- Product Milestones and
- some History Papers
- Milestones of Technology and
- Important People and
- History of the Buildings and
- Milestones of Kern & Co. Aarau and
- How old is my Kern instrument
and of course the :
Milestones in the story of Wild Heerbrugg AG 1921 - 1990
Date |
Action
/ Milestones |
official
Link / Logo |
26. April 1921 |
Foundation
of Heinrich Wild, Werkstätte für
Feinmechanik und Optik |
|
30. April 1923 |
new
name: Verkaufsaktiengesellschaft Heinrich Wild |
|
1923 |
new
name: Verkaufs-Aktiengesellschaft Heinrich Wild's
Geodätische Instrumente |
|
1937 |
new
Logo |
|
1954 |
Foundation
of Wild Heerbrugg AG |
|
1971 |
50 year anniversary / new
Logo |
|
1972 |
Cooperation Wild Heerbrugg AG and Ernst Leitz
Wetzlar GmbH |
|
1974 |
new
Logo |
|
1986 |
Acquisition
of Leitz Wetzlar (including Leica Camera business) |
|
1. January 1987 |
Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and Wild Heerbrugg AG
merge to form the Wild Leitz group |
|
13.May 1988 |
takeover
of Kern & Co. AG, Aarau
(see Milestones of Kern & Co.
Aarau here) |
|
1. January 1989 |
Changing
the name from Wild Heerbrugg AG to Wild
Leitz AG |
|
16. August 1989 |
First
information about the merger with Cambridge Instrument |
|
2. April 1990 |
The
merger of Wild Leitz Holding AG with the Cambridge Instrument Company
plc creates the new Leica Holding B.V. group |
|
|
The successors of Wild
Heerbrugg: |
|
|
. |
|
1994 |
Buyout
of the Plotter business to |
|
1994 |
Acquisition of civilian GPS businesses from
Magnavox |
|
1996 |
Leica Camera GmbH is transformed into a public
company. Now
the company is called Leica Camera AG |
|
1997 |
Foundation
of the international Leica Microsystems Group |
|
1.
April 1997 |
The electronics manufacturing facilities in
Heerbrugg become an independent company, named Wiltronic
AG |
|
6.
October 1997 |
The optical manufacturing facilities in
Heerbrugg become an independent company, named Swissoptic
AG |
|
1997 |
Fondation
of LH Systems, LLC, a joint venture company
of Leica Geosystems AG (Heerbrugg,
Switzerland) and BAE SYSTEMS, Inc. (San
Diego, California, USA) for the photogrammetry and aerial camera
systems business |
|
1997 |
Leica
Group split into Leica Microsystems and Leica Geosystems: |
|
October
1997 |
new name for all wholly owned subsidiary
companies: |
|
1.
April 1998 |
Leica
Microsystems Group is
sold to a international investment group |
|
1.
April 1998 |
The mechanical
engineering facilities in Heerbrugg become an independent
company, named Polymeca AG |
|
3.September 1998 |
Investcorp,
the London-based international investment group, acquires Leica
Geosystems from the Dutch-based Lancet
Investments B.V., Rijswijk |
|
12. Juli 2000 |
Going public / Börsengang Leica
Geosystems Holding AG |
|
13.
July 2001 |
Leica Geosystems and the German company Berliner
Glas KG Herbert Kubatz GmbH & Co announced
on today that they have reached an agreement that Berliner Glas KG will
acquire a majority of the shares of SwissOptic AG,
today a 100% daughter company of Leica Geosystems. |
|
19. Feb. 2001 |
Acquisition of Cyra Technologies Inc., San
Ramon, CA, USA |
|
27. April 2001 |
Acquisition
of ERDAS, Inc., Atlanta, GA, USA |
|
27. April 2001 |
Acquisition
of remaining 50% of LH Systems, San Diego, CA, USA |
|
25.
July 2001 |
Acquisition
of Laser Alignment, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI, USA |
|
1. April 2002 |
The former business unit “Defense
& Special Projects” in Heerbrugg will
become an independent daughter company of Leica Geosystems AG as of 1stApril
2002 , named Leica Vectronix AG 3.Feb 2003: acquisition of Leica
Vectronix AG from the French high-technology defense
and communications group SAGEM |
|
3. Feb. 2003 |
Escatec, a Swiss owned and Malaysia based contract
manufacturer for electronic and mechatronic products, will acquire a
75% interest in Wiltronic AG and Leica Geosystems will maintain a
minority investment of 25%. |
|
8.
