175 Years. From Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute to Testex AG (1846?–?2021)

Testex AG has remained faithful to its location in Zurich for 175 years now. Established in 1846 as the Zurich silk conditioning institute, the company has gone through a profound process of transformation. This was directly linked to the rise and fall of the Zurich silk industry. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the silk industry brought great prosperity to the city of Zurich and the region around Lake Zurich. However, its gradual decline forced many companies to undergo restructuring. Testex AG has taken the opportunity of the anniversary of its foundation to take a look at its long and eventful company history. The book tells of the institute’s rise to become one of the most important silk conditioning institutes in Europe and of crises and the reorientation towards textile testing in the second half of the 20th century. Testex AG has developed into a global group of companies whose core business is now in the area of textile testing and certification. In addition to its headquarters in Switzerland, it has 27 branches throughout the world.