SAPAL
Encyclopedia
SAPAL was a Swiss company founded in August 1906 by Jean-Jaques Kohler. Backed by a group of investors, this chocolate maker from Lausanne
, Switzerland
, had acquired the US patent for the “folding box” die-fold system, designed by Richard Berger, a German engineer, which enabled an envelope style of wrap around small chocolate blocks, and done in a single operation. The development and commercialization of this invention enabled fast rationalization in the packaging sectors of the food industry and more particularly, in the chocolate
industry.
In order to meet the growing and worldwide demand for automation, in 1963 SAPAL introduced the first packaging line linking the wrapping machines directly to the production process.
The premises in Lausanne became too small, so SAPAL moved in 1964 to a new factory in Ecublens
, on the outskirts of Lausanne, which is the present location of the company.
In 1989, SAPAL became a subsidiary of the SIG Pack Division of the SIG Group
and in July 2004, SIG Pack was acquired by the Bosch Packaging Technology Group
.
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, had acquired the US patent for the “folding box” die-fold system, designed by Richard Berger, a German engineer, which enabled an envelope style of wrap around small chocolate blocks, and done in a single operation. The development and commercialization of this invention enabled fast rationalization in the packaging sectors of the food industry and more particularly, in the chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
industry.
Diverse applications
SAPAL added its own technical design department in 1908 and a production facility in 1909. It diversified its product range to wrap not only chocolate tablets but also soup cubes (1909), tobacco packets (1910), pressed candies and soaps (1911), biscuits (1912), chewing gum (1913), aspirin cases (1926), ice cream (1927), photographic plates (1928) and pharmaceutical tablets (1929).In order to meet the growing and worldwide demand for automation, in 1963 SAPAL introduced the first packaging line linking the wrapping machines directly to the production process.
The premises in Lausanne became too small, so SAPAL moved in 1964 to a new factory in Ecublens
Ecublens, Vaud
Ecublens is a municipality in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Ouest Lausannois. It is a suburb of Lausanne and is served by the Lausanne metro line 1 and several bus lines. The nearest train station is Renens.- History :...
, on the outskirts of Lausanne, which is the present location of the company.
In 1989, SAPAL became a subsidiary of the SIG Pack Division of the SIG Group
Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft , or SIG, is the former name of SIG Holding AG, a Swiss company that has been active in various businesses during its more than 150 years of operation. Since the year 2000 the Society has undergone strategic refocus, concentrating on its core compentence in...
and in July 2004, SIG Pack was acquired by the Bosch Packaging Technology Group
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
.