200 years of Uetikon chemistry production

It was back in 1818 that the Schnorf brothers of Uetikon on Lake Zurich decided to try their hand at producing sulphuric acid. Back then, the goods were transported by barges on the lake and by horse-drawn carts on the land. Soon, though, came steam engines, the railways and new manufacturing techniques and products; and a hundred years later the «Chemische Fabrik Uetikon» was Switzerland’s biggest chemicals factory. The company and its products also helped in the birth of many further Swiss industries, such as the paint production sector and later the largely Basel-based pharmaceuticals industry. The 20th Century saw the company expand internationally in its silicate chemistry segment. In 2016, the original Uetikon site was sold to Canton Zurich, which plans to use it to establish a new cantonal high school. .

A journey through the ages?

The current «200 Years of Uetikon Chemistry Production» exhibition in the Uetikon Museum takes visitors on a journey through the ages to illustrate the working conditions, the production processes, the expansion and the strong social commitment of «Die Chemische», as the factory was locally known. The exhibition, which features a number of intriguing items of various ages, is open every Sunday afternoon between now and 24 June 2018.