History

The Helbling Group was founded by 
Max J. Helbling in 1963 and began as a 
two-man office in Zurich. Today Helbling 
is a leading engineering and consulting 
partner with a wealth of solid business 
and technology experience and a high 
level of expertise in delivering innovative 
solutions. The Helbling nexus consists 
of 621 employees with locations in 
Switzerland, Germany, Poland,  in the USA 
and China and cooperates with a range of 
international partners.

2000 - NOW

2023

60th anniversary of Helbling

Re-Branding - Innovating a sustainable future.

2022

With revenues of CHF 143.9 million, the Helbling Group achieved another record year.

Foundation of a new location in Poland.

2021

With revenues of CHF 135.9 million, the Helbling Group achieved another record result.
The share of revenue generated abroad was around 40 percent.

The number of employees increased from 593 to 606.

2020

Despite all the adversities in the “Covid year”, the Helbling Group achieved the best result in its history with sales of CHF 123.1 million.

The number of employees increased from 593 to 606.

Publication of the seventh edition of the Swiss Medical Technology Industry (SMTI) Industry Survey.

The Helbling Group is one of the “Best Employers in Switzerland 2020”.

2019

The number of employees at the end of 2019 was 597.

Together with the customer, Hawa Sliding Solutions AG, Helbling Business Advisors wins the «Asco Economiesuisse Award» Best Business Transformation 2019 for the project «Plus+ Zusammen Wachsen».

2018

Helbling strengthens its position in the US market by opening another Helbling Precision Engineering office in San Diego, California.

Publication of the sixth edition of the Swiss Medical Technology Industry (SMTI) sector study, prepared in close collaboration with Swiss Medtech.

2017

2017 will go down in the history of the Helbling Group as the most successful business year yet with record revenues of CHF 121.1 million. The headcount amounts to 540.

Helbling Technik is in the TOP 24% of suppliers assesses by EcoVadis.

Helbling Technik is one of the Swiss Top 100 employers.

2016

On 30 June, Dr. Reto Müller resigns from his position as Chairman of the Board of Directors after 32 years within the Helbling Group.

Publication of the fifth edition of the Swiss medical technology industrie (SMTI) Sector Study, created in close collaboration with the Medical Cluster.

Helbling Business Advisors in Germany was awarded TOP Management Consultant for the mid-sized-sector by TOP Consultants and “excellent” within the category “Project Excellence Restructuring” by the WirtschaftsWoche.

Helbling Business Advisors and the Schleuniger Group win the ASCO Award 2016 for the best consulting project in the category “Global Consultants”.

Helbling Technik is one of the Swiss Top 100 employers.

2015

Helbling Business Advisors receives the “Beste Berater 2015” award from the magazine “brand eins” and Statista GmbH.

Helbling Technik presents its image film “The Spirit’s Walk“.

Helbling is one of the Swiss Top 100 employers.

2014

As an innovation partner of Cochlear, Helbling Technik is honored with the Award “Supplier to a 2014 Winner” for its contribution to the CodacsTM hearing implant.

Helbling Business Advisors wins with the international group of companies Perlen Converting the silver ASCO Award 2014 and thus receives the fourth time a prize for “Best Business Transformation”.

Helbling is one of the Swiss Top 100 employers.

2013

“50 Years Challenging the Status Quo”: 

The Helbling Group celebrates its 50th anniversary by inviting customers, employees, families and friends for a big celebration in Hallenstadion in Zürich.

Anniversary brochure

2012

Helbling Groups consolidated revenues raises to a new record level with CHF 110.9 Mio. The headcount amounts to 458.

In Collaboration with the client Baloise Group Helbling Management Consulting wins the ASCO Award for “Excellent Business Transformation 2012”.

The Helbling Group integrates the service lines of Helbling Corporate Finance and Helbling Management Consulting in the division  “Helbling Business Advisors”.

Teaming up with experienced lawyers and construction specialists, Helbling Beratung + Bauplanung establishes the association for dispute settlement in construction, BAUSCHLICHTUNG.CH.

2011

On July 1st, after 11 years in the dual function, Dr. Reto Müller passes the Group CEO function to Dr. Christian Péclat. Dr. Reto Müller remains Chairman of the Group Board.

