Company

An eventful history. Since 1850.

The company C.HAFNER dates back to the 19th century and has weathered by epochal economic crises, the ravages of war and constant change brought about by technology. Despite these influences, the founders of the firm and the following generations have managed to steer the company’s fortunes with ever-increasing success over the years. C.HAFNER has made a name for itself as a business with entrepreneurial courage, striving for innovation as well as perseverance and optimism.

CARL HAFNER
1830 – 1891
ROBERT HAFNER SEN.
1866 – 1946
HERBERT HAFNER
1894 – 1941
ROBERT HAFNER
1900 – 1989
JOBST WERNER HAFNER
1929 – 2004
RUTH REISERT-HAFNER
1928

Milestones

1850 - 1923

The beginnings

The C.HAFNER company originated in the expanding jewellery and watch industry towards the end of the 19th century. The processing of precious metals of all kinds led to methods of reprocessing these valuable raw materials. Carl Hafner recognized the potential early on and founded his company for the purpose of “waste preparation", i.e. the recovery of precious metals from processing waste.

1923 - 1941

New products and business areas

The precious metal reprocessing soon relevated its far-reaching potential in that it could be not only sold back into the market as a casting material but also in the form of semi-finished products such as sheets, wires and tubes. The production of these preliminary products saved the jewellery and watchmaking industry from having to provide a complimentary production and enabled it to concentrate on its core business – the creation of jewellery and watches. A success for C.HAFNER! This was followed by the first dental alloys, which opened up another attractive market, as well as the construction of a metallurgical laboratory, or rather a “Research & Development” division.

1945 - 1979

Reconstruction and reorientation

The destructive force of World War II did not spare C.HAFNER either – the company was completely destroyed during the last days of the war. With courage and optimism, Robert Hafner rebuilt the business, moved it to Bleichstraße, redesigned the internal organisational structures and adapted them to the requirements of a modern business enterprise. In terms of the environment, too, C.HAFNER stood out early on through the use of effective technologies.

1979 - 2007

Leading through technology

A healthy economy and, above all, the flourishing jewellery industry shaped the following decades. This period was all about what were known as “creative semi-finished products”, i.e. attractive preliminary products for jewellery makers, along with the expansion of laboratories, the development of a palladium alloy and the introduction of electroplating. This was followed by the introduction of quality management and the investment in a new building for a state-of-the-art recycling plant.

2007 - 2015

Commencing digitisation

Digitisation and software are becoming increasingly important. A software for implant planning was therefore introduced early on to support dental laboratories. Next was the development of “Milling in Precious Metals”, a CAD/CAM-based service that allows dental laboratories to have precious metal frameworks milled directly by C.HAFNER. Further milestones in these decades include: The accreditation of laboratories, the production of a proprietary precious metal ingot line, the acquisition of Hilderbrand & Cie SA, a manufacturer of solder pastes, as well as the obtainment of the coveted LBMA certification, which guarantees the purity of the material as well as ecological and ethical safety.

2015 - today

Ready for the future with innovation

Recent years have seen an immense acceleration in innovation speed, and with the construction of a smart and efficient new headquarters, C.HAFNER is positioning itself as a leading precious metal technology company. The innovative “PlatinGold” alloy is revolutionising the platinum market and C.HAFNER invests in cutting edge powder technology. Last but not least, “Urban Mining” and the RJC Certificate bespeak ethical, responsible and compliance-oriented actions and are becoming important assets in an increasingly competitive environment.