Leister reorganized

Swiss manufacturer now a holding structure with three independent, limited companies

Leister Process Technologies, the Switzerland-based plastic welding and hot air equipment manufacturer, has reorganized from a sole proprietorship to a holding structure consisting of three independent, limited companies, with Leister AG as the holding company, according to a Jan. 18 press release.

Since its founding in 1949, Leister Process Technologies operated in the legal form of a sole proprietorship. Growth in the past few decades, diversification into additional business areas, and the formation of companies in the United States, Germany, China, and Japan spurred the structural changes, the release said.

• Leister AG is now the holding company, responsible for the management and control of the entire Leister group.
• Leister Technologies AG now manages the business in the areas of plastic welding, hot air industrial processes, and laser systems.
• Axetris AG replaces the Axetris business unit, converting it into an independent company that will remain active in the areas of gas sensors and micro optics.
• All existing national affiliates—including Leister USA—will remain in operation untouched.

“This new corporate structure allows us to sharpen our focus in key areas, and successfully develop the future of all Leister activities,” said Christiane Leister, chief executive officer, Leister AG. Existing company managers will lead newly established companies, with all properties remaining under the overall direction of Ms. Leister, the press release stated.

Leister Technologies AG has been in the plastic welding and hot air equipment business for more than 60 years. Its headquarters is in Kaegiswil, Switzerland, with sales and service centers in more than 90 countries.

Leister Technologies LLC, based in Chicago, is a business unit of Leister AG and is the exclusive U.S. sales and service center for Leister’s full line of products including process heat and plastic welding equipment.