Heinrich Alfred Gautschi

Heinrich Alfred Gautschi colloquially Alfred Gautschi (; ; 10 March 1871 – 21 March 1955) was a Swiss industrialist and pioneer of aluminium technology. He was most notably known for founding Alu Menziken in 1897.

Early life and education Gautschi was born 10 March 1871 in Menziken, Switzerland, the older of two children, to Heinrich Gautschi, a factory foreman, and Maria Anna Gautschi (née Sommerhalder). He had a younger brother, Hermann Gautschi (1873–1940). After completing compulsory schooling, he completed a mechanic apprenticeship. On April 15, 1905, he patented the so-called paper or book rolling process for aluminum foil. The process basically consisted of rolling a thin aluminum sheet, then dividing it in two halves, which were then stacked and rolled again. The process was repeated until a pack of 64 sheets of film was reached. The new type of foil was initially used primarily for packaging, replacing the tinfoil that had been used for a long time, i.e. rolled tin. The first major order included the monthly delivery of 1.6 million packs of snuff and came from Germany. The company founded by Gautschi still exists today and is part of the Alu Menziken Group, of which the Gautschi family was the majority shareholder until 2007. In 2007, the Gautschi family sold the majority of the Alu Menziken Group to Montana Tech Components AG.

Personal life In 1897, Gautschi married Marie Louise Humbel, who was from Boniswil and was the daughter of a cattle merchant. They had two sons and a daughter;

Dr. Alfred Gautschi, Jr. (1899–1989), an economist, married Ada Bächtold, of Schleitheim, three sons. He presided Alu Menziken between 1955 and 1979. Rudolf Gautschi, married Elisabeth Hüssy, of Leimbach. Frieda Gautschi, married Jean Paul Meister (1906–1994), of Menziken, had three sons

Gautschi died 21 March 1955 aged 84 in Menziken.

Literature

Gautschi, Alfred: Die Aluminiumindustrie. Zürcher volkswirtschaftliche Forschungen 5. 120 S. und 5 Tafeln. Rechts- und staatswissensch aftliche Dissertation Universität Zürich. Rascher & Cie., Zürich. 1925 Gautschi, Alfred [Hrsg.]: 50 Jahre Aluminium Menziken. Festschrift zur Feier des fünfzigjährigen Bestehens der Aktiengesellschaft 1905–1955. 142 S. zahlr. Abb. Aargau. 1955. Schuh, Günther, Thomas Friedli u. Michael A. Kurr: Prozessorientierte Reorganisation. 204 S. Carl Hanser Verlag, München/Wien. 2007. Portmann, Paul Ferdinand: AG Sigg, Metallwarenfabrik, Frauenfeld. In: Thurgauer Jahrbuch 56:92-98. Huber Frauenfeld. 1981. Bahnmüller, Martin u. Peter Siegrist: 100 Jahre ALU Menziken – ein Jahrhundert Oberwynental : 1897–1997. 103 S. Menziken : ALU Menziken Holding. 1997.