Dez. 2003 |
Acquisition
of Tritronics Pty in Brisbane, Australia |
|
2004 |
Divestment
of remaining 25% interest in Swissoptics and Escatec (Wiltronics) |
|
5
July 2005 |
Leica
Geosystems Expands Headquarters for the Americas and acquires
Terramatics Systems Inc. Heerbrugg,
Switzerland, July 5, 2005 – Leica Geosystems (SWX: LGSN), the
world leader in spatial information technologies, expands its North
American headquarters in metropolitan Atlanta. At the same time, Leica
Geosystems announces the acquisition of Terramatics Inc., active in the
inertial positioning industry. The acquisition further strengthens the
expertise of Leica Geosystems’ Geospatial Imaging division. |
|
13.
June to |
Takover
from Hexagon AB, Sweden : Leica Geosystems Welcomes Clarification of
Future Ownership 26 September 2005 Heerbrugg, Switzerland – Today, after
the expiration of the initial acceptance period, Hexagon AB published
the preliminary interim results of its offer for all outstanding shares
of Leica Geosystems. The preliminary results confirm that Hexagon has
received acceptances in relation to 1’748’585
shares, representing 71.30 percent of the issued share capital. Leica
Geosystems welcomes the fact that the future ownership of the Company
will soon be resolved. .... Leica
Geosystems Holdings Ltd: Results of the Extraordinary
Shareholders’ Meeting 18
November 2005 At
the extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, the shareholders
have taken note of the resignation of all current Board members and the
shareholders present, including Hexagon AB, have granted discharge to
all resigning members of the Board of Directors. Representatives of
Hexagon AB have been elected as new members of the Board of Directors:
Ola Rollén (CEO of Hexagon AB), Håkan
Halén (CFO of Hexagon AB) and Urs Brügger (attorney
and previous secretary of the Board of Directors). Moreover, Ernst
& Young Ltd, Zurich, has been elected as new auditors of Leica
Geosystems Holdings Ltd. |
|
|
See
what the Swiss TV send about this merger: 13.06.2005,
Tagesschau, SF 1 (21kb) Übernahmekampf
um Leica Geosystems Der
Vermessungstechnikkonzern Leica Geosystems ist
mit einem Übernahmeversuch des schwedischen Hexagon-Konzerns
konfrontiert. Für 1,1 Milliarden Franken soll das Heerbrugger
Unternehmen die Besitzer wechseln. Der
Leica-Verwaltungsrat lehnte das Angebot ab. 13.06.2005,
10vor10, SF1 (17kb) Übernahme-Angebot
für Leica Nach
der traditionsreichen Schweizer Vermessungsfirma Leica Geosystems
greifen jetzt die Schweden. Und zwar die schwedische Firma Hexagon, die
selber stark in der Vermessungstechnik ist. 17.06.2005,
10vor10, SF1 (19kb) Kurznachrichten Justizminister
Christoph Blocher will in seinem Departement 116 Stellen abbauen. /
IKRK-Präsident Jakob Kellenberger hat heute die Kritik aus den
USA zurückgewiesen, das IKRK handle gegen US-Interessen. /
Der Verwaltungsrat von Leica Geosystems will definitv
nicht mit dem Schwedischen Hexacon-Konzern fusionieren. 26.07.2005,
Tagesschau, SF 1 (19kb) Verlockendes
Angebot für Leica Geosystems Im
Übernahmekampf um den Vermessungstechnikkonzern Leica
Geosystems gibt es eine überraschende Wende. Der US-Konzern
Danaher überbietet das Angebot der
schwedischen Hexagon. 26.07.2005,
10vor10, SF1 (19kb) Grosses
Interesse an Leica Geosystems Lawrence
Culp, Chef des amerikanischen Mischkonzerns Danaher,
will das traditionsreiche Unternehmen Leica Geosystems kaufen. An
der heutigen Pressekonferenz bekräftige Culp, dass Leica
Geosystems und Danaher sich perfekt ergänzen. Bis anhin lag
eine Offerte der schwedischen Firma Hexagon auf dem Tisch. Doch Culps
Gebot liegt rund 14 Prozent höher. 15.08.2005,
Tagesschau, SF 1 (21kb) Hexagon
bietet mehr Die
schwedische Hexagon hat ihr Übernahmeangebot für
Leica Geosystems überraschend erhöht. Neu will sie
1,44 Mrd. Fr. hinblättern, 31 Prozent mehr als im ersten
Angebot versprochen wurde. 23.09.2005,
Tagesschau, SF 1 (21kb) Leica
wird schwedisch Die
Schweizer Vermessungstechnik-Firma Leica Geosystems ist auf das
Kauf-Angebot der schwedischen Hexagon
eingegangen. |
|
24
May 2006 |
Leica
Geosystems expands further into Machine Automation by Acquisition of
Scanlaser Scanlaser
AB, Sweeden and Scanlaser AS, Norway have
a combined turnover of approximately 120 MSEK and over the last years
