H. Bodmer hires Pierre A. Dufour to start producing silk bolting cloth for the sieving of flour In 1833 P.A. Dufour starts his own company in Thal (Dufour & Co.) First business trip of P.A. Dufour to the United States in 1835 In the next decades the company employs up to 700 weavers.
1842: Turning point
Death of Pierre A. Dufour. His wife Anna Joséphine Dufour-Onofrio takes over the leadership of Dufour & Co.
1850-1899: Boom years
Rival weaving firms are being founded in Zurich and Eastern Switzerland
1900: First subsidiary
First subsidiary of Dufour & Co. founded in New York
1907: A wise step
Union between 6 Swiss manufacturers, grouping into one company and operating in two entities: Schweiz. Seidengazefabrik, Thal (SST) Schweiz. Seidengazefabrik, Zürich (SSZ)
1911: Expansion of production
Weaving plant (Fabrique Lyonnaise de Soies à Bluter) opened in France
1912: Strong group complete
Züricher Beuteltuchfabrik (ZBF) joins the union. The union dominates the world market for silk bolting cloth. Although a single legal entity, SSZ, SST and ZBF operate separately on the market.
1930: Quantum leap 1
Hand-operated looms are gradually replaced by mechanical weaving machines.
1950: Quantum leap 2
Synthetic yarn replaces silk.
1965: Monofilaments in filtration
Silk is continuously replaced by synthetic yarn. Introduction of synthetic monofilament mesh for filtration applications.
1995: Market orientation
SST, SSZ and ZBF merge to form Sefar, subdivided into 2 divisions: - Screen Printing - Filtration The name Sefar derives from "SEiden-FAbrikanten-Réunion" The presence in Asia Pacific is reinforced with subsidiaries in Thailand and Singapore.
1997: Production in Asia
Weaving plant opened in Kabinburi / Thailand
1998 ff.: Growth continues
Worldwide expansion by acquiring local distributors and by establishing subsidiaries.
Today: More production yet
Weaving plant opened in Sighisoara, Romania Expansion of weaving plant in Kabinburi, Thailand