2010

The Wirtschaftswoche evaluated Helbling Corporate Finance as the best Strategy Consulting for midsized companies.

2009

Helbling Management Consulting acquires Business Results AG, a spin-off company of the ETH Zurich. Business Results was founded by Prof. Dr. Hugo Tschirky and is specialised on strategic innovation management.

Helbling Corporate Finance establishes an office in Stuttgart.

Successful ISO 14001 certification of Helbling Technik.

Helbling Management Consulting wins  the  ASCO Award “Best Strategy Transformation” in collaboration with the Lienhard Office Group.

2008

Foundation and establisment of a representative office in Shanghai.

2007

The Helbling PTS Engineering team, which specializes in technologies for the power generation sector, successfully extended its activities in several projects with its partner in China (Shanghai).

Thanks to the innovative drive and research services of Helbling Technik Bern AG, Phonak and Cochlear were awarded the KTI Medtech Award 2007.

2006

Cochlear Ltd. wins the “Global Medical Design Excellence Award” in New York. Cochlear collaborated with Helbling for the development of its Nucleus Freedom System.

Together with its client Siemens Building Technology, Helbling Management Consulting wins the “Award for best Business Transformation” from ASCO.

2004

Relocation of our Zurich offices – including the Head Office – to “Obsidian”, an impressive contemporary high-rise, after several years of careful planning and construction engineering work. This created entirely new, attractive working and training platforms and infrastructures for our clients and staff alike.

2003

The Helbling Group celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Helbling strengthens its position in the US market: foundation of Helbling Precision Engineering in Cambridge MA.

2001

Continued strategic expansion in Germany with the founding of a competence center for strategic and implementation-oriented IT consultancy services: Helbling Management Consulting GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany.

2000

Dr. Peter Hemmi hands over full responsibility for the Helbling Group and the chairmanship of the Board of Directors to Dr. Reto Müller.

The vision expressed in the phrase “Valuable through Innovation” is intended to underpin and further enhance Helbling’s position as a leading independent engineering and management consultancy firm. The Helbling Group continues to operate in line with the core ideas of “innovative entrepreneurs” and with the conviction that “employees make markets.”

1963-1999

1998

Helbling strengthens its position in the German market: foundation of Helbling Corporate Finance GmbH in Dusseldorf.

1997

Market expansion in Germany through the creation of Helbling Technik GmbH in Munich.

1994

Acquisition of an IT business unit: in making this acquisition the Helbling Group enhances its competence in the area of Product Life Cycle Management (CAx, PDM).

1993

The Helbling nexus receives reinforcements: foundation of Helbling Corporate Finance in Dietikon outside Zurich. A competence center is created for Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Finance and Turnaround Management.

1991

Helbling expands into Germany: foundation of Helbling Management Consulting GmbH in Stuttgart and Munich.

1988

Reshaping of the shareholder base on a modern, entrepreneurial partner model. To this day, the Helbling Group is owned by its employees and by 24 managing partners.

Employees make markets – Peter Hemmi implements his conviction that people, the employees of a company, are its most valuable resource. This “innovative entrepreneur” approach to the business remains a core principle to this day.

1979

Young entrepreneur Dr. Peter Hemmi takes over the Helbling Group with around 80 employees and revenues of approx. CHF 6 million as sole shareholder.

Over the coming years Peter Hemmi put his business philosophy into practice, namely that technology and business management should not be seen as contradictory or competing factors but as a combined source of unlimited potential for new client benefits. Engineers and business managers get together in interdisciplinary teams to design entrepreneurial solutions to meet increasingly complex and urgent challenges.

1974

Foundation of Helbling Management Consulting AG – “Your partner for more profitability and increased competitiveness”.

1973

The Helbling companies are on the road to growth: Helbling Holding AG is formed as a financing holding company.

1972

Foundation of Helbling Ingenieurunternehmung AG – “Your partner for integrated solutions for construction, energy, and infrastructure”.

1967

Foundation of Helbling Technik AG – “Your partner for the development of successful products”.

1963

Max J. Helbling founds the two-man Helbling Engineering office in Zurich. The creative 27-year-old entrepreneur initially focuses on design and product development services.

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