Company

We solve our customers’ challenges with know-how, innovation and passion.

Management

The Executive Management of Fein-Elast Holding AG

The Fein-Elast Group is structured as a holding company, bringing together several independent entities under a shared strategic umbrella. Operational management is carried out within the respective business units, while the holding company ensures group-wide alignment and coordination.

Bernd Grabher

Member of the management board

Christian Rösch

Member of the management board

Urmas Mägi

Member of the management board

History

Five covering machines became a European group

1966

How it all started

Im Jahre 1966 beteiligte sich der Vorarlberger Unternehmer Wilhelm Grabher an der Miederfabrik Werner Blatter OHG in Lustenau. Im gleichen Jahr wurde das gemeinsame Unternehmen Blatter & Grabher OHG gegründet, bestehend aus fünf Umwindemaschinen und einigen Rundstrickmaschinen. Das Unternehmen beschäftigte damals 25 Mitarbeiter und belieferte die umliegende Region. Der Siegeszug der elastischen Strumpfhose mit der Faser LYCRA® in feineren Garnstärken belebte die Modeszene. Die Nachfrage nach umwundenen Garnen stieg rapide an, so dass im Jahr 1973 der Umzug in ein neues Gebäude notwendig wurde. Nach der Übernahme des gesamten Unternehmens durch Wilhelm Grabher wurde der Firmenname auf Fein-Elast Umwindewerk GmbH mit Sitz in Lustenau/Österreich geändert.

1976

Growth and modernisation

The strong business sense of the managing directors Wilhelm Kurt Grabher and Reinhart Schneider allowed the company to grow and expand. As early as 1976, the company Fein-Elast Grabher AG was founded with headquarters in Diepoldsau, Switzerland. In the following years, additional locations were established and expanded in Austria and Switzerland. New technologies such as air interlacing and specialities such as Knit-de-Knit processes for the production of fancy yarns for striking designs were added. After the death of Wilhelm Grabher in 1986, the company passed into the equal ownership of the Grabher and Schneider families and is now run by the third generation.

1991

International expansion

For strategic reasons, Fein-Elast Umspinnwerk GmbH was established in 1991 in Zeulenroda, Thuringia, Germany, as the first production facility in the EU. At the time, this was an essential step towards ensuring the Fein-Elast Group’s competitiveness in the European market. In this new company, the product range was decisively expanded with Hamel Elasto Twist machines, and an additional market segment was served with weaving. As part of a new strategic alignment, the German site was later closed and its processes integrated into our Swiss operations. Against the background of being able to serve the Eastern European market more intensively and closer to the customer, investments were made in the Estonian location in 1994. Fein-Elast Estonia OÜ is now our largest production site for fine hosiery yarns. Another milestone in the history of the company was the construction of the spinning mill in Triebes, Germany, in 1999. With the formerly registered trademarks cotton star® and elasto star®, customers were offered the finest Corespun and Sirospun qualities for the highest textile demands.

2002

Restructuring in the holding

In order to further strengthen the company’s presence on the market, on 30.07.2002 the individual companies were merged into Fein-Elast Holding AG, based in Lustenau, Austria. The aim of this restructuring was to better coordinate the activities of the business units, to promote team-oriented action among the employees and to make better use of synergy effects within the group. Today, the individual entities operate independently within their respective markets, embedded in the Group’s overarching strategic framework.

Sustainability

Committed to the region and its people

In the field of pre-consumer as well as post-consumer standards we pay close attention to using resources sparingly and protecting the environment. We therefore process yarns made from recycled fishing nets or PET bottles and produce compostable as well as biodegradable yarns.

We generate electricity for our production with our own photovoltaic systems. With the Stadtbrücke power plant in Lichtensteig, which went on line in 2013, we produce around three million kilowatt hours of clean electricity each year. The waste heat generated in production is recovered and used as heating energy.

Unser Engagement lassen wir regelmäßig überprüfen und mit Zertifikaten belegen, etwa jenem der Energie-Agentur der Wirtschaft. Mehr zum Kraftwerk auf kwsb.ch.

Mission statement

Mission, vision and attitude

Our mission

With our highly functional yarns and twisted yarns we create the basis for the comfort and function of modern textiles. The highest quality standards, partnership-based relationships with customers and suppliers as well as reliable service are the basic principles thanks to which we continuously expand our position.

Our vision

As an internationally leading manufacturer of elastic and inelastic yarns and twisted yarns, we support our customers in solving their product-specific challenges. We are a driver of innovation and a pioneer in the development and further development of functional, aesthetic and flexible fabrics.

Attractive

Our guiding principle “Everything that attracts” applies to our product range just as much as to the relationship with our customers. For them we want to be attractive through performance, expertise and commitment.

High-quality

The highest quality standards, partnership-based relationships and reliable service are basic principles for us, thanks to which we continuously expand our market-leading position.

Functional

With our elastic yarns we create the basis for the comfort and functionality of your fabrics and thus for freedom of movement and well-being.

Over the past decades we have continuously expanded our capabilities so that we can be an indispensable and valuable partner for our customers.

Bernd Grabher, Mitglied der Unternehmensleitung

Certificates

Tested and documented quality

The quality of our products is continuously certified by recognised bodies. If you need the certificates in print quality, please request them from your supplier.