have shown an average growth of about 35 percent per annum. The
companies’ results will be consolidated from 1 May 2006 and
will immediately contribute to Hexagon’s and Leica
Geosystems’ earnings. |
|
8
Sept. 2006 |
Continued Expansion into Construction by
Acquisition of Mikrofyn On 8 September 2006, Hexagon and Leica
Geosystems announced the acquisition of Mikrofyn A/S
in Denmark. The company is one of Europe’s leading
suppliers of machine automation and laser levelling and alignment
equipment for the building construction and civil engineering
industries. Mikrofyn’s product range consists of a portfolio
of automatic and manual machine control systems for excavators,
graders, dozers and paving machines, as well as a broad basket of laser
rotators, laser receivers and pipe lasers. |
|
13
April 2007 |
Hexagon continues the expansion within machine
automation Hexagon, the parent company of Leica
Geosystems, has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding
shares of the French companies D&P Systems
and Topolaser System s.a.s. |
|
10
May 2007 |
Hexagon acquires leading catalogue distribution
company in the US Hexagon, the parent company of Leica
Geosystems, has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding
shares of the American company Allen Precision
Equipment, Inc. (www.allenprecision.com). Allen Precision is
primarily a catalogue company that represents several major suppliers
and sells surveying equipment and related supplies to engineers,
surveyors, contractors and government agencies. |
|
16
May 2007 |
Hexagon acquires leading construction laser
company in France Hexagon, the parent company of Leica
Geosystems, has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding
shares of the French group of companies GAMFI
International (GAMFI group). The
GAMFI group is a global leading provider of laser tools and
instrumentation that operates under different brands such as AGL,
QBL and AGATEC. Its own research and development and
manufacturing sites span from the USA, Europe and China. |
|
08
Oct. 2007 |
Hexagon to acquire leading GNSS provider
NovAtel Inc. Hexagon AB (STO:HEXA B) and NovAtel Inc
(NASDAQ:NGPS) have entered into a definitive agreement under which
Hexagon has agreed to acquire all the outstanding shares of NovAtel for
USD 50 per share. NovAtel is a leading provider of precision
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) components and subsystems.
NovAtel develops quality OEM products including receivers, enclosures,
antennas and firmware that are integrated into high precision
positioning applications worldwide. These applications include
surveying, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping, precision
agriculture machine guidance, port automation, mining, timing and
marine industries. NovAtel's reference receivers are also at the core
of national aviation ground networks in the USA, Japan, Europe, China
and India. NovAtel recorded sales of CAD 77.6 million and
net income of CAD 21.5 million in 2006. Hexagon expects that NovAtel's
organic revenue growth will be approximately 20 per cent per year.
NovAtel is based in Calgary, Canada and has about 300 employees
worldwide. Background and reasons for the transaction
NovAtel has a long standing partnership with Hexagon's subsidiary,
Leica Geosystems, focused on the development of high-precision GNSS
technologies. NovAtel has been a core supplier
of these technologies to Leica Geosystems since 2002. The combination of Hexagon and NovAtel will add
new applications to the Hexagon product portfolio and give Hexagon
access to technologies applicable to new high growth markets. |
|
21
Nov. 2007 |
Hexagon,
the parent company of Leica Geosystems, acquires all outstanding shares
in four companies; R&A Rost Vertriebs GmbH, R&A Rost
Produktions GmbH, both in Austria, Geopro Kft. in Hungary, and Junglas
GmbH in Germany. The two Rost companies, headquartered in
Vienna, are leading distributors and service providers for surveying
and construction equipment in Austria. Geopro is a leading distributor
for surveying and construction equipment in Hungary based in Budapest.
Junglas is a German
distributor for construction and machine control equipment located in
Münster. |
|
2008 |
Acquisition
of: This
page will not be updated anymore ....from 2008 onwards |