History

SINCE 1881, RUCKSTUHL TRANSFORMS NATURE INTO CULTURE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

Moritz Ruckstuhl is born on May 15, 1847 in Langenthal, Switzerland. His parents run a freight forwarding company with over 100 horse-drawn vehicles. In 1868 Moritz Ruckstuhl leaves for America and workes in Argentina for 10 years.

Triggered by the construction of a railway, the parental freight forwarding business is waning. Moritz Ruckstuhl returnes to Switzerland in 1878. On his long sea voyages he discovers the coconut mats on ships (they prevent slipping in wet weather). This gives rise to his new business idea:

1881

Moritz Ruckstuhl rents the barn and the dance hall of the “zur Eintracht” inn in Melchnau BE and begins to produce rugs and plaited door rugs on handlooms.

1884

The premises soon become too tight: After three years, the production is relocated from Melchnau to Langenthal.

1908

Walter Ruckstuhl, Moritz Ruckstuhl's eldest son, joins the company.

1918

Moritz Ruckstuhl transforms his company into a stock corporation, hands over management to his son Walter and retires. Today's Ruckstuhl AG is born.

1922

Ruckstuhl brings the woven coconut doormat onto the market, which has been produced untill today.

1939

Felix Ruckstuhl, Walter Ruckstuhl's eldest son, joins the company. Ruckstuhl experiments with paper yarns due to raw material shortages caused by the war.

1967

Ruckstuhl brings the CALICUT coconut carpet onto the market. With its resilience and charm, another classic Ruckstuhl.

1972

The JAIPUR sisal carpet is created. Balanced colors, sophisticatedly processed in the natural fiber sisal.

1977

Peter Ruckstuhl, son of Felix Ruckstuhl, joins the company as a representative of the fourth generation. Ruckstuhl begins to tuft wool carpets.

1987

Ruckstuhl and other companies in the region found the DESIGNERS' SATURDAY, an exhibition in the company's production halls.

1992

Ruckstuhl takes over the Danish Skandinavisk Kokosvæverie SKANKO A/S and outsources part of the production.

1999

Ruckstuhl sets up its machines in the shut down Plant 20 of the Porzellanfabrik Langenthal AG and relocates production from Denmark back to Switzerland.

2007

With the LEGNO-LEGNO carpet, Ruckstuhl goes back to the beginnings of history and designs a wooden carpet that is inspired by boat building.

2009

Ruckstuhl introduces the tufting robot Robotloom. With the use of the latest technology, Ruckstuhl can produce unique carpets with individual designs or patterns.

2013

After 129 years, Ruckstuhl moves the administration from St. Urbanstrasse to the production building on Bleienbachstrasse.

2014

The Colombian natural fiber Fique is made into handmade carpets in cooperation with a knitting manufactory. MAGLIA is received with enthusiasm by the press and has won a number of design awards.

2015

The Ruckstuhl family sells the majority of the shares to CoOpera Immobilien AG. The CoOpera is also the owner of the company building and has been associated with the Ruckstuhl company for many years.

2018

Peter Ruckstuhl retires. The employees U. Rölli, A. Berchtold, S. Howald and V. Baumann (from left to right) draw up a restructuring plan and form the new management.

2019

Ruckstuhl starts working with the Zermatt fashion label NEESCHI. Three high-quality carpets are made from the exquisite, undyed wool of the black-nosed sheep.

2021

Adrian Berchtold (Managing Director and President of the Board of Directors) and Valentin Baumann (Head of Finance, HR and Services) take over the majority of the shares in CoOpera.