Hager Group

Hager distribution board

Hager miniature circuit breakers

In 1955, Hager oHG, elektrotechnische Fabrik was founded by brothers Oswald and Hermann Hager, together with their father Peter Hager in Ensheim in the Saarland region of Germany.[9][10] Since 1945, Saarland had been under the economic control of France and had no access to the German market. However, Hager wanted to gain a foothold in both markets. In 1959, the Hager brothers founded their first foreign subsidiary, Hager Electro S. A., in Obernai, Alsace, in north-eastern France.[11]

In 1966, Hager began systematical training of its electricians, whose expertise has created a culture of customer loyalty, something that continues to this day. Hager’s modular rotary fuse carrier was patented in Germany in 1968 and in France in 1970. At the same time, the first mass-produced distribution board, the Hager-Rapid-System, was launched on the French market. In 1973, Hager achieved sales of 43 million Deutsche Marks in Germany and in 1974 the company reached a turnover of 22 million francs in France.

In 1976, Hager launched the mini Gamma enclosure,[12] in 1982 the company started producing the first Residual-current circuit breakers (RCCB) in Germany.[13] A new production facility with a high-bay warehouse was opened in Blieskastel.

Hager Group began to market itself as a complete service provider for electrical installations in buildings in the 1980s, setting up sales companies in Europe (Switzerland and Great Britain).[14] In the mid-1990s, Hager set up distribution channels in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Australia and New Zealand.

In 2007, Hager Group became a European Company: Hager SE.[15]

Entry to production hall of Hager Group in Blieskastel, Germany. Photo: Hager Group

Hager Group has 22 manufacturing sites in 10 countries across the world.[16] Components for the respective markets are manufactured at the local production facilities in order to accommodate local installation requirements. The biggest production site is in Obernai, France.[17] Hager Forum was established there in 2015 as a training and meeting place for partners, customers and employees of the company.[18][19]

In 1992, the group acquired Lumetal, a manufacturer of distribution boards from Porcia, Italy.[20] Hager Group acquired the German company Tehalit in 1996, a manufacturer of cable management systems and cable ducts.[21]

In 1998, the group acquired the French electronic timer manufacturer Flash, whose registered office was in Saverne.[22] Prior to this, Hager Group manufactured only mechanical timers. The same year, the company also acquired British manufacturer Ashley & Rock from Ulverston, whose products were manufactured according to British Standards.

In 2002, the Polish company Polo, whose registered office was in Tychy, was integrated into the company, in 2004, Hager Group acquired Swiss company Weber AG and French manufacturer Atral. In addition to Hager brand security systems, Atral also manufactures products for the brands Diagral, Daitem and Logisty.

In 2006, Hager entered the Brazilian market when it acquired 100 % of the shares in Eletromar. Hager Group opened a plant in Pune, India in 2008 and on 30 September of the same year, the foundation stone for a new Eletromar production site in Brazil was laid. On 1 January 2009, Hager acquired Electraplan Solutions GmbH,[23] and in 2010, Hager acquired Berker, a German manufacturer of switches, whose registered offices were in Schalksmühle and Ottfingen.[24]

2012 Hager gained the German family firm Elcom, a producer of intercoms.[25]

In 2018, it acquired E3/DC GmbH, a German developer of inverters and energy storage systems.[26]

Elcom intercom with colour screen

Hager brand offers services for electrical installations in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. In 2009, the previous brands Tehalit, Weber, Lume, Klik, Flash, Polo, Ashley & Rock and Logisty were combined under Hager brand. Alarms and security systems are sold under Daitem[27] and Diagral.[28] Berker manufactures switches and switch systems as part of Hager Group.[24] Bocchiotti/Iboco, the Italian market leader in cable management and room distribution systems, is also part of Hager Group[29] whilst Elcom produces intercom systems for residential and office buildings.[30]

There are four different areas of application for Hager Group’s products and services:

• Energy distribution and metering systems, including energy management and VDI concepts for electrical installation
• Cable management systems for power and data distribution
• Switch ranges and building control
• Security systems

Since 2018, Hager Group has been working on electromobility with Audi AG. The aim of the collaboration is to connect the Audi e-Tron model with Hager Group’s Home Energy Management System (HEMS).[31]

6% of sales are invested in research and development. In 2019, the company filed around 3,000 patents.[32] The group employs around 800 people in research and development,[16] which mainly focuses on electromobility, intelligent building technology (for smart homes) and energy efficiency.[33] Between October 2010[34] and June 2014,[35] Hager Group sponsored football club 1. FC Saarbrücken, with a focus on promoting young talent. Since 2017, the group has been supporting the French football club Racing Club Strasbourg Alsace. This sponsorship lasts for three years.[36]