family-managed Schaeff group, headquartered in Schwäbisch Hall, was able to purchase Afag. The independent, now owner-managed company bundles its activities in the areas of handling, feeding and transport under the brand name of Afag.

Acquisition by Feintool AG

This year, Afag was acquired by Swiss company Feintool AG. The year before, the feeding technology specialist mhk from Amberg/Bavaria had already been acquired by Feintool AG. It has now merged with Afag. Afag thus "inherited" the vision of "industrially produced feeding technology" that had been consistently represented by mhk since 1992. Reproducible CAD/CAM-produced feeding solutions on the one hand, and control of vibrations on the other are still the elementary differentiating factors between Afag and its competition.

Reorganisation into 2 independent profit centres

In the subsequent years, Afag became established as an innovative manufacturer and delivery partner for handling and feeding technology that met the highest demands. The resulting self-confidence was also reflected in the logo of the market appearance of Afag at the time: "Afag - Your right hand in assembly automation".

Development of new technologies

IMA, with mhk as the sales company, started developing its own vibration conveyors and producing cut conveyor pots in Amberg in 1989.

Market introduction of the "Red modules“

This year, the decision was made to develop a modular standard program of handling units from the special machine constructor's handling pool into a construction kit. It was the birth of the red Afag handling modules.

Fabrication of assembly units

The first assembly units were built this year.

Fabrication of the first feeding

Afag started building the first spiral conveyors for the watchmaking industry in 1962. Just a few years later, it also produced complete feeding solutions that provide the small assembly parts in the correct position for further processing. Since there were no standardised manipulators for handling the fed parts on the market yet at that time, Afag developed those devices in-house as well.

At home in Switzerland.

Apparatefabrik AG - Afag - was founded in Huttwil in Switzerland in 1956. From an early stage, it focused on feeding and handling technology, as well as special machine construction.